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Acer & Google for Education: Striving to Support Digital Transformation.

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Ashlyns secondary school, draws on a rich heritage and character focused on providing the best and latest technology to support 1399 students to excel during their academic journey. Ashlyns’ EdTech journey began several years ago. The idea was to integrate cloud-based solutions investing in a new ESXI cluster and high-density wireless to support a 1-2-1 learning model. For such a long-term commitment to change and transition, Ashlyns decided to rely on Acer and Google.

 

 

 

 

Continuously upgrading. 

The school’s principle intention was ‘to work with the best technology available on the market to allow students explore and develop their IT and the way in which that is used in their education’ [1]. Thus, throughout the years, the school developed a strong relationship with Acer and Google having the key advantage to be able to easily upgrade through the academic progress. Such choice was supported by Ben Marks – the school’s network manager and teacher of computing – who affirmed could count on an exceptional IT support and a quick responsiveness service.

The latest upgrade made was to Google Education Workspace Plus, which allows to provide a more tailored education to pupils because of easy management tools. In fact, technicians can centrally deploy policy changes, not only lowering response times and overheads, but also easing teachers’ work making sure their students can open up their ready-to-go Chromebooks with all apps and extensions required. As a result, children’s performance and quality of work was tremendous.

Ashlyns School case: more Chromebooks than students.

The school always wanted to ensure that every single child did have a device. Luckily, during the pandemic, Ashlyns was well-prepared for the switch to remote learning. As a matter of fact, each enrolled student was given a Chromebook for independent and distanced study accessing all materials needed via Google Classroom. When students returned to classroom-based learning, the school found itself with more Chromebooks than students.

This year Ashlyns has chosen a more sustainable option: the Acer Chromebook 512. Indeed, this device is built using 17% post-consumer recycled plastics and is equipped with on OceanGlass touchpad made entirely of ocean-bound plastic. Moreover, Acer Chromebooks consume up to 46% less energy than comparable devices, being designed with a sustainable mind.

Pupils and teachers have been really appreciating the large 3:2 aspect ratio display that gives 18% more vertical space for working on assignments. They can login their devices in seconds and the long-lasting battery life means that they do not run out of it during their school day. Furthermore, children can receive instant feedback from teachers whenever they need some help with homework, they can add comments and smoothly collaborate with their classmates.

Product link: https://acer.co/3ajqUkR

 

Acer & Google ensuring outstanding academic results.

Chromebook integration boosted both teachers and students IT knowledge skills, enabling them to explore and develop tech abilities to deliver the best academic results. Surely, such experience will have a considerable positive impact on their future prospects, opening opportunities to succeed in the digital working world that is waiting for them.

 

Would you like to start your first digital transformation project? Contact your preferred reseller or our team. We will be happy to help you find the Acer solution that best fits your school needs. Reach out today: Sales.uk@acer.com

References

 [1] Acer and Google for education, (2022). ‘Supporting the digital transformation of Ashlyns Secondary School’. London, UK.

Exact specifications, prices, and availability will vary by region. To learn more about availability, product specifications and prices in specific markets, please contact your nearest Acer office via www.acer.com

Acer is Back at BETT Live show and will be showcasing the latest Chromebooks and Windows 11 TravelMates for Education

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After 2 years away, Acer is back at this year’s live BETT show with the latest innovations and technology, showcasing new devices as part of the Acer for Education pledge to ‘Inspire Daily, Learn Always’.

  • Join Google | Acer @ stand SC42 – This stand will focus on the Chrome environment and be a place where you can see demos of the new eco-friendly Acer Chromebooks. To see all the latest Acer education products visit the Acer Partners stands and for each demonstration, Acer will plant 100 trees via Ecologi. Partner stands are Misco @ SA51, EE @ SN53 and Stone @ SG31
  • Visit Acer @ the Microsoft Theater March 24 at 3.30pm for an Acer Keynote speech and Danesfield school’s first-hand experience on Windows11SE
  • Learn more about Acer & Planet9 @ Esports Arena on March 23 – 25 Experience our Esports devices and PLANET9 or March 24 At 1.30-2pm: Acer keynote speech and At 3-5pm: AcerEsports school tournament.

 

London, UK (March 17, 2022) Acer are excited to announce the return to BETT live at the Excel in London after a 2-year break away due to the pandemic. Acer’s goal is to bring innovative technologies to schools and help educators create better learning environments so that students can develop the skills they need for the future through the Acer Stem Rewards and the BETT show is the perfect opportunity to showcase the extensive Acer STEM reward program which offers a wide range of benefits to educators.

As part of the Acer Stem Rewards, schools who purchase Acer classroom devices can claim rewards up to the value of £1000, in the form of cashback or training support.

For a full overview of the Acer Stem Rewards that are available visit the Bett Show and speak to one of the Acer representatives on the Acer Stand (Bett Hall SC42).

Some of the new devices available to purchase using the Acer Stem Rewards will be demonstrated at the show including the four new Acer Chromebooks that come with an array of durability and eco-friendly features, including MIL-STD 810H rating, mechanically-anchored keyboards, OceanGlass™ touchpads and use of post-consumer recycled plastics.

“The popularity of Chromebooks continues to grow thanks to the robust features in the Chrome Education Upgrade combined with advances in Chromebook design, features and technology,” said James Lin, General Manager, Notebooks, IT Products Business, Acer Inc. “These new Acer Chromebooks deliver the foundational technology that help students strive for success at school, while also ensuring teachers and administrators have a powerful device for class preparation and IT management.”

Chrome Education Upgrade, Zero-Touch Enrollment Maximize Learning

With Chrome Education upgrade, teachers and administrators can leverage the full capabilities of the Chromebook and Chrome OS to ensure students can focus on learning with a robust, secure device. In addition, IT departments can easily manage them with Zero-touch enrollment — to drop ship new Acer Chromebooks to their school sites that will automatically enrol as soon as the end-user connects to the internet.

Durable Design

All of the four new Chromebooks were built to withstand the challenges of a busy school environment, featuring impact-resistant chassis that meets MIL-STD 810H[[1]] standards. A shock-absorbent bumper and reinforced design protects them from drops as high 122 cm (48 ft) and withstands up to 60 kg (132.3 lbs) of pressure. The Chromebooks’ displays can also be opened a full 180 degrees, helping protect the devices when the screen is being handled, and a unique drainage system built into their keyboards helps protect internal components from accidental water spills[[2]].

The Acer Chromebook Spin 311, Acer Chromebook 512 and Acer Chromebook 511 also have mechanically anchored keys that are difficult for inquisitive students to remove, but at the same time, simple for IT personnel to repair or replace. Widened brackets and reinforced I/O ports further protect them from the wear and tear of frequent use.

Eco-Friendly Features Include OceanGlass Touchpad

A testament to Acer’s commitment to sustainability, all four of the new Chromebooks feature a unique environmentally friendly OceanGlass™ touchpad made entirely of abandoned ocean-bound plastic waste. Not only does the use of this waste contribute to the reduction of plastics adrift in the ocean, it also gives the touchpad a glass-like texture and responsive tactile feedback.

Additionally, three of the Chromebooks—the Acer Chromebook Spin 311, Acer Chromebook 512 and Acer Chromebook 511—integrate post-consumer recycled plastics into their chassis design to further exemplify Acer’s commitment to sustainability.

Pricing and Availability

The Acer Chromebook 512 (C852) will be available in North America in January starting at USD 349.99; and in EMEA in Q1 starting at EUR 359 and the UK for £329.

The Acer Chromebook 511 (C734/T) will be available in North America in February starting at USD 349.99; and in EMEA in February starting at EUR 329 and the UK for £299.

The Acer Chromebook 314 (C934/T) will be available in North America in 2H’22 starting at USD 429.99; and in EMEA in April starting at EUR 369 and the UK for £329.

The Acer Chromebook Spin 311 (R722T) will be available in North America in March starting at USD 399.99; and in EMEA in Q1’22 starting at EUR 339 and the UK for £299.

Exact specifications, prices, and availability will vary by region. To learn more about availability, product specifications and prices in specific markets, please contact your nearest Acer office via www.acer.com.

Acer Brings Windows 11 for Education to its TravelMate B3 and TravelMate Spin B3 Laptops

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Acer yesterday announced that it will begin carrying PCs which run on Windows 11 SE, starting with the Acer TravelMate B3 and Acer TravelMate Spin B3 laptops. The portable 11.6-inch laptops were built to survive the school-day, boasting military-grade durability certifications[[i]] and a 10-hour battery life[[ii]], and now come pre-installed with Windows 11 SE or Windows 11 Pro Education. Additionally, the devices’ chassis have been constructed with over 14% post-consumer recycled plastic.

Acer has been working closely with Microsoft in order to provide devices for pilot programs that bring Windows 11 SE to schools around the world. It is one of the first brands to carry devices featuring the new operating system.

Acer TravelMate B3 and Acer TravelMate Spin B3

Featuring the latest Intel® Pentium® Silver and Celeron® processors, the TravelMate B3 and TravelMate Spin B3 are dependable laptops that were built to support the needs of K-12 schoolchildren. The laptops are MIL-STD 810H[[iii]] certified and feature shock-absorbent bumpers, making them tough enough to withstand up to 60 kg (132.28 lbs) of downward force and drops from up to 4 ft (1.22 m). A unique drainage design helps to protect internal components from moderate spills[[iv]]. A mechanically-anchored key design provides a double benefit: The entire keyboard can be easily replaced by administrators, but individual keys are well-secured so that they won’t be dislodged by restless fingers.

 

Durability aside, a number of thoughtful features help the laptops find their place within the classroom. Intel® Wi-Fi 6 (Gig+) with 2×2 MU-MIMO technology helps with connectivity in multi-user environments, and optional 4G LTE provides students with a connection when away from a router. A webcam makes the laptops suitable for taking classes from home, while a 10-hour battery life means that they can make it through the full school day, too. Teachers will appreciate the battery indicator on the device’s front cover, allowing them to tell at a glance if a student’s device needs to be charged.

The Acer TravelMate Spin B3 comes equipped with Acer Antimicrobial Design[1,2] — it features not only an Antimicrobial Corning® Gorilla® Glass[1] touchscreen, but also an antimicrobial (silver-ion) coating on commonly-used high-touch surfaces (including the keyboard, touchpad, and palm-rest surface) to protect these surfaces. Users can further opt to include a dockable Wacom AES pen and 5 MP HDR world-facing camera, allowing schools to customize their laptops in order to suit their students’ specific needs.

Windows 11 SE

A new, cloud-first Windows edition built for inclusive and accessible learning, Windows 11 SE offers the performance and reliability of Windows 11 in addition to a simplified design and modern management tools that have been optimized for low-cost devices in educational settings. Featuring an easy-to-use interface plus an education-first menu of curated apps, Windows 11 SE comes on affordable devices that are pre-configured for student privacy and remote management. And, with a cleaner interface and fewer distractions, Windows 11 SE helps students focus on learning while preserving valuable class time for instruction.

The TravelMate B3 and TravelMate Spin B3 laptops are also available with Windows 11 Pro Education.

More information about Windows 11 SE is available here, or on Microsoft’s Education blog.

 

Pricing and Availability

 

The TravelMate B3 (TMB311-32) will be available in EMEA in Q1’22, starting at EUR 359; and in the UK from £210.

The TravelMate Spin B3 (TMB311R-32) will be available in EMEA in Q1’22, starting at EUR 539 and in the UK from £259.

Exact specifications, prices, and availability will vary by region. To learn more about availability, product specifications and prices in specific markets, please contact your nearest Acer office via www.acer.com.

[i] MIL-STD-810H is a testing protocol conducted in controlled settings and does not guarantee future performance in all situations. Do not attempt to simulate these tests, as damage resulting from this will not be covered by Acer’s standard warranty.

[ii] Battery life claim based on MobileMark 2014. Actual battery life varies depending on product specifications, computer settings and applications or features launched. All batteries’ maximum capacity diminishes with time and use. Battery life varies depending on product model, configuration, power settings and usage, among other factors.
[5]Up to 330 ml (11 fluid ounces) of water

[iii] Sand and Dust testing based on MIL-STD 810F.

[iv] Up to 330 ml (11 fluid ounces) of water