Last updated 2 months ago
CLIFTON, NJ, March 14, 2012 — Leader in web and cloud-based educational solutions, ClassLink has partnered with SAGE Day Schools (SAGE) to create a secure and reliable cloud-based environment for SAGE Day’s three locations. Known for integrating cutting edge technology in the classroom, SAGE provides 5th through 12th graders unparalleled private therapeutic education. During 2012, SAGE discontinued the use of traditional virtual desktop servers and now completely relies on the cloud-based LaunchPad™.
“We have a long and sturdy relationship with ClassLink. Their LaunchPad™ solution gives us everything we need to create a wonderful technology-enriched learning environment for our students,” remarked Chris Leonard, Director of Clinical and Educational Programs at Sage Day. “LaunchPad™ provided a secure cloud which allowed me to discontinue use of our servers. Most importantly, we no longer have to worry about our students and teachers losing internet and computer access due to a terminal or some other technology failure. We now have a safe, up-to-date and reliable technology environment.” Leonard acknowledged that SAGE currently utilizes only a fraction of the powerful tools included in ClassLink LaunchPad™. As such, he plans to incorporate more features of the Instructional Desktop at SAGE including the collaboration tools, and the ability to create both regular and hybrid courses.
“Partnering with SAGE to create their cloud environment has been a great experience for all of us at ClassLink,” said Berj Akian, CEO, ClassLink. “Chris realized that moving to ‘the cloud’ would make life easier not only for him but also for the entire faculty and students. It will be fun to watch the next steps at SAGE in creating a vibrant student-centered learning environment using LaunchPad’s™ Instructional Desktop.”
About LaunchPad™
A personalized cloud-based virtual desktop that provides teachers and students with personalized access to all of their files and applications from any device at any time. Simple to set up and manage, LaunchPad’s™ multiple views include an easy to use virtual desktop and an empowering instructional desktop. With more and different devices showing up in the classrooms today, users expecting 24/7 access and schools needing to lower costs, LaunchPad™ can quickly provide the desired new approach.
About SAGE Day
SAGE Day, a private, accredited, therapeutic education provider in Northern, New Jersey accommodates students’ grade 5 through 12 who benefit from its unique learning environment. The SAGE acronym represents the school’s four core goals for students — Success, Achievement, Growth and Empowerment. True to its mission statement, SAGE Day provides a safe, small therapeutic and challenging educational community that integrates social, emotional and academic growth through the collaboration of students, families and staff to empower and prepare students with the skills needed to realize their potential and achieve success.
Please read the full press release on the ClassLink website, or give us a call at (888) 454-2745 to learn more.
Last updated 2 months ago
Bring Your Own Device & Technology initiatives are on the minds of educators everywhere this year. Everyone is asking the technologist if their school or district is ready for BYOD. Is yours?
Join us for an Interactive Tech Talk on the topic of Wireless Networking and Security. This expert panel will take your questions on embracing BYOD and 1:1. Learn how other schools have implemented their own BYOD and secure wireless network. Hear from industry experts on how they evaluate and set up networks to support these mobile devices. Ask your questions ahead of time when you register.
Our panelists for this session include:
- Eric Sheninger, Principal at New Milford High School in NJ
- Bob Thomas, Senior System's Consultant, CONNECT
- Berj Akian, Founder and CEO, ClassLink
Click here to visit ClassLink's website for more information on our panelists or click here to register now for this free event!
Last updated 2 months ago
Cloud computing allows the education enterprise to accelerate the pace of implementation of 1:1 learning programs. By investing in scalable cloud delivered infrastructure and services, education dollars can now be more strategically targeted at achieving a manageable ratio of one learner, and one educator, per learning device.
This movement to 1:1 learning infrastructure and access ensures that instructional services and tools can be tailored to the needs of the individual thereby allowing school systems to implement instructional services that yield the highest performance gains for their unique and differentiated population of students. Cloud services also allow school systems to embrace student owned technology (e.g., laptops purchased by students and/or parents of students) accelerating the pace at which ‘consumer’ adoption of technology can be integrated with school supported tools and services.
To learn more about how your school can implement cloud computing through ClassLink LaunchPad, call us at (888) 454-2745 or visit the ClassLink website.
Last updated 2 months ago
When appropriately implemented, cloud computing enables the creation and delivery of a ‘virtual desktop’ for each user. This ‘virtual desktop’ can be tuned to the unique needs of each user (teacher, student, administrator) based on the users’ unique information and computing needs and the ‘credentials’ for this user as established by school system IT personnel.
Conversely, in a typical implementation of computing infrastructure, end-user files and applications are stored and accessed from the local hard drive (or solid state flash drive) of an end user computer and thus the end-user (or an IT support person) is tasked with managing and maintaining, and keeping current, the suite of files and applications stored on the local computer.
In K-12 education, this support of end-user devices is an extraordinary challenge given often limited availability of IT support personnel. In an education cloud implementation, these same applications and files are delivered to the computer (via a public or private network connection) from the cloud. The end user desktop is now ‘virtualized’ and rendered visible to the client computer (whether laptop, tablet, traditional desktop, thin-client, netbook, or mobile smartphone) unique to each user profile.
This effectively lowers administration costs of computing (particularly in one-to-one computing environments) and provides a centralized environment from which services can be provisioned and managed. Using a virtual desktop an end-user student, for example, can access their files, applications, and learning tools, from any machine, anywhere, so long as this device has access to the public or private network infrastructure.
ClassLink offers this cloud-based educational environment in the form of LaunchPad. LaunchPad provides a cloud-based virtual desktop that allows students and teachers to access the same files, applications, and collaboration tools from any device. To learn more about BYO, LaunchPad, or any of ClassLink’s other products, call us at (888) 963-7550 or visit us online.
Last updated 3 months ago
Collaboration is an excellent tool for engaging students in classroom activities. Research shows that working together promotes learning by, among other things, tuning in to the desire for socialization. In a physical environment, a teacher would move desks together; in a virtual environment, the solution is less obvious. With ClassLink’s LaunchPad, it's easy if you follow these quick tips:
- With cloud-based desktops, developing a Bring Your Own technology (BYO) strategy will enable collaboration. By making documents and software accessible from anywhere, students don't have to be in the same classroom, or even the same zip code, to interact. Any device that can access the internet is supported by LaunchPad, including Mac and Windows laptops, iPads, Android tablets, and other portable devices.
- Using the built-in document editing suite, students (and teachers!) can work together in real-time on the same document. This allows collaborative writing assignments to be accomplished easier and faster than exchanging emails or handwritten sheets. These documents can also be shared with teachers in order to get quick feedback on a draft or help with editing.
- Screen sharing makes hand-waving descriptions of software displays obsolete. With this capability, students and teachers can instruct one another on the usage of educational software, or demonstrate unique outcomes of virtual experiments. Screen sharing can also be used to troubleshoot problems students are having with assignments.
- Real-time text, audio, and video chat means that students and instructors can interact 24/7. If students have questions they need answered quickly, they no longer have to wait until the next class.
Collaboration in a traditional classroom with different computer devices can be tricky, but with LaunchPad from ClassLink, it has never been easier. No matter where students are located, LaunchPad will allow them to get work done. To find out more about LaunchPad's collaborative or other features, please visit our website or call us at (888) 963-7550.
