While interactive touchscreen devices are by no means new, our new normal very much is. The global interactive display market has grown at a CAGR of 7.86% from $14.09 billion to $15.20 billion in the last year alone—largely due to pandemic-induced remote learning. By 2026, the market is expected to hit $20.58 billion!

Despite students returning to in-person school, touchscreen technology remains a favorite educational tool for them and faculty alike. It also provides a long-awaited, much-welcomed upgrade from static whiteboards and projectors.

As with any tech device, integrated classroom technology requires device management solutions and strategies to keep the devices safe and optimal. While managing large volumes of devices simultaneously across classrooms, buildings, and even institutions may sound like an impossible task, it doesn’t have to be.

We explore new tech strategies for educational institutions that simplify device management, enabling programs to run smoothly while saving significant time and money.

Why Touchscreen Technology for Schools?

Interactive touchscreen technology in the classroom is a popular addition to learning mediums. With a highly tech-savvy younger generation, touchscreen devices rise to the occasion of meeting students on their terms. Students find them fun and easy to operate, and educators value the instant feedback generated by touchscreen devices.

Some of the key reasons interactive touchscreens are here to stay and continue to evolve education include:

More Effective Learning

Touchscreen devices not only encourage engagement in the classroom, but they also require it. Better yet, children respond positively to interactive learning and get smarter. Students retain more knowledge when participating in active-learning classroom activities than traditional lectures.

The interactive lesson modules facilitated by touchscreen devices provide instant feedback and reactions to the students’ touches. Additionally, multi-touch versions encourage teamwork. These elements foster a fun educational environment where students don’t even realize they’re learning.

All-In-One Solution for Teachers

Teachers have come to love educating via digital gadgets as much as students have come to love learning from them. The interactive touchscreen is a 3-in-1 solution that replaces the traditional whiteboard, projector, and video player.

Not only is this convenient and space-saving, but it’s also time-efficient because all materials and lesson plans are digitally stored. With a much wider selection of multimedia features, teachers can easily make each lesson a fun educational adventure.

Expandable and Upgradable

Interactive touchscreens require regular software upgrades and maintenance for optimal functioning. This can be done simultaneously and remotely for most devices. Expansions and higher processing power are also available, giving educational institutions the flexibility to grow as needed and use their investments for longer.

To do this, however, institutions also need the support of reliable and intuitive device management software.

Interactive Touchscreen Device Management Considerations

While interactive touchscreen devices are phenomenal tools, they are useless without an updated operating system, compatible software, and stellar device management. This includes installing the latest operating systems and software, keeping devices locked for authorized use and applications only, and ensuring data safety.

Interactive Touchscreen Device Management Software—What to Look For

Device management solutions should integrate the following features and functions to ensure that digital education tools consistently perform at their best.

Cloud-Based System

While remote locations with poor internet might require on-premises setups and management, most institutions benefit highly from a cloud-based system. This allows 24/7 remote access to the institution’s devices. Your IT manager can thus oversee and control multiple location devices remotely, at any time, and without administrators.

Device Agnostic

Interactive touchscreen devices for different classes or locations may be different brands or use different operating systems. With device-agnostic software, you can manage multiple device brands and operating systems in your network seamlessly and simultaneously.

OTA Firmware Management

Mass device maintenance procedures become much simpler when performed remotely. To perform updates on multiple devices, the software should manage Over-the-Air (OTA) updates via the internet.

Administrators should be able to update a single device, a group of devices, or the entire fleet through the device manager's options.

Assign Access Levels

Securing interactive touchscreen device safety requires restricting functions to those with authorization. Assigning various access levels ensures that every user has access only to the data and functions they need.

For example, teachers and students should only be able to use the devices in official school activities while data analysts and school district officials can use device data to inform future strategies. On the other hand, IT support teams and administrators will have high internal access levels to perform security, maintenance, and repair processes.

Take Interactive Learning to the Next Level

Interactive touchscreen devices are likely to remain a significant component of school hardware. They have increased learning success while bringing convenience and fun to classrooms across the globe.

Naturally, this is a costly setup that requires careful management to maintain optimal functionality and long lifespans. Vendors and manufacturers who bundle reliable device management software in their packages give buyers the extra confidence to invest in new technology.

To ensure well-managed and well-maintained learning devices, the ideal solution should integrate with all your interactive touchscreen units, regardless of the brand and operating system.

The right software solution for interactive touchscreen management allows IT managers to centrally monitor and manage interactive touchscreens throughout their entire school district. IT managers can assist users and install and monitor thousands of devices remotely. They can safeguard their educational technology and improve ROI.

More effective tech management enables teachers to streamline all learning activities while maximizing student learning potential.

About the author

Nadav Avni is the CMO at Radix.