Presented by Nutanix
Technology has completely transformed education and the learning experience, from K-12 to higher ed. Nationwide, school systems are working toward digitally transforming the learning experience. Technology gives teachers and their students access to capabilities like virtual field trips, adaptive learning programs, virtual manipulatives, running learning stations, and more. In the digital world, technology brings educators the ability to enrich teaching and learning in ways that wouldn’t be possible otherwise, and it’s what makes edtech so impactful.
Schools are leading initiatives for 1:1 computer coverage in terms of access; over 50 percent of teachers say they now have a 1:1 student-to-device ratio, which presents new challenges for IT teams in education. Consequently, the amount of technology in schools is increasing yearly –which places a burden on the IT teams in education. Typically, a small IT staff, often consisting of two or three people, is responsible for a large number of students; districts as large as 10,000 students, with a comparable ratio in colleges. The proliferation of devices in the classroom also puts tremendous pressure on IT. In some schools, there is a mix of devices and operating systems used, including PCs and Macs. This diversity of devices makes it hard for smaller IT teams to manage and provide support.
One remedy to these challenges to standardization has been the introduction of Google Chromebooks. Chromebooks have become a popular addition to classrooms due to the low cost and the ability to provide services via the cloud. However, since Google is focused on increasing the adoption of native applications, Chromebooks can’t run Windows applications. This creates problems for educators. Notably, a large number of children with previous experience with computers have used a Windows PC. Therefore, they’re likely more comfortable using the Windows applications they’ve grown up with. Secondly, alternatives for legacy school functions (yearbook, newspaper) and learning programs (Adobe, CAD applications) that used to run on Windows need to be identified.
This is where Desktop-as-a-Service comes in. More specifically, Xi Frame from Nutanix. Xi Frame helps IT departments in the education space scale quickly to address their large service base, regardless of their level of expertise in desktop virtualization. It offers standardization across all device types, normalizes the BYOD experience, and eliminates the need to support each device type. Alternatively, the browser is optimized such that students can access their Windows applications and their cloud storage services seamlessly. Ultimately, it helps educators that are looking to leverage Chromebooks to provide access to Windows apps for their students.
It also helps streamline the experience as users can use their existing login credentials. Frame can authenticate users using sign-in with Google and also integrates directly with Google Drive so users can keep their files safe, secure, and readily available in Google Cloud. You can also use Google File Stream to collaborate on Team Drives.
Google and Xi Frame in action
Nutanix Frame helped White Bear Lake School District stream Adobe applications from the cloud directly into a browser — making it a great fit for Chromebooks. Students were able to log in using the Frame account through their school Gmail account, and work directly through their Google Drive, with access to Adobe InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop. Frame allowed students to work on projects at school, home, or anywhere they had Wi-Fi.
“By giving students access to the applications they needed from their own devices, Frame and the 1:1 program enabled me to eliminate the networked computer lab in my classroom,” said Fred Feirn, Digital Photography and Graphic Design Teacher in the White Bear school district.
As you can see, Frame has been critical in helping schools provide a consistent user experience that enables students to get work done seamlessly. And we’d like to help you as well. Please visit nutanix.com/frame to get more information about how this technology can transform the learning experience for your students while alleviating headaches for IT.
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Author: Harold Bell, Nutanix
Source: Venturebeat
