Dell Power Solutions special edition dell.com/k12 2011 Issue Students first Getting ready for 21st-century education Connected Infrastructure: Assessing readiness for digital learning Professional learning: Preparing teachers for the digital age Data dilemma: Containing an expanding universe of digital content Customer perspectives: Peer learnings from 21st-century education in action Dell Power Solutions special edition dell.com/k12 2011 Issue 4 Cover story Students first: Getting ready for 21st-century education By Bob Moore Digital content and collaboration technology in the Connected Classroom are reshaping the K–12 learning experience to help students compete successfully in the digital age. How does your school district measure up? 10 Connected Infrastructure Assessing technology readiness to support digital learning initiatives By Martin Yarborough Enthusiasm about transitioning to an interactive digital curriculum is bringing a key prerequisite under scrutiny: the underlying IT infrastructure. A Dell IT simplification assessment helps align technology strategy with educational and budget goals. 14 Professional learning Preparing teachers for the digital age By Adam Garry By designing customized professional learning programs using an outcome- based model, Dell™ Professional Learning Services can help school districts meet specific educational needs, make effective use of technology, and accelerate student learning. Reprinted from Connected Learning, a special edition of Dell Power Solutions. Copyright © 2011 Dell Inc. All rights reserved. 3 Connected Learning for a connected world By Bill Rodrigues Customer perspectives 13 Baltimore County Public Schools: Education is the name of the game 19 Worcester Technical High School: Connected Learning for a new kind of school 8 Customer perspective Mobility and access Hall County Schools: Welcome 20 Inquiring minds want to know—learning to the classroom of the future here, there, and everywhere Twenty-first-century students need a 21st-century By Bob Moore and David Fritz learning environment—and forward-thinking Hall County Schools is at the head of the class. Systems management 22 Keeping IT simple helps teachers stay focused on the digital lesson plan By Ilan Dar Wireless networking 24 How wireless networking enables a mobile learning environment By Abraham Ghebremicael Storage optimization 26 The data dilemma: Containing an expanding universe of digital content By Keith Price, Greg Tan, and Paul Koteras 16 Digital learning platforms Mobile platforms open up a new Going mobile? Power Solutions world of Connected Learning Digital Edition now on Zinio By Adam Garry and Casey Wilson Dell Power Solutions offers the latest in expert advice, Are your students consumers or producers? How do solutions, and technology for enterprise IT. Now in a they go about learning? As school districts map out a new digital format on the Zinio publishing platform, the 21st-century curriculum, mobile computing platforms publication enables anytime, anywhere access from any play a pivotal role in inspiring children to reach for device supporting the Zinio reader app. For instant access the stars—with a bright educational outlook. to your free subscription, visit zinio.com/powersolutions. Scan this QR (quick response) code using a smartphone equipped Index to featured Dell customers with a camera and QR reader app Antioch Unified School District........................................ 23 Baltimore County Public Schools ....................................13 for instant access to Dell Power Beacon High School............................................................21 Solutions on Zinio. To install a QR Colorado Springs Academy School District 20 ........... 23 reader app, search for QR reader in Edgecombe County Public Schools ...............................15 the mobile app store or marketplace Hall County Schools ............................................................. 8 Henrico County Public Schools .......................................15 appropriate for your device. Worcester Technical High School ...................................19 2 Connected Learning | dell.com/k12 Reprinted from Connected Learning, a special edition of Dell Power Solutions. Copyright © 2011 Dell Inc. All rights reserved. Connected Learning Connected Learning Editorial staff Editor-in-chief and publisher Tom Kolnowski Managing editor Debra McDonald Connected Learning Features editor Kathryn White Special edition editor Kay Kerr Senior writer Jeanne Feldkamp Contributing writers Ilan Dar, David Fritz, Adam Garry, Abraham Ghebremicael, Paul Koteras, Bob Moore, for a connected world Keith Price, Greg Tan, Casey Wilson, Martin Yarborough, Chris Young, and Mike Zimmerman Senior editors Dawn Davidson, James Hurd, and elcome to the Education Terrence O’Donnell Editorial assistant Amy J. Parker edition of Dell Power Art director and cover designer David Chan Solutions Magazine. Designers Lalaine Gagni, Margie Preston, and Cynthia Webb It’s an exciting time for Business development manager Cissy Walker W students and educators as teaching and Advertising sales Sales director Kyle Walkenhorst (323-340-8585) learning environments are evolving to Sales manager/ Western U.S. and South/Central America sales Shaun Mehr (949-923-1660) support collaborative learning, teach Eastern U.S. and Canada sales Steve Branda 21st-century skills, and provide anytime, (201-483-7871) EMEA and APJ sales Mark Makinney (805-709-4745) anywhere access to learning. Ad coordinator Kathy Hartlove In the not-too-distant future, this Reader services Connected Learning, a special edition of Dell Power generation of students will be working in Solutions Magazine, is complimentary to qualified a highly competitive, global workforce. readers of Dell Power Solutions. To request additional print copies of Connected Learning, e-mail our Reader Tomorrow’s jobs will require students to Service team at [email protected]. To sign up as a new subscriber to Dell Power Solutions communicate, collaborate, innovate, and or change your existing subscription, access the Subscription Center at dell.com/powersolutions. Visit the be critical thinkers. digital edition online at zinio.com/powersolutions. That is why school districts are About Dell exploring ways to integrate rich digital Dell can help schools transform Dell Inc., headquartered in Round Rock, Texas, near Austin, listens to its customers and delivers innovative content, social media, and interactive education for the digital age by technology and services they trust and value. Uniquely enabled by its direct business model, Dell is a leading learning platforms. As part of our addressing needs within the entire school global systems and services company and No. 34 on commitment to supporting this change, system—from the classroom, across the the Fortune 500 list. For more information, visit our Web site at dell.com. Dell works directly with educators and network, and into the data center. Dell cannot be responsible for errors in typography or key partners, such as Microsoft, to Please enjoy the following articles photography. Dell, the Dell logo, Dell KACE, EqualLogic, Inspiron, Latitude, OptiPlex, PowerConnect, PowerEdge, develop the best tools and resources that that address many of the daily challenges Precision, UltraSharp, and XPS are trademarks of Dell Inc. Other trademarks and trade names may be used in this enable personalized learning inside and we help educators tackle as they make publication to refer to either the entities claiming the marks outside of the classroom walls. this critical teaching and learning and names or their products. Dell disclaims any proprietary interest in the marks and names of others. Additionally, Dell has made it our environment transition in today’s tough Connected Learning is a special edition of Dell Power mission to help schools uncover economic environment. Solutions, which is published quarterly by Dell Inc., Dell Power Solutions, One Dell Way, Mail Stop RR3-68, significant cost-savings right now, so that Round Rock, TX 78682, U.S.A. No part of this publication budget cuts don’t slow down your ability Respectfully yours, may be reprinted or otherwise reproduced without permission from the editor-in-chief. Dell does not provide to make the technology and professional any warranty as to the accuracy of any information provided through Dell Power Solutions. Opinions learning investments required to reach expressed in this magazine may not be those of Dell. The information in this publication is subject to change without your critical education goals. notice. Any reliance by the end user on the information We are uniquely positioned to contained herein is at the end user’s risk. Dell will not be liable for information in any way, including but not limited help districts find ways to simplify to its accuracy or completeness. Dell does not accept responsibility for the advertising content of the magazine the management and cost of their Bill Rodrigues or for any claims, actions, or losses arising therefrom. IT infrastructures. For example, one Vice president and general manager, Education Goods, services, and/or advertisements within this Dell publication other than those of Dell are not endorsed by of our education specialists recently or in any way connected with Dell Inc. helped a school district like yours fund Copyright © 2011 Dell Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A. a campus-wide wireless implementation to support its digital learning initiative—by