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EDUCATION
18
Training vs. installation:
tips for resellers
including hardware, in the form of tablets,
interactive whiteboards and flat panel
displays, touch tables, laptops and other
interactive devices, and software, such
as classroom management systems,
assessment tools and mobile teaching
applications (apps).
Each school will have unique
requirements depending on the type of
school involved and the needs of their
individual students – no two investments
are ever the same.
While the opportunities for selling
technology into schools are many and
various, there is one important stumbling
block: funding. At the end of last year,
Schools Week
reported that secondary
schools could be facing an additional
£20,000 worth of expenditure on ICT
purchasing and maintenance, due to
changes in the economy and rising prices.
Coming at the same time as an estimated
£3 billion cut to schools’ funding, this
underlines the paramount importance
of value for money; schools must be
confident that their investments are well-
used, will provide longevity and, of course,
will have a real impact on the experiences
and opportunities of their students.
At the outset, the right installation
is essential and will be specific to each
school and its infrastructure. If you are part
of a large reselling company, you may have
your own installation team. It’s important
that this team is properly accredited
to ensure they know what the school is
likely to need, not just what is assumed
to be required. For smaller resellers, the
company that produces the products
you sell into schools may well be able to
provide an installation team for you.
But this is only one half of the
equation. One of the main concerns
teachers have is that they don’t receive
adequate training on new technologies
and aren’t informed of their full
capabilities and how to use them
effectively – simply coming in to install the
new technology is no longer good enough.
If a teacher isn’t comfortable with a new
device or piece of software, they are less
likely to use it and will stick to their usual
teaching methods instead. Then, when
it comes to renewing or updating the
equipment, the school simply won’t bother.
Training isn’t just a value-add service
for education, it is a necessity. Teacher
workload means that staff members don’t
have a lot of time to spend trying out
new pieces of equipment to see how they
work, so it is essential they spend a set
amount of time with an expert who can
give them the confidence they need to use
the technology effectively. This additional
level of support will also reassure school
business managers that the investment
has been worthwhile, thereby increasing
the chance of future business.
Training choices
Two types of training should be offered to
schools: an initial session that explains
the ins-and-outs of how the technology
works on a general level and how it can
be applied in a teaching and learning
environment. This will give teaching staff
the hands-on experience they need to gain
a real understanding of the product and
an opportunity to ask questions about its
functions, any issues they foresee and any
concerns they might have.
Following this, there should be ongoing
support throughout the year, online or over
the phone, especially for technical issues.
This should be bolstered by refresher
sessions if, for instance, the school takes
on a number of new staff members or
if there is a significant update to the
technology that the school should be
aware of. Including this training as part
of a package, along with the product and
installation costs, will give schools the
confidence to buy from a particular reseller,
as they will have the assurance that the
technology won’t be left to gather dust.
Understanding the distinct needs of
schools is essential in this process, not
just from a product and infrastructure
perspective, but also from a pedagogical
one: you need to have a good grasp of how
teachers may want to use this technology,
whether in lessons with their students
Historically, resellers in the AV industry
would sell a whiteboard to a school,
manage the installation and then
move on to the next job. This is neither
effective nor efficient, and has minimal
opportunities for recurring revenue.
With the influx of edtech resources and
tools available to schools, resellers have
had to change tactics, leading to a shift in
focus. Rather than buying tech for the sake
of having the latest resources, schools are
investing in technology that will have the
greatest impact on teaching and learning.
It is therefore vital for dealers and
resellers to provide training opportunities
to ensure teachers get the most out of
their technology. This will also make them
more likely to reinvest in the future.
Value for money
Technology is big business across many
sectors, including education. With a
constant push for young people to be
equipped with digital skills using a range
of different devices and platforms, schools
are naturally looking to ensure that they
have the latest and greatest technology
that will both improve teaching and
learning and provide students with the
best chance of developing the skills they
need for the 21st Century.
The increase in edtech investment
covers a range of different technologies,
At the outset,
the right
installation is
essential and
will be specific
to each
school and its
infrastructure
Ranjit Singh, former ICT teacher and CEO of Genee World, looks at the revenue
opportunities in selling AV to schools and explores the idea that training is even
more important than implementation.
Ranjit Singh
