Samsung’s Classroom in a Box Lets Schools Test-Drive 1:1

One-to-one device solutions in K–12 school districts are growing, but the prospect of a districtwide rollout can be a tough sell for some.

In talking with K-12 districts about the barriers to integrating one-to-one rollouts, Samsung discovered that some small to midsized districts wanted to pilot test the technology in a single classroom before deciding whether to launch the solution across an entire district.

Enter Samsung's latest education offering: Classroom in a Box.

In the box are all of the components needed to convert classrooms into one-to-one learning environments, without substantial upfront investments or long-term commitments. The package includes 30 devices — either Galaxy Tab 4 Education tablets or Chromebook 2 notebooks — along with professional development solutions, and subscriptions and licenses for curriculums.

Furthermore, Samsung partnered with McGraw-Hill to bulk up on digital curriculum offerings. The textbook publisher will provide 30 one-year subscriptions to its Thrive digital curriculum, which covers English Language Arts (ELA) and math for grades 3-8.

During ISTE 2015, EdTech spoke with Jennifer Langan, Samsung's director of product marketing for mobile computing, about how Classroom in a Box makes sense for schools searching for small-scale solutions.

"Everyone knows that a digital learning environment should be much more personalized, interactive, engaging," says Langan. "But how do you cross that chasm from textbook to there? That's where professional development comes in."

This professional development goes beyond the scope of technical training with the devices, says Langan.

"Curriculum-based professional development is: 'Here's how you use this curriculum in a classroom — here's how you make the most of it,'" she says.

The one-year test phase allows schools to try the technology before they decide whether to take it districtwide. It also eases the pitch to local school boards and funding bodies, says Langan.