Top Ed-Tech Resources in 2022

As a premier educational technology supplier for several decades, Arey Jones knows a thing or two about the best machines in the business. We provide customized solutions for our clients, and with that, recommend excellent products that aid in the creation of modern learning spaces.

Our partners are pioneers in the field of EdTech, bringing to the table some of the most cutting-edge tools, gadgets, and programs. To kick off the new calendar year, we’re excited to share some of our favorite features offered by partners of Arey Jones.

HP

HP Education solutions commit to aiding education, everywhere. Its built-for-school technology is perfect for teachers and students alike. The HP Chromebook 11 is a top pick for education. It has so many features to love: a long battery life, a great sized screen, and a HD IPS touchscreen- just to name a few. It’s comfortable and reliable: great for traveling back and forth to school and home.

Microsoft

Microsoft Office 365 is integral to virtually every business and academic landscape. With must-have features like Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, and OneNote, it’s impossible to imagine a school without it. 

Recently, Office 365 launched several useful, groundbreaking, and fun new features. Take a look at all of our favorites here. In addition, these free tools from Microsoft make everyday teaching tasks function a little easier.

Google

Google for Education remains a prominent figure in the EdTech world, and for good reason! Google Classroom is filled with incredibly useful programs. Their systems streamline everything from lesson planning to parent communication.

Peruse Google for Education for more information on specific features (such as slides, docs, and meet), and other highlights like professional development.

Google Chromebooks pack some power, but they also boast affordability. Their lightweight design makes them perfect for classroom use, and they can easily be navigated by little hands. When paired with the other, innovative features that Google classroom has to offer, Chromebooks can truly transform the educational experience- both from in and outside of the classroom. Check out some of our favorite things to do with Google Chromebooks.

Dell

Dell is a well-respected and well-known name in the tech industry. They have a device to fit every lifestyle and academic need. One of our favorites is the Dell 3110 Chromebook is designed to last. Its rigorous testing includes making sure it’s able to endure dozens of drops. The keyboard is spill and tamper-resistant, and the ports stay protected and covered with reinforced brackets. These awesome features and its impressively long battery life make this Chromebook a perfect fit for school.

Lenovo

Lenovo is one of the most trusted brands out there.  The Lenovo 100e is perfectly designed with education in mind. It’s durable and light, making it extra portable for students on the move. With rubber bumpers and reinforced hinges, it can stand the test of time (and the test of little ones) in the classroom. 

Lenovo’s 300e is a practical, impressive machine and comes at a price that any school administrator will love. It’s built with education in mind, and with the durability to thrive while under the care of younger students. We love its water-resistant keyboard and the seamless way it is able to run apps. 

These tech devices and programs are sure to assist in making 2022 a great year for education. Click here to find out what services Arey Jones has to offer.

Most Popular Devices of 2018

Chromebooks are at the forefront of edtech devices and for good reason. Need a device that’s sturdy enough to take what kids can dish out? Go for a Chromebook. Need something powerful enough to meet all your app and online needs? Grab a Chromebook. How about something that does all of the above, while still staying comfortably in budget? You got, Chromebook.

Acer, HP, Dell, Asus and Lenovo all launched new Chromebooks in 2018 each with different options and features that set them apart. The most popular were Dell, Lenovo and HP.

Dell Chromebook 11 2-in-1 5190

Dell’s Chromebook 11 2-in-1 offers the best of both the laptop and tablet worlds. Its 11.6-inch, 2-in-1 screen features multiple viewing modes that allow students to view and write on the Chromebook from any angle - flat, tent, tablet or laptop - making it easy for them to create, collaborate and share ideas. Its Intel dual- and quad-core processor offers at least 10 hours of battery life and can be charged from either of its two USB Type-C ports, which also allows the Chromebook to be connected to a multitude of other devices.

Built for durability, the Chromebook 5190 2-in-1 comes with a sealed, spill-resistant keyboard that is able to withstand up to 12-ounce spills, rubberized protective bumpers along the base and an LCD screen. And, if that wasn’t enough durability, it has been tested to withstand 30-inch drops onto steel so it can easily survive lockers, lunchrooms, backpacks, buses and whatever else a student can dish out. It starts at $369.

Lenovo 500e Chromebook

The 11.6-in 2-in-1 500e Chromebook is made with the same rugged materials as the Dell Chromebook and features similar modes: laptop, tablet, tent or stand. But, one of its best features is the EMR pen. It is great for extended notetaking and writing, fine art or graphic design, detailed math problems requiring a student to show their work, and more. The EMR pen is pressure-sensitive and highly accurate. It runs on machine intelligence from Chrome OS to predict where the writing will go, giving it more of a real pen experience. One cool feature is that no charging or pairing is required, so the pen can be shared between students and across devices. And it’s garaged inside the Chromebook when not in use.

The Lenovo 500e also has two HD cameras to improve collaboration and videoconferencing. The 720p front-facing camera is great for capturing creative projects from anywhere, while the 5MP world-facing camera makes it easier to record and take pictures in the correct orientation from all four modes. The world-facing camera is on the keyboard side of the 500e Chromebook, so it can take photos while being held like a tablet. It starts at $319.

HP Chromebook x360

HP’s x360 Chromebook was created for both the education and consumer markets. It is a 2-in-1 with an 11.6-inch scratch-resistant Gorilla Glass display. Combine that with the spill-resistant keyboard and the x360 is ready for what the classroom can dish out. This Chromebook combines a rugged frame with the 360-degree touchscreen; which is essential for running Android apps. It is built to survive drops and tumbles, and still run like a top. 

The specs are pretty standard: 1.1GHz Celeron, 4GB of RAM and 16GB of expandable storage. There is an upgraded version with 32 GB of storage if you need it. HP’s x360 also comes with a part of USB-C ports and a microSD card reader. At $299.99, this Chromebook is good place to start if you’re curious about Google’s Chrome OS.

Wondering what the most popular devices of 2019 will be? We have a few ideas.

How Virtual Reality Helps Education

There’s been a lot of talk lately about virtual reality and integrating it into the classroom. Is it all lip service or is there any substance behind this new type of immersion learning? While virtual reality or VR may seem a little Back to the Future Part II, its benefits make it deserving of a closer look. It can take students places they’d never be able to go in reality – an African jungle, the solar system and back in time to the creation of planet Earth.

Yet, some administers are still getting pushback from those that think VR is a silly idea. So we came up with some ideas to get teachers, parents and students on board with VR.

Teachers

Introduce this technology to the teachers in your school who are eager to experiment with new technology. Once they apply it in their classrooms and see how awesome it is for students, they’ll start to share their knowledge with their peers.

Remind teachers that technology is the future. Did they ever think Chromebooks would replace paper and pencils? 

Put together a quick presentation via Slides or PowerPoint outlining VR’s benefits. Be sure to highlight these attributes:

• VR allows students to travel all over the world without leaving the classroom.

• VR helps develop empathy as students can personally witness communities in crisis.

• VR enables students to experience different careers through the eyes of a surgeon, soldier or other professional fields.

• VR allows students to explore the human body and see how our anatomy works.

• Students can create and share their own VR content.

• It promotes curiosity and wonder.

Parents

Ask teachers to demonstrate this tech to parents during conferences and other one-on-one meetings and school events. Set up the machine so parents can use it themselves.

Encourage students to describe this tech to parents. Since students can create and share their on VR experiences, make it a project for students to give as a presentation for parents. 

Add VR field trips to parent newsletters. “This week our fourth-grade class is traveling to the International Space Station. No permission slip required.”

Students

VR education is new and exciting and students will naturally want to be a part of it. Many teachers recalled seeing that spark and excitement the first time a student goes to Jupiter or learns about pollination by getting up close and personal with flowers and bugs.

Students like have already had an experience with VR through VR games and VR headsets. VR ed tech is just another extension of the technology they’re already familiar with.

Virtual reality not only helps students keep up, but stay ahead in a world that’s learning faster every day. Contact us to see how we can help put this new technology into your teachers’ hands.

Introducing … The Lenovo Virtual Reality Classroom

Imagine being able to take your students on a field trip to the African jungle, the solar system and even back in time to the creation of planet Earth. It’s possible with the Lenovo Virtual Reality Classroom. 

The Lenovo VR Classroom is now shipping out to schools across the country. The kit includes everything administrators need to introduce this type of immersion learning to students. The entire VR system is easy-to-use, easy-to-clean, highly-durable and offered in 3-, 10- and 24-student kits, but adaptable for up to 30 students.

The Specs

At the heart of the Lenovo VR Bundle is the Daydream VR headset. No cables, no PCs and no smartphones are needed to use it. Everything your teachers need is right in the headset. The Daydream VR also offers WorldSense™ motion tracking with a 110-degree field of view. And, bonus, the face and head cushions can be sanitized.

The Lenovo VR kit also includes:

• The Tab 4 10 Plus which connects to the student’s headsets, without disrupting the experience, and guides instruction to monitor student focus.

• The Bretford Mobile Cart offers secure storage for the headsets and includes integrated device charging. It’s made of sturdy steel, constructed in the United States and is certified for safety. Note - it is only included with the 10- and 24-student kits.

• The Ruckus R510 Access Point gives stunning, enterprise-grade Wi-Fi performance. It makes sure there’s a strong connection between teacher and student devices and is included with all kits.

Optional accessories are also available, like the Mirage camera with Daydream. This accessory allows teachers and students to create their own content that can be seamlessly uploaded to YouTube and Google Photos.

The Software

Virtual field trips go anywhere at any time, without the need of permission slips and bus rides, with experiences from Google Expeditions and The Wild Immersion with Jane Goodall.

The free Google Expeditions app has more than 700 virtual field trips. These can be integrated into included Scholastic STEM lesson plans that meet next gen Common Core standards. The environments support nearly every other subject as well.

The Exclusive Wild Immersion videos give students breathtaking views of Africa, Asia, the Amazon and more. Additional content is available from the Daydream OS store.

The Support

Rest assured, Lenovo has your back. Value-added services are included with every kit. Including:

• A one-year school-year warranty that can be upgraded to two years.

• Advanced Exchange for quick, no-hassle equipment swaps.

• Premier Support with one direct number to call.

• Device connection, testing, and access point provisioning all built in.

• Full setup so you can open the box and go right away.

Virtual reality not only helps students keep up, but stay ahead in a world that’s learning faster every day. Lenovo is leading the way with solutions to fit your school’s needs. Contact us to see how we can help put this new technology into your teachers’ hands.

New Chromebooks For Education in 2018

Chromebooks are changing the way students learn. Today, more than 25 million teachers and students are using Chromebooks for education globally, 30 million teachers and students are using Google Classroom and 80 million are using G Suite for Education. Chromebooks allow educators to teach with touch screens, apps, 3D printers and even remotely if need be.

Acer, HP, Dell, Asus and Lenovo will all launch new Chromebooks in 2018. The Dell and Lenovo models were announced first at the Bett annual trade show in London. Here is a quick breakdown what these two have to offer:

Dell Chromebook 11 2-in-1 5190

Dell’s Chromebook 11 2-in-1 is its newest Chromebook for education. It has the best of both the laptop and tablet worlds. Its 11.6-inch, 2-in-1 screen features multiple viewing modes. These modes allow students to view and write on the Chromebook from any angle - flat, tent, tablet or laptop. This feature makes it easy for students to create, collaborate and share ideas. The available world-facing camera allows students to take advantage of flipped viewing and recording angles, while the optional Dell Active EMR Pen provides a digital way to take classroom notes.

Equipped with an Intel dual- and quad-core processor, it has at least 10 hours of battery life, which means it’s good past the last bell. It can be charged from either of its two USB Type-C ports, which also allows the Chromebook to be connected to a multitude of other devices.

It’s also built for durability. The Chromebook 5190 2-in-1 comes with a sealed, spill-resistant keyboard that is able to withstand up to 12-ounce spills, rubberized protective bumpers along the base and a LCD screen. And, if that wasn’t enough durability, it has been tested to withstand 30-inch drops onto steel. That means it can survive lockers, lunchrooms, backpacks, buses and whatever else a student can dish out.

Lenovo 500e Chromebook

The 11.6-in 2-in-1 500e Chromebook is made with the same rugged materials as the Dell Chromebook and features all of the same modes: laptop, tablet, tent or stand.

But, one of its best features is the EMR pen. It is great for extended notetaking and writing, fine art or graphic design, detailed math problems requiring a student to show their work, and more. The EMR pen is pressure-sensitive and highly accurate. It runs on machine intelligence from Chrome OS to predict where the writing will go, giving it more of a real pen experience. One cool feature is that no charging or pairing is required, so the pen can be shared between students and across devices. And it’s garaged inside the Chromebook when not in use.

The Lenovo 500e also has two HD cameras to improve collaboration and videoconferencing. The 720p front-facing camera is great for capturing creative projects from anywhere, while the 5MP world-facing camera makes it easier to record and take pictures in the correct orientation from all four modes. The world-facing camera is on the keyboard side of the 500e Chromebook, so it can take photos while being held like a tablet.

HP Chromebook x360

HP’s latest Chromebook was created for both the education and consumer markets. It is a 2-in-1 with an 11.6-inch scratch-resistant Gorilla Glass display. Combine that with the spill-resistant keyboard and the x360 is ready for what the classroom can dish out. This Chromebook combines a rugged frame with the 360-degree touchscreen; which is essential for running Android apps. It is built to survive drops and tumbles, and still run like a top.

The specs are pretty standard: 1.1GHz Celeron, 4GB of RAM and 16GB of expandable storage. There is an upgraded version with 32 GB of storage if you need it. HP’s x360 also comes with a part of USB-C ports and a microSD card reader. At $300, this Chromebook is good place to start if you’re curious about Google’s Chrome OS.

Look for more new models to roll out as Google will continue to update its Chromebooks For Education page throughout 2018.