Hardware & Infrastructure

Computer systems, major hardware & school/district facilities news


Report: Worldwide IT Spending Forecast to Grow 1.4% in 2017

Worldwide IT spending is projected to total $3.5 trillion in 2017, a 1.4 percent increase from 2016, according to market research firm Gartner, Inc. This growth rate is down from the previous quarter’s forecast of 2.7 percent, due in part to the rising United States dollar.

E-Rate Requests for High-Speed Internet Have Doubled Since Last Year

The number of E-rate requests for high-speed internet has doubled since last year, according to the 2016 E-Rate Trends Report, prepared by Oklahoma-based consulting group Funds for Learning.

Hawaii and Kentucky are Among States That Lead the Way in Connectivity

The second annual “State of the States” report on the state of broadband connectivity in United States schools finds that Hawaii and Kentucky are among a number of states that are leading the way in ensuring that their students have access to equal educational opportunities provided by technology.

More Than $4 Billion in E-Rate Funds Available for Districts in FY 2017

The Federal Communications Commission sets aside $3.9 billion annually for E-rate funding, and with $200 million rolling over from 2016, school districts will have access to more than $4 billion in fiscal year 2017 for connectivity upgrades.

Nonprofit Releases Tool for Districts to Compare Broadband Prices, Speeds, Bandwidth

EducationSuperHighway, a San Francisco-based ed tech nonprofit, has launched the full version of its Compare & Connect K–12, an online tool that helps school district technology directors and superintendents view and compare broadband services and bandwidth information for school districts across the country.

Schools, Libraries, Health Groups Launch Campaign to Tell FCC to Improve Connectivity

Slow internet connections are hampering the future of education and limiting libraries and health organizations, according to a coalition of schools, libraries and health groups in a campaign launched Thursday. The Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband (SHLB) Coalition is urging the Federal Communications Commission to make emergency improvements to its Business Data Services (BDS) order to include high-capacity broadband lines.

California District to Save $1.6 Million with Energy Storage

San Diego's Poway Unified School District has installed 6.3 megawatt hours of energy storage in a move that will save it an estimated $1.6 million over the decade-long life of the contract.

California District to Save $4 Million with Solar

The Soledad Unified School District will install a new solar photovoltaic system projected to save $45,000 in annual energy costs.

Louisiana School District Benefits from E-Rate Discount

A Louisiana school district that used to restrict access to the internet because its service wasn’t strong enough is now completely online and preparing for an ambitious 1-to-1 initiative by 2020, thanks to federal E-rate funds.

Police Get Secure WiFi Access at 3 Iowa Schools

The Iowa Department of Public Safety has launched a program that allows the state’s law enforcement officers to park their patrol cars outside schools and access secure, high-speed WiFi Internet service.

Featured Mobility Articles

Masters of Learning

I had the delightful privilege of moderating the FETC Virtual Conference this past May. One of the events was a Q&A with Elliot Soloway, of the University of Michigan, and Cathleen Norris, of the University of North Texas, regarding their mobile learning research initiatives. Their strong contention is that students will bring their mobile phones to school to learn — and it will happen a lot sooner than we think. It's inevitable, they say, and educators need to get with the picture. By Therese Mageau.

Principals Call for Mobile and Social Technologies in Schools

The National Association of Secondary School Principals is looking to change the conversation about mobile computing and social media in schools.

The ABCs of BYOL

A bring-your-own-laptop pilot program puts an Ohio district closer to its goal of getting a computer into the hands of each of its students.

New York Educators Get Cross-Platform Tablet Training

NYSCATE, the New York State Association for Computers and Technologies in Education, will be training teachers on Android- and Windows-based tablets this summer.

Classroom Walkthrough Comes to Android

Teacher professional development provider Teachscape has brought Classroom Walkthrough to the Android platform.

Using iPods To Increase Reading Comprehension

As a middle school reading specialist in Oregon's Eugene School District 4j, Marilyn Williams found that many of her middle school students weren't finishing their reading or remembering what they read. So she decided to tackle the problem with the help of iPod touch devices.

Student Engagement on the Go

Assistant Principal Patrick McGee explains that whatever the other advantages of adopting iPads and iPods in the classroom, the key is student engagement.

Drill Down: Mobile Devices in Education

As educators continue to weigh the many considerations attached to allowing student-owned handheld devices on campus, Speak Up asked parents what good they think the use of mobile technologies would have on their children's education.

An App for That ... and That ... and That

The mobile technology market is blooming with powerful applications that have the ability to transform education with the ease of a download to any number of handheld devices. To learn what apps educators are finding most valuable to teaching and learning, we asked presenters from this month's Florida Education Technology Conference (FETC) to share some of their favorites.

NEA Program To Award Smart Phone Grants

The NEA Foundation is expanding the focus of its Challenge to Innovate (C2i) grant program. In the latest phase, the foundation will award five grants to support innovative ideas for using smart phones in the classroom.

6 Technologies That Will Change Education

Over the next five years, six technologies will have a profound impact on teaching and learning--and some are already beginning to have an impact.

When Social Networking Goes 'Live'

An English teacher in Iowa talks about how she parlayed Twitter interactions into a class trip halfway around the world.

Philadelphia Elementary School Students Treated to a New iPad Lab

Students at Philadelphia’s Stephen Decatur Elementary school will have access to a new iPad lab when they return to class in the fall.

Accelerated Reader Student App Comes to iOS

Renaissance Learning has released a free iOS app that lets students take their Accelerated Reader quizzes on their iPads, iPhones, and iPods.

ActiveCloud for iOS Enables Seamless Management of Local and Cloud-Based Files

Mobile software company Pocket Watch has released its cloud storage management application, ActiveCloud 1.0, for iOS.

Mobility Webinar

  • How to Select a Tablet Webinar screen capture

    Learn 10 essential criteria that organizations should consider when choosing a tablet computer.

Mobility Podcast

About GovConnection

GovConnection, Inc. is a leading provider of IT products and services to the K–12 and higher education marketplace.

Backed by years of experience and extensive vendor partnerships, our Account Managers are focused on helping you connect with the latest, most effective technology to support education.

With more than 150,000 products, a nationwide network of service partners, and teams of certified technical experts, GovConnection has the resources to help you achieve your IT goals—on time and on budget.

From digital signage in the campus cafeteria to servers in the core of your data center, GovConnection is ready to design, build, and support IT solutions that meet your every need. If you’re looking for an IT provider with the tools to accelerate learning and enhance collaboration, GovConnection is here to put technology to work for you. More Information

Mobility Resources

  • Adobe® Acrobat® X Pro in K–12 education PDF Screenshot

    K-12 educators are using Acrobat to enhance workflows, to improve collaboration, to create e-Portfolios of classroom activities, and even provide documents that are accessible to people with disabilities. Download PDF

  • Laptop Lessons PDF Screenshot

    While you may hear more about iPad’s impact in schools in the news lately, The Peddie School in Hightstown, NJ demonstrates how having a program with netbooks and laptops have benefitted the students. Download PDF

  • Case Study: Archdiocese of Philadelphia PDF Screenshot

    The Archdiocese of Philadelphia needed high-performance devices that offered both great savings and strong warranty to serve over 68,000 students. Acer provided rugged, fast netbooks with large keyboards that could stand up to long-term student use. Download PDF

  • Case Study: Lorain City Schools, OH PDF Screenshot

    The Challenge: Lorain City Schools in Lorain, OH serves 19 different schools and programs with a diverse student population. The Solution: Find out how Acer helped a large school system on a tight budget build a bridge to the 21st century classroom. Download PDF

GovConnection K-12 Overview

  • GovConnection PDF: Experience the GovConnection Difference Today Experience the GovConnection Difference Today

    Download PDF

About GovConnection

GovConnection, Inc. is a leading provider of IT products and services to the K–12 and higher education marketplace.

Backed by years of experience and extensive vendor partnerships, our Account Managers are focused on helping you connect with the latest, most effective technology to support education.

With more than 150,000 products, a nationwide network of service partners, and teams of certified technical experts, GovConnection has the resources to help you achieve your IT goals—on time and on budget.

From digital signage in the campus cafeteria to servers in the core of your data center, GovConnection is ready to design, build, and support IT solutions that meet your every need. If you’re looking for an IT provider with the tools to accelerate learning and enhance collaboration, GovConnection is here to put technology to work for you. More Information