Samsung School-Fact or Fiction?
Jim Adams
A few Sundays ago, I watched an NFL football game on NBC. Due to the many commercials aired on the subject - seemingly at each break - someone could have labeled it “The Tablet Bowl.”
Ads for the iPad, Microsoft, and Samsung were everywhere. Each was trying to out-do the other. They touted how they were the best and gave reasons why. It is obvious that iPad and Samsung Chromebooks both are in a competition for dominance. In addition to their Chromebook offering, Samsung Tablets were right in the thick of it also.
It is no surprise that there is an explosion of devices entering the classroom. With the convergence of the adoption of Common Core AND Mobile Learning in the classroom, the greatest paradigm shift in education is taking place right before our eyes. EVERY school district, every school, and every IT department is working aggressively to make the right decisions in meeting the challenges and opportunities that come with this shift.
As many of you might know, RMC has made a substantial infrastructure investment, for 2014, in order to begin marketing the integrated software and hardware product known as Samsung School. This total education solution is designed to delight students and teachers alike thanks to its innovative teaching and learning tools.
As you might imagine, I viewed the ads with more than casual interest. Samsung School is such a unique product in that it provides classroom management at extremely high levels of efficiency and performance. Utilizing, at the heart of it, the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1. There is just nothing like it.
As I watched the tablet ads my mind drifted to the broader subject of how well Samsung School fits in schools. The fact that it truly does not compete against Chromebooks and Apple and how excited we are to share its unique benefits for the average school. To share why every district should seriously consider this solution.
Let me start off by saying that Samsung School is like no other product the Ray Morgan Company has ever taken to market. The school districts and Charter Schools in which we have been involved with Samsung School presentations have found it fascinating and are excited to begin implementing. It, indeed, represents an extraordinary opportunity to enhance Instruction and learning and ties both of these together in a unique and powerful way! It is the best tablet instruction tool on the market and teachers are finding it extremely user-friendly. It is a great way to deliver education and we have a complete program that provides maximum benefit. It is one of those concepts where you have to see it to believe it!
I had a chance to spend some time recently with John Olson, our RMC Samsung School Product Manager during two special product shows we organized for school districts. I must confess that it is not as easy for me as it used to be to digest new products. There are moments where I feel technologically challenged. However, Samsung School has been a different experience. It is highly intuitive.
Once the administrators, IT representatives, and teachers were exposed to Samsung School, there was a swell of enthusiasm. Some were locked in to other brands of tablets. However, there was consensus and a strong interest to change direction to Samsung School, if at all possible.
Offerings like Samsung School are the educational future for our schools. Pursuing it with passion is very rewarding for us because how the product facilitates comprehensive education in a powerful way. Its many interactive learning tools offer flexibility in storing, managing and sharing educational content and student information.
One thing that is noteworthy is that in their drive to utilize available funds to meet Common Core technology specifications some school districts have adopted a “Top Down” approach to Mobile learning by rushing out and purchasing thousands or even tens of thousands of devices, without a solid solution in place for securing or utilizing these devices. The results have been less than favorable and even disastrous. For this reason, RMC consistently emphasizes a “Bottom UP” approach, in which goals are targeted, challenges within the classroom and infrastructure are discussed and then, and only then, solutions are considered. In the end, the devices distributed must support the goals and solution. RMC has been very successful with this fully integrated approach to Mobile Learning in the classroom.
In closing, I want to add that I am blessed to be a member of the Board of Trustees of our local high school district. I think I have a better than average feeling as to the challenges of the schools. This is a game changer. It reconstructs the classrooms. It enhances teaching and broadens education.
It is at least worth a look. Taking an hour to review it may well be some of the better spent time this week!