How to Avoid Disruption When Replacing Classroom Technology

We often find that School Business Managers and Headteachers worry about the disruption that could be caused when replacing the technology in the classroom. However, there is nothing more frustrating for Teachers than having faulty or outdated technology in the classroom. In fact, having faulty technology can sometimes hinder pupil learning.

Technology has really come to the forefront of people’s minds over the last few months during lockdown as pupils are being home-schooled and Teachers try to prepare for the full school re-opening. However, having a reduced number of pupils in school at the moment could make this the perfect opportunity to update classroom technology ready to help improve learning outcomes when pupils return.

So, we have thought of the ways to avoid disruption whilst keeping your classroom technology up to date.

If it is possible, request a certain date to have your new technology installed. You can often choose dates during the school holidays to avoid having to move pupils out of a classroom. By having your equipment installed during school holidays, this can avoid unnecessary disruption to pupils and their learning.

Or, if you have reduced pupil numbers of certain days, you can use this time to install your interactive touchscreens with little to no disruption.

Another thing to consider when you are booking an installation date, is ensuring you have the correct staff members on site to sign off the work. It is usually a good idea to have a senior member of staff on site to make sure you are satisfied with the work carried out and to help to Engineers if any issues arise. Our team of Engineers are working within the government guidelines to protect staff so all authorisation can be performed in a socially distanced way.

One way to avoid disruption with installations is to ensure that the installation team have everything they need in place to complete the installation. For example, if you are having interactive touchscreens installed on the wall but you need it to connect to a laptop and the teacher wants to sit at the back of the classroom, you will need a connection plate on the wall near the laptop. Also, if you want it on a wall where there is no power, it is worth getting an electrician in to put a power socket in.

It is very frustrating for school staff when an installation cannot be completed and this can sometimes cause issues in classrooms where the technology is needed for lessons. Just having the simple information ready for your IT or AV provider can save a lot of time and disruption.

This has also become very important due to current restrictions. If Engineers have all the information they need, they can perform the installation much smoother without having to physically speak to staff for a long period of time.

Classroom technology can be one of the biggest purchases a school makes and, therefore, it is no good if the staff cannot make the most out of the investment. Ensuring staff are trained on how to use the technology, whether it’s an interactive touchscreen or a new laptop, so that they can use the equipment effectively is a very important part of avoiding disruption.

Training staff to use the technology can help avoid delays in teaching and can also help to improve learning outcomes for pupils as Teachers can use the equipment to encourage engagement.

It is also worth training the IT department so that they can help with any small technical issues anyone has to avoid long disruption you the class.

We offer virtual training sessions for our interactive touchscreens to help your staff get the most out of their new technology.

These are just a few ways to avoid disruption when replacing classroom technology.

LCD Showcase manufacture and install our own interactive touchscreens, which are in hundreds of schools across the UK. If you are thinking of investing in interactive touchscreens, we can help to provide you with the perfect solution to suit your needs and budget. As manufacturers and installers, we can provide expert advice and guarantee great prices. We provide Audio-Visual solutions in the Blackburn and Manchester areas as well as across the UK.

To discuss your requirements, use the contact form below.