Education Today Education Today Magazine
Both inside and outside the classroom, education is transforming. Nearly two-thirds (64%) of UK schools now use technology in their everyday teaching practices, higher than any other country in the world. Meanwhile, more than half (55%) of parents with children aged four to 19 support remote or hybrid learning and have been given the training and tools to help deliver it. What’s more, as new technologies emerge, the pace of change accelerates.
But what does the rise of ‘EdTech’ actually mean for the people who use it every day? Put simply: better outcomes. As devices like laptops and tablets become as much a part of the school day as pens and pencils, the majority of educational leaders report a broad range of benefits. More interactive, multimedia-rich lessons are leading to higher levels of engagement and enjoyment among students. Teachers can use digital solutions to plan more effectively and even tailor content to individual pupils. And a broad range of accessibility tools is creating an increasingly inclusive and equitable learning environment for all.
As Paul Stone, CEO of Leicestershire’s Discovery Trust, puts it: “The more you engage with technology, the more impact you see. Teachers are more excited about the job…and the educational opportunity for children is limitless.”
Counting value, not just costs
Yet there are challenges too. Despite the exciting potential of EdTech, many UK educational institutions remain constrained by tightening budgets. Research by the National Foundation for Educational Research reveals almost half of primary schools and special schools in England (49% and 48% respectively) and two-fifths of secondary schools (41%) had or were expecting an in-year deficit in 2022/23. Meanwhile, DfE data suggests 91% of schools have taken measures to cut spending since the cost-of-living crisis began.
Faced with the need to balance financial probity with delivering better, more tech-enabled learning experiences, schools are understandably keen to ensure their IT investments deliver the maximum educational bang for their buck. Yet rather than focus on minimising cost at a point of purchase, the key for leaders and budget holders is to consider long-term value over short-term expense.
Encouragingly, a new Microsoft research report reveals this is already beginning to happen. It found a growing appreciation of the importance of total cost of ownership (TCO) among leaders and IT decision-makers across a range of sectors, including education. Nine in ten (89%) respondents explicitly cited TCO as a consideration when deciding what hardware to buy while 84% agreed that ‘if you buy well, you buy once’. The vast majority (85%) also said opting for premium laptops helps reduce spending on peripherals like keyboards, mice and printers. And rightly so. Switching to digital inking saved Wellington College around £120 per device thanks to no longer having to buy printer paper and toner.
A premium experience for all
In other words, the right investment in the right premium devices, such as Microsoft’s Surface laptops or 2 in 1s can improve life in the classroom while at the same time delivering greater long-term value for school budgets. Here’s how:
Enhanced productivity – An independent study by Forrester on the impact of Surface devices in education found they save students around 20 minutes a week and teachers around two hours. This leaves them free to focus on teaching and learning rather than wasting their energy on time-consuming administrative tasks. Nearly two-thirds (63%) of schools also report improved engagement among students as a result of using Surface.
Student-teacher collaboration – Integration with tools like Microsoft Teams and OneDrive enables seamless communication and collaboration between teachers and learners on live versions of documents, presentations and worksheets. This leads to more tailored, real-time feedback and, ultimately, better work. To the point that half (49%) of teachers say technology has made a positive impact on how they work with their students.
Longer lifespans – Microsoft’s TCO report found the average lifecycle of a laptop is just 3.2 years. Yet to help make their finances go further, 74% of IT decision makers want to increase that by at least a year or two, with no drop-off in performance. Reliability and durability also outstrip low price as their key considerations when investing in hardware. The Surface Laptop 5 is Microsoft’s most repairable laptop to date while the new Surface Pro 9 is its most repairable 2 in 1, with replaceable components including the display, battery, kickstand, camera and speaker.
Equitable opportunities – Nearly three-quarters (72%) of UK schools support students with individual learning needs, ranging from neurodiversities to visual and auditory impairments. Surface devices have built-in accessibility tools designed to let all students participate fully in their learning. “The accessibility tools have really changed the lives of our students with special educational needs,” explains Caty Reid, Principal of Clayton Hall Academy and Digital Transformation Lead for the United Endeavour Trust in Staffordshire. “One of our students has significant visual impairment and, previously, staff magnified worksheets onto A3 sheets of paper so she could read the materials more easily. Now she uses a device to independently magnify her work to the level she needs. She no longer feels singled out and she’s really flourished because of it.”
Investing in the future
This combination of productivity, versatility, longevity and security (Surface devices are proven to help reduce the frequency of impactful cyberattacks by an average of 34%) adds up to an impressive return on schools’ investment. In fact, the same Forrester study calculated the average ROI on a Surface purchase in education is 44%. This is defined by productivity improvements for all users, lower total costs, time savings for staff, device cost reduction, fewer security breaches and better student performance.
This figure is key. After all, in many ways the education sector has humanity’s greatest responsibility: equipping today’s young people with the skills, knowledge and confidence to thrive tomorrow. And as schools seek to deliver on this mission while balancing their books at the same time, success will increasingly hinge on having the right technologies at the fingertips of both students and staff alike.
By viewing IT hardware through the lens of TCO, UK education leaders and IT decision-makers can create richer, better experiences for learners. They can increase efficiency, productivity and job satisfaction among teachers. And they can make their money go further too. Put simply, they can help shape a brighter future for everyone. Never has the phrase ‘return on investment’ been more relevant. Nor more important.
Visit Microsoft’s dedicated education homepage or use this free online TCO calculator to discover how the Surface portfolio could help deliver greater value for your school’s students, teachers and budget.
