Research Triangle Park, N.C., May 17, 2006 – Lenovo today announced that three school districts in Kentucky have successfully incorporated ThinkPad notebooks in their technology initiatives to provide students and staff reliable and easy to use tools to drive advancements in education. Facilitating a one-to-one student-to-computer ratio, Daviess County Public Schools, Hazard Independent Schools and Perry County Schools are using Lenovo IT tools to foster creativity, academic achievement and technology skills development. The Kentucky Department of Education has given high marks to the schools for propelling achievement in and out of the classroom through the use of technology. Lenovo PCs help support faculty agendas and empower both students and teachers to use the PCs as innovative learning tools.
“Managing a technology deployment is not an easy task, but these schools’ administrators are keeping it a priority because they know the lasting effects of a technology-lead education system,” said Michael Schmedlen, public sector executive for Lenovo. “At Lenovo, we’re proud to help schools across the nation impact learning with innovative technologies that prepare students for the information era.” Equal Access to PCs for Empowered Learning Before officially launching its eLearning project for the 2005-2006 school year, Daviess County Public Schools did its homework to determine which types of technologies best serve its students. Administrators acknowledge that students are learning differently in today’s digital age, and aim to integrate tools relevant to them that increase student engagement and achievement. After completing an extensive pilot, ThinkPad notebooks from Lenovo were chosen for reliability, durability, lightweight design and ease-of-use. In an effort to address the “technology divide” between students with and without PCs in class, Daviess deployed more than 900 ThinkPad notebooks from Lenovo to incoming freshmen this school year. The new tools allow teachers to distribute notes and lessons to individuals’ PCs and allow students to complete their assignments online without having to keep track of various papers. The PCs have decreased costs by eliminating several hard copy books and supporting new online test capabilities. In addition, they have increased class efficiency by eliminating time previously wasted while taking out or distributing materials and leafing through information. Examining the Impact of One-to-One Computing In its first year deploying a one-to-one computing initiative, Perry County Schools selected a class of 40 fourth grade students to use ThinkPad notebooks each day throughout the eighth grade. The environment has been further facilitated by equipping the class’ teachers with ThinkPads as well so they can customize their lessons to facilitate greater class interaction via the PCs. Test scores of these students will be compared to students in classes ahead and behind them as a measurement of how to effectively integrate technology in school curricula.
As the first year using this technology wraps up, teachers and administrators have described the program as an “overwhelming success,” indicating that the ThinkPad notebooks have greatly increased student interest level, motivation and ability to stay on task. Based on these results, Perry plans to roll out ThinkPad notebooks to other grade levels. The district is currently adding more wireless access points to school buildings to accommodate the projected program expansion. Students Graduate with Mobility on the Mind Funded by local businesses and school board, Hazard Independent School District’s Freshman Laptop Program is the first in the state to provide ninth-grade students with a notebook PC that they can keep after graduation. Using their wireless-enabled ThinkPad notebooks, pre-loaded with Vital Source Technology educational software, students have access to more than 30 online class curricula. The district has observed a jump in student enrollment since implementing the program and by the fall of 2006, Hazard will achieve its goal of equipping 100 percent of its students in grades 9-12 with ThinkPad notebooks. The program also promises cost savings to the district by eliminating more than 75 machines from computer, library and vocational labs. To help ensure the effectiveness of the program, Hazard’s IT staff uses Computrace software, an integrated management and tracking security tool, to locate the district’s more than 250 notebook PCs if they are lost or stolen and to prevent unauthorized access to data. Utilizing ThinkVantage Technologies, a suite of tools that come equipped on ThinkPad notebooks, students and teachers can easily operate and maintain their PCs. With tools, such as Access Connections, students can obtain class notes and assignments online. Using Rescue and Recovery, students don’t have to worry about losing papers or research if their PCs crash. In addition, sensitive information on a teacher’s ThinkPad notebook is protected from unauthorized access with encryption tools, such as Client Security Solution. Since 1993, ThinkPad 1:1 solutions have helped over 450 institutions from 23 countries implement mobile computing on their campuses. Through three innovative programs – ThinkPad Academy, ThinkPad 1:1 and ThinkPad University – more than 1.5 million ThinkPads have been distributed to students, faculty and administrators around the globe.
About Lenovo Lenovo (HKSE: 992) (ADR: LNVGY) is dedicated to building the world’s most innovative personal computers. Lenovo’s business model is built on innovation, operational efficiency and customer satisfaction as well as a focus on investment in emerging markets. Formed by Lenovo Group’s acquisition of the former IBM Personal Computing Division, the company develops, manufactures and markets reliable high-quality, secure, and easy-to-use technology products and services worldwide. Lenovo has major research centers in Yamato, Japan; Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen, China; and Raleigh, North Carolina. For more information about Lenovo, see www.lenovo.com .
Contact: Kelli PietrantonioText 100212-331-8420
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