For K–12, educational technology represents a multimillion-dollar investment in support of improved outcomes. Education professionals look to digital tools to elevate the way students learn, teachers teach and schools operate.
But as K–12 administrators and IT professionals look at their budgets, they must remember that technology isn’t just an upfront expense. These leaders need to factor in all the costs, including those associated with support, training and maintenance. For staff and student devices, this total cost of ownership can add up over time.
To help assess the TCO associated with device management beyond the initial purchase price, Microsoft commissioned Forrester and Concentrix to produce a report, “Quantifying Impact: Knowing the Value of your Tech Investment,” which combines a TCO survey with two studies on the total economic impact of Microsoft technology and solutions.
EdTech: Focus on K–12 sat down with Microsoft Senior Partner Marketing Manager Megan Vollmar to discuss the report’s findings and how K–12 districts can gain a deeper understanding of the value they’re getting for their technology investments.
DISCOVER: These Microsoft solutions from CDW can impact your K–12 schools.
EDTECH: Why was the TCO survey conducted? What did you hope to learn?
VOLLMAR: We try to regularly host studies that bring to light current trends and themes in the education landscape so we can best serve our customers. The pandemic changed the way a lot of the world procures technology, so we were in need of fresh data and insights. This survey offered both a chance for Microsoft to gain insights into customer needs and an opportunity for decision-makers to be heard.
We hoped to learn about the total financial and academic impact that different technology ecosystems have on educational institutions.
Schools around the globe spoke up about what matters to them regarding technology. They offered product feedback and conveyed a real picture of the effort and investment needed to manage technology successfully.
EDTECH: What were the key outcomes of the survey?
VOLLMAR: The TCO model shows that Microsoft has the lowest TCO at the four-year mark for low-end devices and a lower TCO over any time period compared with some high-end devices.
A low-cost device is not the end of the story for most schools, and Microsoft is proud of our cost transparency and the measurable impact that our classroom tools have on student outcomes. We learned that our education customers care very much about soft or hidden costs associated with owning and managing devices.
DIVE DEEPER: What device decisions do K–12 leaders need to make at the end of the year?
EDTECH: What are the hidden device costs that administrators or IT professionals might not consider?
VOLLMAR: Schools should budget for things like deployment, management, end-user training and connectivity, as well as third-party software and applications. Having a plan for these elements will help schools with a smooth refresh.
Aside from these soft costs, accessories were a large added cost consideration reported by our research participants regarding solutions such as tablets. A low-cost tablet that isn’t optimized for productivity will usually need a keyboard and protective case, at a minimum. Costly styluses are also required for some users.
EDTECH: What about security? How does it relate to educational device costs?
VOLLMAR: Advanced threat protection helps schools avoid costly data breaches. In fact, in an economic impact study delivered by Forrester Consulting, Microsoft customers indicated a 58 percent drop in security incidents with Windows Pro devices.
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