This week, a few hundred of South Dakota’s most innovative teachers and administrators will gather in Mitchell, South Dakota, home of the world’s only corn palace! As if that weren’t enough to get you “popping”, CFgear’s very own Corey Anderson, self-proclaimed but “I’ll second that” Flash Drive Guru, is on location to give CFgear it’s second annual presence at the also “second annual” Laptop Institute. The program in general is intended to help teachers and administrators stay abreast of technologies related to laptops and how they can enhance the education process. Naturally, CFgear fits into this environment. In fact, Mr. Flash Drive Guru himself is all geared up to show Laptop Institute participants the many different ways a flash drive is already adding value to laptop labs and the education process.
The most basic and proven value-added tactic incorporating usb flash drive technology in the classroom is preloading bulk flash drives with an assortment of school-related content. From a communications perspective, some schools find tremendous value in preloading the event calendar and Student Policy Manual/Handbook. Most often, a hyperlink is preloaded on the school branded flash drive that points to the school’s web page where the policy guide is posted. This offers schools the ability to make updates or correct any errors in policies at any time vs. printing out addendums to policy manuals in the event of revisions. So the next time a student links to the manual via the hyperlink preloaded on their flash drive, they source the most up to date content. Because of this ability to be functional and “green”, flash drives are gaining in popularity.
Another “green” approach to using flash drives in education is achieved by preloading class handouts on flash drives. Schools that are embracing this digital classroom approach are laying the foundation that’s ever so critical in today’s rapidly advancing world.
I think Corey would be the first to tell you that laptops, much less flash drives, are not going to single-handedly be able to solve the litany of challenges schools face today. However, one very key characteristic of flash drives is their low price point vs. that of a lap top. Of course, we’re not here to say a lap top in ever student hands is not a powerful thought, but it’s sure a lot more practical to commit to a flash drive in every students pocket. In fact, even CFgear’s most sophisticated school flash drives, complete with the planet’s most impressive preload technology, requires only a fraction of the funds necessary to supply laptops.
The ultimate goal is find harmony of course. To be able to give students and teachers alike the best tools available…all for the sake of making a positive-impact on developing minds. Regardless of how schools choose to arrive at that goal, it’s nice to know CFgear is at least passionate about making sure folks committed to Education (God Bless them!) have intelligent, feasible, exciting options.
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