SchoolVue Blog - Classroom Management Technology

CrossTec EMS IT Asset Management Software Can Help Schools with IT Management

2012-01-24T09:15:00.003-05:00

Now more than ever before is a great time to start thinking about implementing CrossTec EMS into your school. As budgets are shrinking and you are trying to hold on to every last employee you can, why not see where else you can drop costs so you can save jobs?

CrossTec EMS can help you increase the life of your existing IT assets as well as give you insight into usage levels of assets, showing some that you can consider dropping in years to come.

You may have read about how schools are already taking advantage of CrossTec EMS in this Press Release, however there is a webinar tomorrow that will go through the details. If you would like to attend, you can register at: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/295445528

Education Technology Events for February 2012

2012-01-20T08:48:00.003-05:00

February 6-10
TCEA 2012 - Austin, TX

You are invited to attend the 32nd TCEA Annual Convention & Exposition with a week full of astounding professional development, hands-on and peer-to-peer learning opportunities, exploration of new trends through interactive learning environments, in-depth presentations from educational technology experts, and inspiring keynotes. TCEA’s five-day convention is one of the largest educational technology conventions in the nation and the largest in Texas. embark The annual TCEA Convention & Exposition is the perfect place to meet and network with educators and administrators who love technology and want to learn more about classroom integration and best practices. Meet with like-minded professionals from Texas and beyond and expand your personal learning network. engage Engage in a week full of astounding professional development with hands-on and peer-to-peer learning opportunities, exploration of new trends through interactive learning environments, in-depth presentations from leading educational technology experts, and inspiring keynotes. energize Discover leading-edge products and services in the 900+ booth exhibit hall – covering four football fields and offering products and services to meet every need and budget. Explore booths with leading technology integration products and services and learn more about what products are available for you to innovate learning in the classroom. empower Listen to top-notch, nationally recognized keynote speakers deliver empowering and inspiring educational messages. educate Explore new trends for innovating classroom learning experiences with more than 100 hands-on workshops and 300 presentations on subjects that range from the basics to the latest trends and hot topics in educational technology. There is something for all educators and leaders who want to increase their skills and learn more about integrating technology into the classroom.
http://www.tcea2012.org/

February 13-15
eTech Ohio - Columbus, OH

eTech Ohio hosts the third largest state educational technology conference in the country where more than 6,500 educational innovators gather once a year and share their successes and challenges with one another. The conference is an opportunity for educators to honestly share their experiences—what works, and what doesn't—for the benefit of their peers.

...more than 6,500 educational innovators gather once a year and share their successes and.

The event is built by educators, for educators and offers pragmatic strategies, answers nagging questions, and shares valuable insights to address needs of college faculty, classroom teachers, and district administrators alike. The conference boasts over 500 sessions, workshops and displays that demonstrate student work, highlight new technologies and discuss 21st century skills. It is also a forum to learn more about critical initiatives impacting our state.

More than 250 vendors showcase their products and services as well as conduct hands-on sessions for their clients. International and nationally-recognized keynote speakers kick-off each day and students compete onsite in various design and technology-oriented events.

This conference aims to bring us all together as we tap into the best educational currents across the state and re-energize!
http://www.etech.ohio.gov/

February 16
Streamline Your School's IT with CrossTec Remote Control and Get SchoolVue Classroom Management FREE - Web

Join us for a Webinar on February 16
Many schools around the world are already taking advantage of the endless benefits of CrossTec's Remote Control Desktop Management software. The time has come for you to see how CrossTec Remote Control can help save time and money in your organization. Not only will you streamline your IT management and reduce the time it takes to support and manage the PCs and devices in your organization, you will also get SchoolVue absolutely free!

SchoolVue is a classroom management software that allows teachers and lab instructors to take control of classroom technology while increasing the benefits of existing technology by adding additional collaboration and learning tools.

Join us for our 45 minute webinar to see how you can start benefiting from our solutions!

System Requirements
PC-based attendees
Required: Windows® 7, Vista, XP or 2003 Server

Macintosh®-based attendees
Required: Mac OS® X 10.5 or newer

Reserve your Webinar seat now at:
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/662536961

February 21
Take Control of Classroom Technology with CrossTec SchoolVue - Web

Space is limited.
Reserve your Webinar seat now at:
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/151619089

CrossTec Corporation invites you to attend a 45 minute web presentation on February 21st!

Learn how to maximize learning in your school and streamline IT management by leveraging the most modern classroom management technology. CrossTec SchoolVue puts teachers, lab instructors, and corporate trainers center stage in networked classrooms. This newest generation of classroom management software facilitates the seamless transition, from teaching to groups to interactive one-on-one instruction, and ensures that the teacher is in full control of classroom technology at all times.

Is your school looking to do wireless classrooms but has not found the proper management software? CrossTec SchoolVue is the leader in classroom management in a 1:1 environment.

Sign up for this free live webinar. You can join us for this interactive event from anywhere in the world.

Learn about best practices, tips and tricks
See SchoolVue in action
Ask a product specialist questions
Hear how other users are benefiting from the solution

Space is limited so register today.

Title:
Take Control of Classroom Technology with CrossTec SchoolVue
Date:
Wednesday, February 21, 2012
Time:
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM EST

After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar.

System Requirements
PC-based attendees
Required: Windows® 7, Vista, XP or 2003 Server

Macintosh®-based attendees
Required: Mac OS® X 10.5 or newer

February 22
21st Century Classroom Virtual Workshop - Web

Join us for a Webinar on February 22
You’re invited to attend a FREE Virtual Workshop on February 22nd!

Learn how to maximize learning in your classroom by leveraging the most modern classroom technology. This webinar will give you an overview of some of the latest teaching trends and how you can easily and effectively implement it the newest technology on the market into your classroom without bursting your budget.

You should attend this event if you:
- Want to keep up to date with some of the most modern teaching trends incorporating technology
- Want to enhance learning through technology in your classroom
- Want to see how interactive lesson plans can be implemented in your classroom. See how you can leverage an interactive whiteboard.
- Are interested in 1:1 technology and have implemented it in your school or are looking to in the future.
- Interested in saving money through green technology and virtualized classroom solutions.

Space is limited so register today.

System Requirements
PC-based attendees
Required: Windows® 7, Vista, XP or 2003 Server

Macintosh®-based attendees
Required: Mac OS® X 10.5 or newer

Reserve your Webinar seat now at:
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/729901048

February 28 - March 2
ICE Conference 2012 - Springfield IL

Ice Conference 2012
Innovate - Collaborate - Educate
February 28 - March 2, 2012

http://www.iceberg.org/ice_conference

Take Control of Classroom Technology with CrossTec SchoolVue

2012-01-09T10:37:00.002-05:00

CrossTec Corporation invites you to attend a 45 minute web presentation on January 18th!

Learn how to maximize learning in your school and streamline IT management by leveraging the most modern classroom management technology. CrossTec SchoolVue puts teachers, lab instructors, and corporate trainers center stage in networked classrooms. This newest generation of classroom management software facilitates the seamless transition, from teaching to groups to interactive one-on-one instruction, and ensures that the teacher is in full control of classroom technology at all times.

Is your school looking to do wireless classrooms but has not found the proper management software? CrossTec SchoolVue is the leader in classroom management in a 1:1 environment.

Sign up for this free live webinar. You can join us for this interactive event from anywhere in the world.

Learn about best practices, tips and tricks
See SchoolVue in action
Ask a product specialist questions
Hear how other users are benefiting from the solution

Space is limited so register today.
Title: Take Control of Classroom Technology with CrossTec SchoolVue
Date: Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Time: 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM EST
After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar.
System Requirements
PC-based attendees
Required: Windows® 7, Vista, XP or 2003 Server

Macintosh®-based attendees
Required: Mac OS® X 10.5 or newer

Register at https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/651255593

Happy New Year from CrossTec Corporation & The SchoolVue Blog!

2011-12-30T08:46:00.002-05:00

Happy New Year from CrossTec Corporation! Be sure to check out our virtual workshop coming up next week which will cover Education Technology Trends for 2012!

Register HERE

Happy Holidays From CrossTec Corporation & the SchoolVue Blog

2011-12-22T16:00:00.003-05:00

On behalf of CrossTec Corporation and the SchoolVue Blog, we would like to wish you the happiest of holidays.

Education Technology Trends for 2012

2011-12-15T14:54:00.004-05:00

CrossTec Corporation is hosting a Virtual Workshop on January 11, 2012 which will cover some of the emerging Education Technology Trends that will be prominent in 2012.

The workshop will include real classroom situations where you can use some of this modern technology as well as tips, tricks, and best practices.

Don't have a huge budget? This event will also cover adding new technology on a limited budget.

For more information, or to register, please visit: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/867295040

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T09:54:00.004-05:00

On behalf of CrossTec Corporation, we would like to wish you a very safe and happy Thanksgiving!

Upcoming November EdTech Events

2011-11-07T09:45:00.004-05:00

There are a lot of events coming up this month in the Education Technology Space. Take a look at some of the ones listed below or feel free to add some others in the comments field.

November 9: Learn How to Implement a Low Cost - High Performance Desktop Virtualization Strategy - Virtual

Join us for a Webinar on November 9
Learn How to Implement a Low Cost - High Performance Virtualization Strategy

November 9th at 11:00AM EST

Is your organization looking to expand the amount of computers you have available for your employees or students? Schools - are you looking to move towards a 1:1 strategy? If so, this is the webinar for you.

Learn how you can implement some of the most modern desktop virtualization technology in your organization. CrossTec's SoftXpand allows organizations to gain additional workstations and save money by reducing the number of new PC purchases or repurpose current PCs. SoftXpand leverages the most modern and advanced MultiSeat computer sharing technology.

Turn a single PC into eight fully functioning workstations, without sacrificing any performance. SoftXpand is a low cost solution that offers higher performance than standard desktop virtualization models as it does not require any additional hardware, such as a thin client.

What you can expect from this session:
- Learn about best practices, tips, and tricks.
- Discover the reductions in TCO that your organization will endure.
- See how much your operating costs will be reduced by leveraging SoftXpand
- Find out if your organization will need to purchase new PCs or if you can repurpose your existing PCs to get to your target number of workstations.
- Hear how others are benefiting from desktop virtualization.

Space is limited so register today.

Title:
Learn How to Implement a Low Cost - High Performance Virtualization Strategy
Date:
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Time:
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM EST

After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar.

System Requirements
PC-based attendees
Required: Windows® 7, Vista, XP or 2003 Server

Macintosh®-based attendees
Required: Mac OS® X 10.5 or newer

Space is limited.
Reserve your Webinar seat now at:
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/651636545

November 10: 21st Century Classroom Technology Virtual Workshop - Virtual

Join us for a Webinar on November 10

You’re invited to attend a FREE Virtual Workshop on November 10th.

Learn how to maximize learning in your classroom by leveraging the most modern classroom technology. This webinar will give you an overview of some of the latest teaching trends and how you can easily and effectively implement it the newest technology on the market into your classroom without bursting your budget.

You should attend this event if you:
- Want to keep up to date with some of the most modern teaching trends incorporating technology
- Want to enhance learning through technology in your classroom
- Want to see how interactive lesson plans can be implemented in your classroom. See how you can leverage an interactive whiteboard.
- Are interested in 1:1 technology and have implemented it in your school or are looking to in the future.
- Interested in saving money through green technology and virtualized classroom solutions.

Space is limited so register today.

System Requirements
PC-based attendees
Required: Windows® 7, Vista, XP or 2003 Server

Macintosh®-based attendees
Required: Mac OS® X 10.5 or newer

Reserve your Webinar seat now at:
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/479060776

November 15: IETC Conference - Springfield, IL

The 18th Annual Illinois Education and Technology Conference (IETC), which will be held at the Crowne Plaza Springfield Hotel, is a statewide conference that offers those interested in accelerating student achievement an opportunity to gain information and exchange ideas on the applications of educational technologies in our classrooms.

Plan to join your colleagues and attend conference days filled with one-hour and two-hour concurrent sessions, poster sessions, BYOL (bring your own laptop) sessions, an exhibit hall (open both days of the conference this year!), continental breakfasts, luncheons, keynote presentations, featured speaker presentations, a Tuesday evening reception, opportunities for networking, and incredible prize drawings!

For more information, please visit: http://il-edtech.org/

November 16: ATLE - Red Deer, Alberta

Any3:
AnyTime, AnyPlace, AnyWare
Sixth Annual Conference
November 16th - 18th, 2011
Capri Centre, Red Deer, Alberta

Registration and Conference Information Available Now at: http://atle.memberlodge.org/

November 17: 2011 ACTE Annual Convention - St. Louis, MO

"I anticipated greatness, but it’s far exceeded my expectation ... If you’re looking for the best of the best, this is the conference—and the organization—that you would want to be a part of."
—Annual Convention attendee Sharon Lawrence
Mark your calendar today for the best professional development event of the year, Nov. 17-19 in St. Louis.Registration (print form) is now open!
Interested in exhibiting at the 2011 Career Tech Expo? Click here for details.
"I think that the educational value is great—the value of going to an exhibit, going to the concurrent sessions, going to the main sessions. But one of the best things, I think, that comes out of it is that people have a chance to talk with each other ... It really is just a wonderful opportunity for people to get together and learn what’s the latest and become better teachers."
—Lyn Velle, ACTE Featured Member and former award winner

For more information, please visit: http://www.acteonline.org/convention.aspx

November 29: Software Metering & Cost Savings with CrossTec EMS - Virtual

Join us for a Webinar on November 29

Is your organization looking to cut costs but does not know where to start? What if you could save money without making a significant change to your operations or staff? Join us on November 29th to find out 9 ways CrossTec EMS will save your organization money.

This webinar will feature an overview of all of the money saving features that EMS has to offer in addition to an interactive demo showing how EMS can help you streamline your IT Management.

Some of the many features of EMS include:
- Hardware Inventory
- Software Inventory
- Event History
- Alerting
- Energy Monitoring
- Inventory Management
- Application Management
- Software Distribution

See how you can seamlessly integrate EMS into your IT system and start saving money today!

Title:
Software Metering & Cost Savings with CrossTec EMS
Date:
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Time:
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM EST

After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar.

System Requirements
PC-based attendees
Required: Windows® 7, Vista, XP or 2003 Server

Macintosh®-based attendees
Required: Mac OS® X 10.5 or newer

Space is limited.
Reserve your Webinar seat now at:
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/546172145

For a more detailed list of events, please click HERE

21st Century Classroom Technology Virtual Workshop

2011-11-03T14:23:00.004-04:00

Hosted on November 10th at 3:00pm EST, join us for a 21st Century Classroom Technology Virtual Workshop!

Learn how to maximize learning in your classroom by leveraging the most modern classroom technology. This webinar will give you an overview of some of the latest teaching trends and how you can easily and effectively implement it the newest technology on the market into your classroom without bursting your budget.

You should attend this event if you:
- Want to keep up to date with some of the most modern teaching trends incorporating technology
- Want to enhance learning through technology in your classroom
- Want to see how interactive lesson plans can be implemented in your classroom. See how you can leverage an interactive whiteboard.
- Are interested in 1:1 technology and have implemented it in your school or are looking to in the future.
- Interested in saving money through green technology and virtualized classroom solutions.

Register on LinkedIn: http://events.linkedin.com/21st-Century-Classroom-Technology/pub/838131

Register on GoToMeeting: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/479060776

A Simple Equation for Adding New PCs: 1 + X = 2

2011-10-12T15:17:00.006-04:00

Can you solve for X? How can you double your PC workstations without purchasing a single new piece of hardware?

Need help figuring it out? Click HERE for the answer.

CrossTec Corporation Releases New Version of Secure Desktop Protection Software

2011-10-12T11:02:00.000-04:00

Boca Raton, FL (PRWEB) October 12, 2011
CrossTec Corporation, leading provider of award winning Remote Control and Classroom Management software solutions, announces today the release of a new version of their PC protection software, Secure. CrossTec Secure simplifies PC protection for organizations by securing the Windows operating system and desktops from unwanted or malicious changes, in conjunction with powerful hard disk protection and roll back technology.

Read the full article on PRWeb: CrossTec Corporation Releases New Version of Secure Desktop Protection Software

Easily Distribute Files and Installation Packets to Every PC in Your School

2011-10-04T09:19:00.004-04:00

Whether it is a terms of use agreement or a migration to the latest version of Office, I'm sure you have found yourself in a situation where you need to get a file or installation packet out to a lot of PCs but do not have much time. Some of you may even have to go to each machine one by one to get them up to date. Those days are over.

Some of you may already be enjoying the benefits of the CrossTec Remote Control desktop management software to keep all of your PCs monitored and under control. I'm sure that those of you who have are already leveraging the free CrossTec SchoolVue add-in for Remote Control on the teacher level for classroom management, testing, and collaboration. How many of you have checked out the CrossTec EMS add-in?

CrossTec EMS integrates with CrossTec Remote Control to offer some added features and benefits that other desktop management software does not offer. It enables you to manage all of the IT assets in your organization on all levels. Track all of your hardware and software to see what levels you are at and what the current usage is.

EMS also allows you to set up custom alerts for various changes across your organization, including when new PCs are added, if any changes have been made to your existing hardware, if any applications have been installed or removed, or if there is any attempts to access restricted websites or applications.

Knowing how many people have access to certain applications and what the usage level is can be very important to ensure compliance with software licensing contracts. Being out of compliance can cost your organization big time if you get audited.

One of my favorite features of CrossTec EMS is the ability to distribute files or create custom installation packets to be installed over local and wide area networks.

For more information on CrossTec EMS, please visit the CrossTec Website.

View a full demo of CrossTec EMS HERE.

October is National Bullying Prevention Month

2011-10-03T10:22:00.005-04:00

October is National Bullying Prevention Month. Many of you may think that bullying is something that takes place in the hallway or on the playgrounds, however in today's digital society, a lot of bullying actually takes place on the computer.

How can you do your part to prevent bullying in your classroom? Implement a digital classroom management solution to make sure you know what is going on at all times in your classroom. This is especially important as schools are migrating towards a 1:1 approach to learning with technology. Take full control of the PCs in your classroom and control which websites students have access to at what times. You will also be able to monitor two-way instant messenger conversations or block instant messenger entirely on any of the mainstream chat programs (Google Talk, Yahoo Messenger, AOL Instant Messenger, ect). CrossTec SchoolVue not only has a keystroke monitor that can track every move in every application on the PC, it can actually enable you to create a list of keywords to look out for to prevent cyberbullying. SchoolVue also has a private chat function that allows students to report foul play by sending a private, discreet message to the teacher to alert them of the disturbance.

Want to see this solution in action? There is a web event on October 27th at will show how you can implement SchoolVue and prevent cyberbullying. Click HERE to RSVP.

Education Technology Events for October 2011

2011-09-27T10:33:00.003-04:00

MOREnet Conference Osage Beach, MO
October 9-11
MOREnet links Missouri to a world of knowledge through a statewide research and education network. Schools, public libraries, academic institutions and state agencies linked to the network have access to a secure broadband Internet connection, staff training, technical support and electronic resources, making equitable access possible across Missouri.
http://www.more.net/

21st Century Teaching & Education Technology - How 1:1 is Changing The Face of Learning Online Event
October 13
You’re invited to attend a FREE Webinar on October 13th.

Learn how to maximize learning in your classroom by leveraging the most modern classroom technology. This webinar will give you an overview of some of the latest teaching trends and how you can easily and effectively implement it the newest technology on the market into your classroom without bursting your budget.

You should attend this event if you:
- Want to keep up to date with some of the most modern teaching trends incorporating technology
- Want to enhance learning through technology in your classroom
- Want to see how interactive lesson plans can be implemented in your classroom. See how you can leverage an interactive whiteboard.
- Are interested in 1:1 technology and have implemented it in your school or are looking to in the future.
- Interested in saving money through green technology and virtualized classroom solutions.

Space is limited so register today at https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/807406881.

MCEL - Montana Conference of Education Leadership Great Falls, MT
October 19-21

http://www.mtsba.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=jnv8M2FiTT0%3d&tabid=625

ECCO 2011 Toronto, Ontario
October 20th-22nd
Inspire, Learn, Connect
http://ecoo.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=114&Itemid=105

Learn How To Implement a Low Cost - High Performance Desktop Virtualization Strategy with SoftXpand Web Event
October 25th
Is your organization looking to expand the amount of computers you have available for your employees or students? Schools - are you looking to move towards a 1:1 strategy? If so, this is the webinar for you.

Learn how you can implement some of the most modern desktop virtualization technology in your organization. CrossTec's SoftXpand allows organizations to gain additional workstations and save money by reducing the number of new PC purchases or repurpose current PCs. SoftXpand leverages the most modern and advanced MultiSeat computer sharing technology.

Turn a single PC into eight fully functioning workstations, without sacrificing any performance. SoftXpand is a low cost solution that offers higher performance than standard desktop virtualization models as it does not require any additional hardware, such as a thin client.

What you can expect from this session:
- Learn about best practices, tips, and tricks.
- Discover the reductions in TCO that your organization will endure.
- See how much your operating costs will be reduced by leveraging SoftXpand
- Find out if your organization will need to purchase new PCs or if you can repurpose your existing PCs to get to your target number of workstations.
- Hear how others are benefiting from desktop virtualization.

Space is limited so register today at https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/417885545

Streamline Your IT Management and Reduce Costs with CrossTec EMS Web Event
October 26

Manage IT more efficiently and effectively with CrossTec EMS – IT Asset Management Software. CrossTec EMS is a simple to use and cost effective IT asset management solution that gives you an accurate, up-to-date snapshot of your IT resources. This is essential for monitoring, incident resolution, budgeting, planning, and asset lifecycle management. EMS also features an energy monitoring tool, aimed towards helping organizations reduce their carbon footprint, meet internal energy savings targets, and reduce operational costs.

Sign up for this free live 30-minute Webinar. You can join us for this interactive event from anywhere in the world.

Learn about best practices, tips and tricks
See EMS in action
Ask a product specialist questions
Hear how other users are benefiting from the solution

Space is limited so register today.

Title:
Streamline Your IT Management and Reduce Costs with CrossTec EMS
Date:
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Time:
10:30 AM - 11:30 AM EDT

After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar.

System Requirements
PC-based attendees
Required: Windows® 7, Vista, XP or 2003 Server

Macintosh®-based attendees
Required: Mac OS® X 10.5 or newer

Space is limited.
Reserve your Webinar seat now at:
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/250504721

Classroom Management Made Easy with CrossTec SchoolVue Online Event

October 27

Space is limited.
Reserve your Webinar seat now at:
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/782769553

CrossTec Corporation invites you to attend a 45 minute web presentation on October 27th!

Learn how to maximize learning in your school and streamline IT management by leveraging the most modern classroom management technology. CrossTec SchoolVue puts teachers, lab instructors, and corporate trainers center stage in networked classrooms. This newest generation of classroom management software facilitates the seamless transition, from teaching to groups to interactive one-on-one instruction, and ensures that the teacher is in full control of classroom technology at all times.

Is your school looking to do wireless classrooms but has not found the proper management software? CrossTec SchoolVue is the leader in classroom management in a 1:1 environment.

Sign up for this free live webinar. You can join us for this interactive event from anywhere in the world.

Learn about best practices, tips and tricks
See SchoolVue in action
Ask a product specialist questions
Hear how other users are benefiting from the solution

Space is limited so register today.

Title:
Classroom Management Made Easy with CrossTec SchoolVue
Date:
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Time:
3:30 PM - 4:30 PM EDT

After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar.

System Requirements
PC-based attendees
Required: Windows® 7, Vista, XP or 2003 Server

Macintosh®-based attendees
Required: Mac OS® X 10.5 or newer

Getting Started with SoftXpand -- Initial Setup and Installation

2011-09-01T14:11:00.002-04:00

A new video has been posted on how to get started with SoftXpand. The video shows, where to get the installation file, what the installation process looks like, and also touches on the initial configuration of the hardware. This is the first in a YouTube video series from CrossTec.

CrossTec Corporation to Host Education Technology Virtual Workshop on September 8 Focusing on 1:1 Classrooms, Virtual Desktops, & Classroom Management

2011-08-30T09:55:00.002-04:00

CrossTec Corporation announces today that it will host a virtual workshop for teachers, IT administrators, and other school officials on September 8th titled “Managing Your New 1:1 Classroom.” This education technology event is geared towards helping teachers and IT staff maximize the potential of the new classroom technology they have added for the 2011 school year or are considering adding in the near future.

Read the Full Article On PRWeb.

Video Excerpt from article:

Survey: What Technology Has Your School Added for the 2011-2012 School Year

2011-08-26T14:38:00.005-04:00

Has your school added new technology for the 2011-2012 school year? If so, we would like to know what you have implemented. Please take the survey below or view the results.

Click here to take survey

CrossTec Corporation Announces The Release of CrossTec SchoolVue Version 10.7 Classroom Management Software...

2011-08-24T09:23:00.003-04:00

CrossTec Corporation Announces The Release of CrossTec SchoolVue Version 10.7 Classroom Management Software, Recipient of Scholastic Administr@tor's Best in Tech for 2011

CrossTec Corporation announces the release of CrossTec SchoolVue Version 10.7, their newest version of their award winning classroom management software solution. More than ever before, teachers, lab instructors, and corporate trainers can take control of classroom technology, giving them the ability to monitor student activity on the PC, control application and internet usage, instant messenger usage, device usage and more.

Read the full article on PRWeb

Thank You For Attending The 21st Century Classroom Virtual Workshop!

2011-08-17T16:33:00.002-04:00

Thank you to those who joined us today for the 21st Century Classroom Virtual Workshop! For those of you who were unable to attend, we will be hosting a second showing due to popular demand next week. Please contact me for more information, mbeverly@crosstecsoftware.com.

21st Century Classroom Virtual Workshop

2011-08-16T16:14:00.004-04:00

Please join us tomorrow, August 17th at 3:00 EST for the 21st Century Classroom Virtual Workshop. You will learn about some of the most modern classroom technology and also how you can incorporate technology into your school on a limited budget.

Register for the event HERE.

SchoolVue Webinar this Wednesday

2011-08-08T13:34:00.005-04:00

If you are looking for some additional information on SchoolVue or want to see how it works, join us on Wednesday, August 10th for "Classroom Management Made Easy with CrossTec SchoolVue".

Event Description:

CrossTec Corporation invites you to attend a 45 minute web presentation on August 10th!

Learn how to maximize learning in your school and streamline IT management by leveraging the most modern classroom management technology. CrossTec SchoolVue puts teachers, lab instructors, and corporate trainers center stage in networked classrooms. This newest generation of classroom management software facilitates the seamless transition, from teaching to groups to interactive one-on-one instruction, and ensures that the teacher is in full control of classroom technology at all times.

Is your school looking to do wireless classrooms but has not found the proper management software? CrossTec SchoolVue is the leader in classroom management in a 1:1 environment.

Sign up for this free live webinar. You can join us for this interactive event from anywhere in the world.

Learn about best practices, tips and tricks
See SchoolVue in action
Ask a product specialist questions
Hear how other users are benefiting from the solution

Space is limited so register today.

Would You Ditch Your Facebook Account for Google+?

2011-08-03T15:43:00.007-04:00

This seems to be a common question floating around the web, but I want to hear from you educators out there. Would you ditch your Facebook account for Google+? Or do you still not know enough about Google+ to decide?

Let us here what you think. Take the survey HERE

Back To School 2011 Desktop Wallpaper

2011-07-28T10:02:00.003-04:00

Back by popular demand, get your 2011 version of the popular Back to School desktop wallpaper. A great wallpaper for teachers, administrators, and staff!

Click HERE to download yours today!

Education Technology Events for August 2011

2011-07-28T09:23:00.003-04:00

Classroom Management Made Easy with CrossTec SchoolVue

August 10th at 11:00am EST

CrossTec Corporation invites you to attend a 45 minute web presentation on August 10th!

Learn how to maximize learning in your school and streamline IT management by leveraging the most modern classroom management technology. CrossTec SchoolVue puts teachers, lab instructors, and corporate trainers center stage in networked classrooms. This newest generation of classroom management software facilitates the seamless transition, from teaching to groups to interactive one-on-one instruction, and ensures that the teacher is in full control of classroom technology at all times.

Is your school looking to do wireless classrooms but has not found the proper management software? CrossTec SchoolVue is the leader in classroom management in a 1:1 environment.

Sign up for this free live webinar. You can join us for this interactive event from anywhere in the world.

Learn about best practices, tips and tricks
See SchoolVue in action
Ask a product specialist questions
Hear how other users are benefiting from the solution

Register HERE

21st Century Classroom Virtual Workshop

August 17th at 3:00pm EST

Learn how to maximize learning in your classroom by leveraging the most modern classroom technology. This webinar will give you an overview of some of the latest teaching trends and how you can easily and effectively implement it the newest technology on the market into your classroom without bursting your budget.

You should attend this event if you:
- Want to keep up to date with some of the most modern teaching trends incorporating technology
- Want to enhance learning through technology in your classroom
- Want to see how interactive lesson plans can be implemented in your classroom. See how you can leverage an interactive whiteboard.
- Are interested in 1:1 technology and have implemented it in your school or are looking to in the future.
- Interested in saving money through green technology and virtualized classroom solutions.

Register HERE

Learn How to Implement a Low Cost - High Performance MultiSeat Desktop Virtualization Strategy

August 24th at 11:00am EST

Is your organization looking to expand the amount of computers you have available for your employees or students? Schools - are you looking to move towards a 1:1 strategy? If so, this is the webinar for you.

Learn how you can implement some of the most modern desktop virtualization technology in your organization. CrossTec's SoftXpand allows organizations to gain additional workstations and save money by reducing the number of new PC purchases or repurpose current PCs. SoftXpand leverages the most modern and advanced MultiSeat computer sharing technology.

Turn a single PC into eight fully functioning workstations, without sacrificing any performance. SoftXpand is a low cost solution that offers higher performance than standard desktop virtualization models as it does not require any additional hardware, such as a thin client.

What you can expect from this session:
- Learn about best practices, tips, and tricks.
- Discover the reductions in TCO that your organization will endure.
- See how much your operating costs will be reduced by leveraging SoftXpand
- Find out if your organization will need to purchase new PCs or if you can repurpose your existing PCs to get to your target number of workstations.
- Hear how others are benefiting from desktop virtualization.

Register HERE

How Can Classroom Management Software Help You in a Foreign Language Lab?

2011-07-21T08:35:00.007-04:00

Although there are many obvious benefits to classroom management software, including the ability to manage and monitor student computers and devices, one that may not come to mind is how they can help in a foreign language lab.

Assuming your classroom management has a good audio monitoring feature, such as SchoolVue, you will be able to assist students better than ever who are trying to learn a foreign language.

Many language learning applications have a number of interactive features, such as the ability to state a phrase or word and have students recite it back to them. Although this is a great way for students to learn, you can take it one step further and record their pronunciation for them to hear themselves talk and correct something that may be off. This also allows teachers to have the ability to listen to each student's pronunciation individually by scanning through them in SchoolVue.

Want to save the recordings for future use or for study purposes? Post the recording in the student journal.

CrossTec SchoolVue Wins Best in Tech 2011 Award from Scholastic

2011-07-13T14:34:00.005-04:00

CrossTec SchoolVue has won the Best In Tech 2011 award from the Scholastic Administr@tor. Thank you to all of the customers and users of SchoolVue for it's continued success!

Greetings from Georgia!

2011-07-13T10:09:00.002-04:00

I would like to thank all of you who came out to the GACTE show in Atlanta over the past couple days, especially the ones who came by and saw SchoolVue and SoftXpand 2011 in action! We had a great time speaking with everyone and hope to hear from you soon!

Happy 4th of July!

2011-07-01T10:27:00.005-04:00

I want to wish everyone a Happy 4th of July. Have a fun and safe weekend and also keep in mind what it took to get here.

How Do Classroom Management Software Programs Work on Wireless Networks?

2011-06-22T14:18:00.005-04:00

This is a common question that keeps popping up, "How Do Classroom Management Software Programs Work on Wireless Networks?" The answer is, it depends on which program you are talking about.

Not all classroom management tools are the same. Wireless classroom management is a critical part of managing many 21st century classrooms as schools add more and more devices, moving towards 1:1.

A Few Things to Consider:

1. It is important to look at the up-time of the devices in the system. Is your software going to reduce up-time once you go wireless?

2. Speed/bandwidth is another point to consider. Is this classroom management software going to bog down your network?

3. Security - is this tool going to allow you to secure your network or will it only work over an unsecured wireless network?

4. How does the software manage switching classes and assignment of students to teacher?

When selecting which solution is right for you, it is recommended that you test multiple solutions to see which one works the best in your environment. Even though a friend at another district had good luck with a particular software tool, does not mean it will work great in your environment as well.

Do not let price be the end all be all, we all know that there is a budget crunch happening in schools all over, but if you are going to invest in something, why not make sure you are investing in something that works.

So what do I recommend? I recommend the most effective and reliable solution in a wireless environment, CrossTec SchoolVue.

To find out more visit HERE

So your classroom just went 1:1... now what?

2011-06-15T13:12:00.003-04:00

Many schools are converting to a 1:1 style of learning in the classroom by adopting new computers and other forms of technology to enhance learning. If you are a recent convert or soon to be switched, have you put a technology management program in place?

It is very important, yet often initially overlooked, to make sure that once you have all these new devices in your classroom you know how you are going to manage them. Without a plan you may run into a situation where you have 30 students running around with new PCs browsing the web and not paying attention to lessons.

Implementing a classroom technology management solution is a very important part of 1:1 and may be easier than you think. Programs like CrossTec SchoolVue have been well thought out on how to effectively and efficiently manage wireless or 1:1 devices in the classroom, while also adding additional features to increase productivity and reduce prep time for lessons.

SchoolVue has some extra features built in such the test designer which allows teachers to create custom tests that they can administer to the class. After the test has been complete SchoolVue will grade the tests automatically and provide a performance report to the teacher. Take a look at this feature below:

Technicians, we have not forgotten about you. We know that your job just got a whole lot more difficult, or so you thought. SchoolVue has a feature called the Tech Console which allows technicians to take a look at PC hardware and software specs, in addition to the ability to manage and monitor the devices.

Education Technology Events for June 2011

2011-05-31T14:31:00.003-04:00

June 15: Classroom Management Made Easy with CrossTec SchoolVue

CrossTec Corporation invites you to attend a 45 minute web presentation on June 15th!

Learn how to maximize learning in your school and streamline IT management by leveraging the most modern classroom management technology. CrossTec SchoolVue puts teachers, lab instructors, and corporate trainers center stage in networked classrooms. This newest generation of classroom management software facilitates the seamless transition, from teaching to groups to interactive one-on-one instruction, and ensures that the teacher is in full control of classroom technology at all times.

Is your school looking to do wireless classrooms but has not found the proper management software? CrossTec SchoolVue is the leader in classroom management in a 1:1 environment.

Sign up for this free live webinar. You can join us for this interactive event from anywhere in the world.

Learn about best practices, tips and tricks
See SchoolVue in action
Ask a product specialist questions
Hear how other users are benefiting from the solution

Space is limited so register today.
Title: Classroom Management Made Easy with CrossTec SchoolVue
Date: Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Time: 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM EDT

RSVP HERE

June 21: Enhance Learning Through Technology in the Classroom

Learn how to maximize learning in your classroom by leveraging the most modern classroom technology. Put teachers, lab instructors, and corporate trainers center stage in networked classrooms by leveraging the newest generation of classroom management technology. This advanced software facilitates the seamless transition, from teaching to groups to interactive one-on-one instruction, and ensures that the teacher is in full control of classroom technology at all times.

You should attend this event if you:
- Want to enhance learning through technology in your classroom
- Want to see how interactive lesson plans can be implemented in your classroom. See how you can leverage an interactive whiteboard.
- Are interested in 1:1 technology and have implemented it in your school or are looking to in the future.
- Interested in saving money through green technology and virtualized classroom solutions.

Space is limited so register today.
Title: Enhance Learning Through Technology in the Classroom
Date: Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Time: 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM EDT

RSVP HERE

June 22: The Michigan Joint Education Conference

21st Century Teaching & Learning - Educational Technology and 1:1

This presentation will cover how schools can achieve 1:1 on a limited budget. We will then cover how schools can effectively and efficiently manage their new 1:1 environment by leveraging some of the most modern classroom management technology. Topics include: MultiSeat Desktop Virtualization (Your Shortcut to Low-Cost PC Per Student), Managing Technology in the Classroom, Designing Computer Based Tests, Lesson Plans with Interactive Whiteboards, and more.

For more information, visit HERE

June 22: Learn How IT Asset Management Software will help Reduce Costs and Decrease Your Carbon Footprint

Learn how IT Asset Management Software Will Help Reduce Costs and Decrease Your Carbon Footprint - FREE Webinar

June 22 at 3:00pm EST

Manage IT more efficiently and effectively with CrossTec EMS – IT Asset Management Software. CrossTec EMS is a simple to use and cost effective IT asset management solution that gives you an accurate, up-to-date snapshot of your IT resources. This is essential for monitoring, incident resolution, budgeting, planning, and asset lifecycle management. EMS also features an energy monitoring tool, aimed towards helping organizations reduce their carbon footprint, meet internal energy savings targets, and reduce operational costs.

Sign up for this free live 30-minute Webinar. You can join us for this interactive event from anywhere in the world.

Learn about best practices, tips and tricks
See EMS in action
Ask a product specialist questions
Hear how other users are benefiting from the solution

Space is limited so register today.
Title: Learn How IT Asset Management Software will help Reduce Costs and Decrease Your Carbon Footprint
Date: Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Time: 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM EDT

June 28: Learn How to Implement a Low Cost - High Performance Desktop Virtualization Strategy

Learn How to Implement a Low Cost - High Performance Virtualization Strategy

June 28th at 11:00AM EST

Is your organization looking to expand the amount of computers you have available for your employees or students? Schools - are you looking to move towards a 1:1 strategy? If so, this is the webinar for you.

Learn how you can implement some of the most modern desktop virtualization technology in your organization. CrossTec's SoftXpand allows organizations to gain additional workstations and save money by reducing the number of new PC purchases or repurpose current PCs. SoftXpand leverages the most modern and advanced MultiSeat computer sharing technology.

Turn a single PC into eight fully functioning workstations, without sacrificing any performance. SoftXpand is a low cost solution that offers higher performance than standard desktop virtualization models as it does not require any additional hardware, such as a thin client.

What you can expect from this session:
- Learn about best practices, tips, and tricks.
- Discover the reductions in TCO that your organization will endure.
- See how much your operating costs will be reduced by leveraging SoftXpand
- Find out if your organization will need to purchase new PCs or if you can repurpose your existing PCs to get to your target number of workstations.
- Hear how others are benefiting from desktop virtualization.

Space is limited so register today.
Title: Learn How to Implement a Low Cost - High Performance Virtualization Strategy
Date: Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Time: 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM EDT

RSVP HERE

Managing Students and Technology in Your Classroom

2011-05-23T13:58:00.005-04:00

Many schools are starting to migrate to a 1:1 style of teaching and learning, where every student has access to a computer at all times. This is a great learning style to offer students and will give them an edge once they progress into the workforce.

If your school has gotten the go ahead to move forward with your 1:1 program, I would assume the tech team will be spending all summer implementing the PCs, access points, and other hardware necessities to successfully implement this system. Come August, what do you do now that you have thrown all these new PCs into the mix?

It is important you consider how to implement a successful and reliable classroom management strategy to ensure you can keep students on task and free from any additional distractions that the newly added technology may bring. There are many ways to do so, however the easiest and most reliable would be to implement a software based classroom management tool.

When selecting a classroom management tool, there are a few things you need to consider:

1. Will you be managing wireless devices? If you are, make sure your classroom management software effectively and efficiently manages devices over your wireless network without opening up any security issues or hogging bandwidth. Also, you should test the software before purchasing to make sure that your students stay connected at all times without dropping off.

2. Does this classroom management software offer a support tool? Very few classroom management tools on the market offer the ability for a technician to easily offer remote support at the click of a button. Being able to quickly get information about the hardware and software inventory on the PC and then offer remote support to the user is a great tool you should consider when selecting a tool.

3. What kind of bells and whistles does it have? If you are going to be implementing a classroom management tool, why not make sure it has some of the other features you may be looking for? Rather than purchasing multiple software products from multiple software vendors, why not see if you can find a solution that has some of the extra features already built in? By doing so you will not only reduce your cost, you will also ensure reliability and compatibility. Some of the features to look out for include a testing console, interactive whiteboard integration, annotation tools, and more.

4. What do people say about the product? Is this program known to be a highly reliable product? Who is using it? What do they have to say about it?

If you want to read more about reliable classroom management software, please visit HERE.

Refreshing a CAD Lab in a Budget Crunch

2011-05-20T09:42:00.006-04:00

If your school is like many schools today that are experiencing the budget crunch, you may be left thinking that you will be stuck with the same old technology in your school for the next few years. Due to groundbreaking technology, this may not be the case.

Let's take a CAD lab for example. Every year many CAD software companies come out with the latest and greatest version of their software. You are thinking that you want to keep up to date so your students have a familiarity with the latest technology versus an older version, otherwise they may be less competitive once they enter the job market. This software can be somewhat expensive and with the continuously increasing system requirements, you may have realized that you need to refresh your computers as well. What do you do? Purchase the new CAD software or upgrade the hardware? You don't have room for both... or do you?

Ideally you would upgrade the software and refresh the computers. Although your budget does not allow for this, why not take a shortcut and make it happen without breaking your budget? There have been some great advancements in the desktop virtualization industry, multiseat desktop virtualization to be exact. Software such as SoftXpand 2011 can turn a single desktop PC into multiple independent workstations without sacrificing performance. This means that you could take a CAD lab of 30 students and only buy 4 or 5 PCs to power that entire lab!

Problem solved. You can now purchase the latest and greatest version of your CAD software AND refresh your PCs without bursting your budget.

Click here for more information about this technology or to access the lab cost calculator.

Education Technology Events for May 2011

2011-05-10T13:26:00.005-04:00

I know that it is already May 10th, however I want to make sure everyone knows about some of the upcoming Education Technology events this month. There are a lot of great events coming up. Please click on the registration links below the descriptions for more information.

May 24th: 21st Century Teaching & Education Technology - How to Reach 1:1 In Your school

Learn how to maximize learning in your classroom by leveraging the most modern classroom technology. This webinar will give you an overview of some of the latest teaching trends and how you can easily and effectively implement it the newest technology on the market into your classroom without bursting your budget.

Register HERE.

May 25th: Classroom Management Made Easy with CrossTec SchoolVue

Brought to you by Buckeye Educational Systems and CrossTec Corporation. Learn how to maximize learning in your school and streamline IT management by leveraging the most modern classroom management technology. CrossTec SchoolVue puts teachers, lab instructors, and corporate trainers center stage in networked classrooms. This newest generation of classroom management software facilitates the seamless transition, from teaching to groups to interactive one-on-one instruction, and ensures that the teacher is in full control of classroom technology at all times.

Register HERE.

May 26th: Streamline Your IT Management and Reduce Costs

Streamline Your IT Management and Reduce Costs with a simple to use and cost effective IT asset management solution that gives you an accurate, up-to-date snapshot of your IT resources. This is essential for monitoring, incident resolution, budgeting, planning, and asset lifecycle management. EMS also features an energy monitoring tool, aimed towards helping organizations reduce their carbon footprint, meet internal energy savings targets, and reduce operational costs.

Register HERE.

May 31st: Learn How To Implement a Low Cost- High Performance Desktop Virtualization Strategy

Is your organization looking to expand the amount of computers you have available for your employees or students? Schools - are you looking to move towards a 1:1 strategy? If so, this is the webinar for you.

Register HERE.

If you have any events that you would like to have added to this list, please contact me.

Reducing Prep Time for Lessons with Internet Co-Browsing

2011-05-09T14:23:00.005-04:00

Many teachers in today's modern classroom rely on instruction using web based tools. One problem reported with this style of instruction is time wasted on preparation and assisting students with the navigation of some highly valuable, however difficult to navigate web tools. In some cases, by the time students are in place and are ready to begin working, the class period is already over because the whole lesson was spent on setup. Many times there is the assumption that students will remember how to navigate through the site and will spend time in the library after school to finish the assignment. What if you could avoid this and get it right the first time?

With the internet co-browse feature of CrossTec SchoolVue, teachers can now decrease prep time and reduce the time assisting students with navigation of highly valuable, but difficult to use websites. Simply open the internet co-browse function in the Tutor console toolbar and SchoolVue will open the browser window. From here you can help navigate all of the students simultaneously through the site and let them browse freely after you get to the destination. If at any point during the lesson you would like to sync them back to a certain page, press the “Lock” and resynchronize them.

For more information visit: http://bit.ly/hEw2Ep

Happy Teacher Appreciation Day!

2011-05-03T13:38:00.005-04:00

I would like to extend a warm thank you to all the teachers out there who strive to shape the youth of today into the future of tomorrow!

If you are not a teacher but know one, thank them for their efforts on this national day of appreciation!

Happy Earth Day!

2011-04-22T08:50:00.002-04:00

Happy Earth Day! Earth Day is here to remind us to do our due diligence and continue to fight for a clean environment. Want to know how you can help? Do your part by GREENing your organization.

3 Simple Ways to GREEN Your Organization:

1. Turn off your computers and monitors every night. Or select a solution to Automate This.

2. Reduce the number of PC's that are in use by implementing a MultiSeat Desktop Virtualization solution, such as SoftXpand.

3. Reduce paper consumption by leveraging a printer management tool. Can be achieved in a few different ways, but SchoolVue does have this feature built in.

21st Century Teaching & Education Technology Event

2011-03-24T15:05:00.004-04:00

21st Century Teaching & Education Technology - How 1:1 is Changing the Face of Learning

You’re invited to attend a FREE Webinar on April 14th.

Learn how to maximize learning in your classroom by leveraging the most modern classroom technology. This webinar will give you an overview of some of the latest teaching trends and how you can easily and effectively implement it the newest technology on the market into your classroom without bursting your budget.

You should attend this event if you: - Want to keep up to date with some of the most modern teaching trends incorporating technology - Want to enhance learning through technology in your classroom - Want to see how interactive lesson plans can be implemented in your classroom. See how you can leverage an interactive whiteboard. - Are interested in 1:1 technology and have implemented it in your school or are looking to in the future. - Interested in saving money through green technology and virtualized classroom solutions.

Space is limited so register today.

LinkedIn Registration: http://events.linkedin.com/21st-Century-Teaching-Education/pub/611887

GoToMeeting Registration: http://events.linkedin.com/events/611887/clickthru

Apple iPad2 or Android for Education?

2011-03-03T10:10:00.007-05:00

Yesterday Apple announced the release of the iPad2, to hit stores on March 11th. The new iPad will be lighter, thinner, and faster, featuring a dual core processor.

Apple puts a lot of focus on using the iPad2 as a learning tool. They feature educational apps, iTunesU, iBooks, and more, but is Apple going to be the dominant creature in the ever so emerging tablet market in education? Or does Android still stand a chance?

With many Android tablets still sitting around the $500 mark (same as the iPad2 16GB), which will schools choose when implementing them into their curriculum? There have been rumblings of upcoming price wars on the Android tablets, as more manufacturers enter the market. This is expected to bring lower cost tablets into the market, making Droid a more affordable option for budget restricted schools. I have also noticed a few companies who were previously looking at entering the tablet space with their own operating system, such as Kno, are considering backing down and selling their tool as an Android app. This begs the question, iPad2 or Droid? Also, where is Microsoft?

I would love to hear your thoughts. Please post any feedback or comments in the comments section!

For more information of the iPad2 for education, please visit: http://www.apple.com/education/ipad/

Photo from Apple.com

Education Technology Events for March 2011

2011-02-17T10:46:00.005-05:00

We have some new Education Technology Event Postings for March.

BrainStorm 12.0
February 27 - March 1
Kalahari Resort | Wisconsin Dells, WI
The Williams Group will be displaying SoftXpand and SchoolVue. Stop by their booth to see it in action!

More Information

MACUL (Michigan Association for Computer Users in Education)
March 16-18
Cobo Hall | Detroit, MI
CrossTec Corporation will be demonstrating SchoolVue and SoftXpand. Stop by to see the interactive display in action!
More Information

MOREnet
March 16-17
Osage Beach, MO
The Williams Group will be presenting SoftXpand MultiSeat Desktop Virtualization. Stop by and visit them to see it in action!
More Information

Enhance Learning Through Technology in the Classroom
March 22nd 11am EST
Online Event
Learn how to maximize learning in your classroom by leveraging the most modern classroom technology. Put teachers, lab instructors, and corporate trainers center stage in networked classrooms by leveraging the newest generation of classroom management technology. This advanced software facilitates the seamless transition, from teaching to groups to interactive one-on-one instruction, and ensures that the teacher is in full control of classroom technology at all times.

You should attend this event if you:
- Want to enhance learning through technology in your classroom
- Want to see how interactive lesson plans can be implemented in your classroom. See how you can leverage an interactive whiteboard.
- Are interested in 1:1 technology and have implemented it in your school or are looking to in the future.
- Interested in saving money through green technology and virtualized classroom solutions.
More Information

Learn How To Implement a Low Cost - High Performance Desktop Virtualization Strategy
March 30th at 11:00am EST
Online Event
Is your organization looking to expand the amount of computers you have available for your employees or students? Schools - are you looking to move towards a 1:1 strategy? If so, this is the webinar for you.

Learn how you can implement some of the most modern desktop virtualization technology in your organization. CrossTec's SoftXpand offering allows organizations to gain additional workstations and save money by reducing the number of new PC purchases or repurpose current PCs. SoftXpand is leverages the most modern and advanced multiseat computer sharing technology.

Turn a single PC into eight fully functioning workstations, without sacrificing any performance. SoftXpand is a low cost solution that offers higher performance than standard desktop virtualization models as it does not require any additional hardware, such as a thin client.

What you can expect from this session:
- Learn about best practices, tips, and tricks.
- Discover the reductions in TCO that your organization will endure.
- See how much your operating costs will be reduced by leveraging SoftXpand
- Find out if your organization will need to purchase new PCs or if you can repurpose your existing PCs to get to your target number of workstations.
- Hear how others are benefiting from desktop virtualization.
More Information

For an entire list of events, please click HERE.

Classroom Technology - Bringing IT All Together

2011-01-19T09:15:00.005-05:00

Your school, like many others is probably talking about transitioning to a 1:1 model, that is if you have not already. There are many factors and limitations when implementing technology, such as budgeting and management. That is why it is important to make sure you can get all of your research done for every step prior to beginning the implementation.

Getting There
One of the hardest factors is actually getting the budget to provide these technology solutions school (or district) wide. Researching some cost savings methods can be one of the most crucial parts to the success of your program. One of the biggest cost savings mechanisms is desktop virtualization. You can estimate your total cost of implementing hardware for your 1:1 by clicking HERE.

You Have the PC's - Now What?
Once you have your PC hardware in place it is important to implement a proper management solution - not only for classroom management, but also for your organization as a whole. Implementing an IT Asset Management solution will help your IT staff manage this new influx of technology in an effective and efficient manor. When selecting an ITAM solution, please make sure to take in to consideration the integration of remote control and help desk software to offer simple and fast PC support to students, teachers, and administrators, district wide. - Please see my previous post on selecting the proper solution HERE.

Next Steps
The next thing to consider is what else you may need or want. Other devices to consider, of course based on your remaining budget, are devices such as interactive whiteboards.

Stay tuned for my post next week which will cover next steps, implementation, and classroom design.

Happy MLK Day

2011-01-17T15:11:00.002-05:00

Happy Martin Luther King Jr Day Everyone from the SchoolVue Blog!

Ringing in the New Year

2011-01-04T10:50:00.001-05:00

Happy 2011 from the SchooolVue Blog! CrossTec Corporation is aiming to reduce costs and carbon footprints for organizations in 2011. You can read all about it on PRWeb.

We have a lot of new and exciting things to share with you this year. Stay tuned for more updates throughout 2011 or subscribe to our RSS feed.

Tech Console: Monitor and Support All PC's In Your School or District

2010-12-21T09:08:00.003-05:00

A classroom management solution is not simply about providing the right tools for each teacher. Equally important are tools to ensure all computers in the school can be managed and maintained so they are always available for teaching. With this in mind, CrossTec SchoolVue also provides a unique "Tech Console" specifically for Lab Technicians and Network Managers.

Using the Tech Console You Can:

- Monitor all computers across the SchoolVue network in a single view.
- Monitor Application and Internet usage on each Student PC.
- Transfer files and folders to selected or all computers.
- Group all computers by classroom / physical location.
- Generate a full Hardware Inventory summary for a selected PC. View an example report.
- Generate a full Software Inventory for each PC including hot fixes. View an example report.
- View and Control Services, Processes and Applications running on each PC.
- Provide direct technical assistance to any classroom Teacher.
- Power on, Power off, Reboot and Login to classroom computers remotely.
- Display all Students and Teachers by active class.
- Review individual CrossTec SchoolVue client security settings remotely.
- Conduct Chat with one or multiple Students or Teachers.
- Broadcast messages to groups or all network users in seconds.
- Perform powerful 1:1 PC Remote Control on any selected computer.
- Shows real-time USB memory stick status on all Student PCs.

New Events for January

2010-12-20T12:29:00.006-05:00

I just wanted to let you all know that we have a few events on the books for January. I will try to update you of any additional events that we add.

January 11th, 3:00PM EST: Implement a Low Cost - High Performance Virtualization Strategy with SoftXpand

This webinar will cover how schools can benefit from implementing a desktop virtualization solution to reduce upfront PC purchase costs, repurpose PC's you already have to expand access to a greater number of students, reduce operating costs, and more!

January 18th, 11:00AM EST: IT Asset Management, Help Desk, Support and More with CrossTec Integration Solutions

This webinar will demonstrate how a school's IT staff can streamline their management and support to reduce the amount of time they spend on it support, increase ROI, reduce TCO, and ensure that they have an accurate inventory and control of all hardware and software at all times. Windows 7 migration and application distribution will also be covered.

January 20th, 11:00AM EST: Enhance Learning Through Technology in the Classroom

This webinar will demonstrate how teachers can increase learning through leveraging some of the most advanced classroom technology. Topics include: classroom management, interactive whiteboards, computer based testing, collaboration, and more.

How To Pick A Desktop Virtualization Solution

2010-12-10T09:30:00.005-05:00

When looking to select the desktop virtualization solution, there are a few things you must consider based on the needs of your organization.

What type of applications do you need to run?

Do you or your students need to run performance applications such as Adobe CS5 or AutoCAD or render 3D video? Or are they looking to run basic applications such as Microsoft Office or basic web browsing?

What type of media will you need to access?

Are you going to need to have the ability to watch or stream HD movies?

Do you have the resources to manage a complex virtualized network?

Some virtualization solutions require you to implement an elaborate server setup to power the virtual desktops. You must have the staff on hand, or outsource the staff to be able to manage this type of solution.

Are you limited by distance?

Different virtualization solutions range from 5 meters to having world wide access. How much distance do you need?

How important is stability?

Bandwidth limitations and use of heavy applications can effect the stability of some desktop virtualization implementations.

Do you need to have a unique IP address for each virtual desktop?

Having a unique IP address allows for advanced networking and management of your virtual desktops.

Check out a full comparison between some of these different types of solutions by clicking HERE.

2010 ACTE Annual Convention

2010-12-07T11:03:00.007-05:00

We just got back on Sunday evening from the 2010 ACTE Annual Convention in Las Vegas. Overall the show went great! It was nice to meet new people and give them a taste of what kind of new technology is out there that can help them improve learning and save money. I am also happy to say that I was able to meet up with some followers of this blog. I hope to meet more of you down the road at future events.

Classroom Gadgets and Technology for 2011

2010-11-23T09:37:00.007-05:00

We will be hosting an event on December 16th that will cover some of the latest technology and what you should expect to see in 2011.

You should attend this event if you:
- Want to see some of the latest gadgets and technology solutions for 2011
- Want to enhance learning through technology in your classroom
- Want to see how interactive lesson plans can be implemented in your classroom.
- See how you can leverage an interactive whiteboard
- Are interested in 1:1 technology and have implemented it in your school or are looking to in the future.
- Are interested in saving money through green technology and virtualized classroom solutions.

RSVP HERE

OR

Follow on LinkedIn at: http://events.linkedin.com/Classroom-Gadgets-Technology-2011/pub/489749

How Are People Using Classroom Management Software?

2010-11-17T13:54:00.004-05:00

From Scholastic's Administrator Magazine:

Reviewer: Paul Basileo, coordinator of instructional technology, Suffolk County Community College, Long Island, NY

Products We Use: CrossTec SchoolVue Classroom Management Software

Goals: “We use the product both as a classroom management tool and a technical support vehicle.”

How We Use It: “Our Support staff is able to remotely control systems, cutting down on the time spent in servicing software issues. We also distribute updates, patches, and fixes through the software.”

Response: “While no product is perfect, especially those relying on network discover, we are pleased with this product and the features available to us.”

Learning Curve: “It has been very easy transition from tools we’ve tried before”

What’s Next: “I hope the technical side of the product continues to evolve to allow for better and faster control. We are also looking at integration with Microsoft’s Active Directory and other network-based products (virus or desktop protection).”

Read the full article HERE.

Preparing for your journey towards 1:1

2010-11-08T16:10:00.007-05:00

1:1, or one computer for every student, is seemingly becoming the end goal for most school districts. One of the biggest set backs is that it can be extremely expensive! Buying a computer at $700-1100 per student really adds up!

There are a few ways that you can reduce the cost of going to 1:1. Going with a netbook or tablet pc can reduce your cost to $300-500 per student, however this is still unobtainable for many districts. On top of that there is a lot higher chance that the netbook or tablet will be damaged if the student is transporting it back and forth from home to school every day.

Your next option is desktop virtualization. Desktop virtualization reduces the amount of PC hardware you need to purchase, making it much easier and affordable for a school to transform into a 1:1 campus.

There are a few things you must consider when looking to adopt a desktop virtualization strategy.
1. Does this solution require a thin client? - Desktop virtualization solutions that require a thin client are much more costly than other solutions and have a much lower level of performance.
2. Can this solution run on Windows or only on Linux? - Some systems are only Linux based and others are only Windows based. What operating system is right for your school?
3. What is the actual cost per user with this solution? - Some solutions may require additional hidden fees per node or user. Keep an eye out for any such fees. Be sure to budget for any additional monitors, mice, or keyboards you may need.
4. Is a free trial available? - Test the solution before purchasing to make sure it meets your performance standards and is a reliable solution in your environment.

Try Desktop Virtualization FREE for 30-days! Click HERE.

Save Time and Stay Organized with Computer Based Testing

2010-11-03T10:41:00.006-04:00

Surprisingly many teachers have not taken advantage of the vast advantages that computer based testing has to offer. Obviously teachers who do not have computers in their classroom or lack access to a lab would find it quite difficult to implement computer based testing. But for those of you who are teaching in a 1:1 school or do have access to a computer lab, why wouldn't you utilize computer based testing?

Some testing programs come with pre-built, pre-designed questions and allow you to modify them. The importance with choosing which program to use for testing is by ease of use as well as the flexibility and functionality of a test designer.

Check out this YouTube video below to see the ease of use and flexibility of CrossTec SchoolVue's built-in test designer. That's right - SchoolVue offers a FREE test designer and test player!

So what are the benefits of computer based testing with SchoolVue's built-in test designer?

* Design tests and examinations with minimal effort, including text, picture, audio and video questions.
* Create a library of resources and questions that can be shared.
* Create any number of Tests using questions from your library.
* Utilize any of 8 different question styles.
* Create Questions with between 2 and 4 possible answers.
* Set examination Grading levels ( i.e. over 75% = A grade).
* Track Student progress and see question success or failure in real-time.
* Auto-mark the test so results are available as soon as it is completed.
* Display individual results back to each Student.
* Deliver results (including highlighting the correct answers) to the class.
* Install the Test designer on a standalone system.

Click HERE to download!

Social Media in Schools

2010-10-25T08:57:00.004-04:00

A growing debate in many school districts is whether or not students should be able to access social media sites while at school. Social media has become the way of the now and is a primary point of communication for today's youth.

Should schools outlaw social media sites to their students? I'm not sure that I have the answer to that as it may differ school to school. However I do have an opinion. I believe that schools should allow students to use social media sites in moderation, or incorporate them into some of their lesson plans. Instead of sending a letter to pen pals around the world via snail mail, why not start a Facebook page or Twitter account for your students to communicate across the globe. I even have seen many schools use Skype as a way to communicate with new age pen pals.

Incorporating social media into lesson plans has many advantages, especially for underprivileged students who do not have computers in their home. This allows them to stay up to date with how their peers are communicating. It also helps build a foundation for students to understand the appropriate ways to communicate through social media and hopefully prevent future inappropriate conduct.

Have any other ideas? Leave your feedback in the comments section below.

How Much Do Schools Really Save with Desktop Virtualization?

2010-10-13T10:46:00.007-04:00

Desktop virtualizaiton is one of the hottest topics around the IT world today. Some of the many benefits of desktop virtualization include reduced total cost of ownership, reduced operating costs, and a reduction to an organizations carbon footprint. Although this all sounds great, how much are you really saving?

Let's look at an example using CrossTec's SoftXpand solution. For this example, let’s say XYZ School is looking to add 1,100 new computers for the 2011-2012 school year. Many schools are looking to save money in IT costs but have not quite figured out how to do so without sacrificing benefits.

SoftXpand from CrossTec is capable of turning a single PC into up to eight fully functioning independent workstations. This will significantly reduce the upfront cost to a school who is buying new computers. But what if new PC purchases do not quite fit in the budget? Not a problem. SoftXpand can also re-purpose current PC's and turn them into multiple workstations.

Going back to this example of XYZ Schools. Let's say they currently have 275 computers in their school and do not have the funding available to purchase the 825 new PC's that they would need to get to their goal of 1,100. With SoftXpand they can still benefit from having 1,100 workstations without purchasing a single new PC!

Since XYZ schools has had these machines for a few years now, they decide to turn each PC into four independent workstations, to ensure they do not risk any performance and can still run graphically intense applications such as 3D video, CAD software, and more.

Let's take a look at their cost savings:
• Up Front Hardware Savings: $605,000 (79%)
• 12 Month Energy Savings: $32,604 (69%)
• 12 Month Depreciation Cost Savings: $66,600
• 12 Month Total overall costs $196251 (77%)
TOTAL SAVINGS AFTER 1 YEAR: $741329

How about their green savings?
• 75% Reduction in Energy Consumption
• 75% Reduction in Water, Fossil Fuels, and Chemical usage
• 75% Reduction in Carbon Emissions
• 75% Reduction in E-Waste

What does this equate to?
• By using CrossTec’s SoftXpand you could buy 4,400 textbooks for your students with your upfront savings alone!
• You can take 112 cars off the road EVERY YEAR with your carbon emissions savings.
• The impact your school would make on the environment by using CrossTec’s SoftXpand would compare to planting 3,300 trees EVERY YEAR!
• Without using SoftXpand, 125 teachers would need to bike to work every day to offset the carbon emissions.

To find out more information, please click HERE.

Education Technology Event

2010-10-08T11:34:00.003-04:00

There will be a great event focusing on education technology that I wanted to share with all of you. I have listed some of the details below. The event will be taking place on November 17th.

You should attend this event if you:
- Want to enhance learning through technology in your classroom
- Want to see how interactive lesson plans can be implemented in your classroom. See how you can leverage an interactive whiteboard.
- Are interested in 1:1 technology and have implemented it in your school or are looking to in the future.
- Interested in saving money through green technology and virtualized classroom solutions.
- Are interested in learning how you can benefit from computer based testing.

For more information or to RSVP please visit: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/853083472

or on LinkedIn: http://events.linkedin.com/Enhanced-Learning-Through-Technology/pub/448346

Shrinking IT budgets - shrinking IT staff?

2010-10-05T12:16:00.010-04:00

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It is not a new fact that schools have been shrinking budgets and cutting spending, especially in IT. I have heard from a number of schools that they have cut their IT staff down to two to three people for an entire district! This can become overwhelming for those techs, especially if schools are not making strides to help compensate for their newly shrunken IT staff.

One of the ways school districts can compensate is by implementing and IT asset management program in their district. With such a program, their newly limited IT staff can now fully support and manage across their districts with ease. For example, if you are a tech at an ISD and need to offer IT support and management to 10 schools in your district, you can use an IT asset management product to do so quickly, efficiently, and effectively. Programs such as CrossTec EMS allow you to remotely manage and support all of the PCs, Macs, iPads, Windows Mobile phones, ect in your organization from one central location. With one simple interface you can pull any hardware or software information off of any device in your organization, even down to the version of BIOS or how many RAM slots you still have available. EMS also allows you to distribute software installation packages to all computers across your organization with the simple click of a button.

Migrate to Office 2010 with ease by leveraging the EMS solution!

You can also do remote support by simply clicking on a PC in your network to remote control it through EMS with Remote Control.

There are many IT asset management products on the market and if you are in a bind I would recommend picking one that suits your needs and fits within your budget. A benefit of going with CrossTec’s integrated IT asset management / remote control / help desk solution is not only that is a cost effective solution, but that also includes CrossTec SchoolVue absolutely free! So now not only can you manage all of the computers in your district, IT staff and teachers can leverage CrossTec SchoolVue to monitor student computer activity and enhance learning in the classroom!

Click here for more information. Or click here to see an interactive demo of EMS in action on October 6th.

New LinkedIn Group Focusing on Education Technology

2010-09-24T11:23:00.005-04:00

I started a new LinkedIn group today called "1:1 and Wireless - 21st Century Classrooms." I would like to invite all of you readers out there to join.

Here is the group description:

This group is a social networking group for educators and professionals looking to connect and network together on the topic of 21st century classrooms and technology. This group is targeted towards K-12 and College based atmospheres. If you are an educator, IT director, or business professional looking to share your thoughts and ideas about the present and future of technology in education, this is the forum for you.

Join today, click here!

Did you miss the SchoolVue event for September?

2010-09-22T16:50:00.002-04:00

Did you miss the SchoolVue event for September? No worries! We are having another on October 20th at 3:30PM EST.

Description:

Is your school looking to do wireless classrooms but has not found the proper management software? CrossTec SchoolVue is the leader in classroom management in a 1:1 environment.

Learn how to maximize learning in your classroom by leveraging the most modern classroom management technology. CrossTec SchoolVue puts teachers, lab instructors, and corporate trainers center stage in networked classrooms. This newest generation of classroom management software facilitates the seamless transition, from teaching to groups to interactive one-on-one instruction, and ensures that the teacher is in full control of classroom technology at all times.

Sign up for this free live 30-minute Webinar. You can join us for this interactive event from anywhere in the world.

Learn about best practices, tips and tricks
See SchoolVue in action
Ask a product specialist questions
Hear how other users are benefiting from the solution

Please register at: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/851579256

SchoolVue Webinar for September

2010-09-01T09:14:00.008-04:00

CrossTec will be hosting a SchoolVue webinar focusing on 1:1 and wireless classrooms on September 22nd. If you are interested in implementing or setting up 1:1 in your school, this is the webinar for you. Learn best practices, management techniques, and lesson plans in this brief 45 minute webinar. This webinar is recommended for both teachers and school IT directors.

RSVP at: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/641114504

The best way to keep track of the latest SchoolVue blog posts

2010-08-30T14:45:00.002-04:00

Would you like to be notified of new SchoolVue blog posts? Follow me on Facebook and you can be sure to have immediate notifications of new posts right to your Facebook account. Click HERE to add.

Dropping 200 lbs in 1 year - Will tablets replace standard textbooks?

2010-08-24T10:55:00.008-04:00

For many years schools have been purchasing standard paper textbooks for students. As we continue through the digital age, how much longer do these books have to their existence?

Tablet PC’s and iPad’s are becoming the way of the now, not just the way of the future. Some schools are already starting to implement them into their curriculum. There are several advantages of switching over to a tablet model from the standard textbook model, the most obvious being price.

Standard textbooks are very expensive, especially when you need to continually purchase new ones to keep them up to date. Many K-12 schools spend up to $1200 per year for every student on standard textbooks. College students can pay over $1200 a semester on standard textbooks. You can buy a mid-level tablet for a onetime fee of roughly $500. Obliviously there will be costs to the publishers but this will be nowhere near the cost of continually purchasing standard textbooks.

Another great advantage is that the horizons can be widened by putting interactive content in these books, a great learning tool that standard text books cannot provide. Imagine a student rotating a 3D model of the solar system on the science book app for their tablet. The possibilities are endless!

Students and instructors can even share notes, change the font size, or highlight text using this new method of learning. Instructors can even administer pop quizzes or tests to the students directly on their Tablet PC using CrossTec SchoolVue.

Don’t forget the environmental savings we will endure by not having to produce millions of standard paper textbooks.

Bottom line: Not only is it much less expensive to purchase tablets for your students, education providers can update the content of the book on demand saving a lot of money in printing costs for the manufacturer and purchasing costs for the school districts.

Next time you see a student carrying an overstuffed backpack full of 200lbs of books down the hallway, think of how much easier it would be to replace all of that with a single tablet.

REMINDER: "Classroom Management Technology with CrossTec SchoolVue" Webinar is Wednesday

2010-08-23T08:54:00.003-04:00

I just wanted to post a reminder that we have a webinar this Wednesday at 3:00pm EST. The topic will be Classroom Management Technology and will also discuss 1:1 classrooms and how to manage them.

Please click here to RSVP.

How to monitor student activity in your classroom and keep control of technology

2010-08-13T14:51:00.005-04:00

Keeping track of what all of your students are doing on their computers during class can be quite a chore, especially if you have a large class. Many teachers are finding that they are having trouble keeping their classrooms in line when introducing new technology, especially when implementing 1:1. CrossTec SchoolVue is simply the most effective tool to manage classroom technology, especially in a 1:1 classroom.

SchoolVue is especially designed to cater to 1:1 schools, that is why CrossTec is seen as a market leader in classroom management technology.

The beginning of the 2010-2011 school year is nearing. Many of you are already reporting back into school to get your classrooms in order for the new year. Make sure this new year is off to a smooth start by taking a look at including SchoolVue as a part of your class.

CrossTec will be hosting a webinar on August 25th which will demonstrate the power and capabilities of CrossTec SchoolVue. To RSVP, please click HERE.

Back to School 2010 Wallpaper

2010-08-05T12:02:00.002-04:00

Get in the spirit for the 2010-2011 school year with this great free "Back to School 2010" desktop wallpaper complements of CrossTec Corporation. Click HERE to go to the download page.

How is unrestricted bandwidth affecting your district?

2010-08-04T09:14:00.007-04:00

I read an article in The Journal yesterday about managing bandwidth in schools. The article states that online state testing will become mandatory in Florida in 2015 and that unrestricted bandwidth may (will) have effect network speed and up time.

I would like to reference a quote from the article, "If only 50 percent of the schools statewide are testing at a time, that could be a million requests to [the Department of Education's] server," said Chris Bress, executive director of learning through technology and media for Charlotte County Public Schools in Port Charlotte, FL.

In addition to the effects of throwing an unlimited amount of bandwidth at a server, as described in the situation above, there are also numerous other negative results that your school can endure when not restricting your bandwidth, including unnecessary costs. The article states that Charlotte County saves $80,000-$100,000 in physical costs simply from throttling their bandwidth.

There are a few different ways to go about throttling and controlling your bandwidth and managing your internet permissions. The main starting point is to decide if you want to go with a hardware or software based solution. CrossTec Corporation, creators of SchoolVue, have a program called CrossTec EMS. It is an easy to use total IT Asset Management program. It is not an appliance and no extra hardware is necessary to use it. It is a cost effective software based tool that can manage all of your IT assets, in addition to the internet metering feature discussed above (bandwidth throttling and more).

Please view this brief YouTube video to learn more about the internet metering and monitoring functionality of CrossTec EMS.

There are many more features and benefits of CrossTec EMS. You can set real-time alerts for various activities in your network, monitor and meter software and internet activity, keep track of hardware and software assets, set out software packets and installations simultaneously throughout your organization, and much more! EMS also has an energy monitoring feature that can help your organization reduce your carbon footprint and save additional costs on top of the savings described above. EMS can be a great tool for budgeting, planning, and helping to calculate ROI. Decrease your total cost of ownership simply by implementing CrossTec EMS.

If you are interested in finding more information about CrossTec EMS - please click HERE to visit our website.

To read the full article that I referenced in this post, please visit HERE.

Step Up Computer Security at Your School

2010-08-02T14:33:00.006-04:00

By nature, some students are always going to try to mess around with your school's computers. How are your protecting your IT assets and also ensuring that your IT staff can stay on task without the distraction of having to re-stage a computer because it was not properly secured?

CrossTec Secure simplifies classroom PC protection by securing the Windows operating systems and desktops from unwanted or malicious changes, in conjunction with powerful hard disk and roll back technology. When required, the system will restore back to a previous point in time, quickly and transparently.

Secure provides your organization with a reliable and productive computer environment by giving you the flexibility to control how users can interact with PCs, as well as adding roll back and restore on reboot technology.

Best of all Secure works great with SchoolVue!

To find out more information or to see a feature slide show, please click HERE!

Classroom Mangement Webinar for August

2010-07-26T12:02:00.003-04:00

CrossTec will be hosting a free webinar on August 25th at 3PM EST. If you are a teacher or IT administrator looking enhance learning through technology in the classroom - this webinar is for you. Learn how to effectively setup and manage a wireless or 1:1 classroom using CrossTec SchoolVue classroom management software. Also see how you can experience time savings through assignment distribution and SchoolVue's testing software. Design customized tests and distribute them to students through the computer and watch as SchoolVue grades them in real-time.

To RSVP for "Classroom Management Technology with CrossTec SchoolVue," click HERE.

Or to view a list of all of the upcoming CrossTec webinars, please click HERE.

India's $35 laptop - What does this mean for schools and 1:1

2010-07-23T10:26:00.002-04:00

According to the Wall Street Journal, the Indian government has unveiled a tablet computer, aimed at students, that will cost $35. They are calling i the "Nano Computer" What does this mean for schools? Many schools have been looking for a low cost laptop alternative for 1:1 classrooms. This Nano tablet is going for a fraction of the cost of an Apple iPad and is less than half of what OLPC (One Laptop Per Child) is charging. Is this the answer for schools looking to go 1:1?

Read the full article regarding the release of the Nano Computer at: http://blogs.wsj.com/indiarealtime/2010/07/23/going-for-cheap-indias-35-laptop/?mod=e2tw

Image from the Associated Press

Optimizing your lesson plans with CrossTec SchoolVue

2010-07-20T09:36:00.001-04:00

Check out this brief video outlining the Interactive Whiteboard feature of CrossTec SchoolVue. With SchoolVue's interactive whiteboard, the instructor can now optimize their lesson plans through collaboration and classroom interaction. This is just one of the many great features that CrossTec SchoolVue has to offer. This video is part one of a multi-part video series outlining some of the features of CrossTec SchoolVue. Stay tuned to the SchoolVue blog for more videos, tips, tricks, and best practices.

Click HERE to view the video.

Reminder: Webinar tomorrow!

2010-07-20T09:09:00.001-04:00

I just wanted to post a reminder that CrossTec will be holding a free webinar tomorrow at 2:30PM EST. To RSVP for "1:1 and Wireless Classrooms - Techniques and Management," please click here.

Apple Lemonade

2010-07-08T13:48:00.001-04:00

The other day I recalled an old game that was used in schools a while back called "Lemonade," originally designed for the Apple II. This came out way back in 1979 was a 16k file distributed on a cassette. Students would anxiously await their turn to play this game which subtly taught them some of the fundamental concepts of business, economics, and entrepreneurship at a young age. The line formed at the single computer at the back of the room, students growing inpatient to have their shot at growing a sustainable lemonade business in Lemonville.

Things have changed. Seemingly more and more schools are going towards having a computer for every single student in the classroom. No more waiting in line to play Apple Lemonade at the solo computer in the room, every student now has the tools they need right in front of them without having to wait.

When setting up your 1:1 school, contact CrossTec to help make sure you have the proper classroom management tools in place to keep your students on task and your teachers center stage.

P.S. For all of you closet Apple Lemonade fans out there, you can now download this classic for your iPhone http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/lemonade-stand/id294861983?mt=8

Happy 4th of July from CrossTec Corporation!

2010-07-02T14:45:00.000-04:00

From all of us at CrossTec Corporation, we would like to wish you a very happy and safe 4th of July. What kind of plans do you have for the weekend? Please feel free to post on our 4th of July Weekend Plans thread on our Facebook wall: http://www.facebook.com/pages/CrossTec-Corporation/372621488807

How is your school cutting costs to save jobs?

2010-07-01T10:46:00.000-04:00

It is evident that many schools are currently having budgeting issues and some of them are even cutting valuable jobs to compensate. What if there was a way to save these jobs? Many schools have already endured cost savings through enhancing the way they manage their technology solutions. By leveraging an IT Asset Management (ITAM) solution, your school can re-purpose current IT assets and refocus your IT staff to focus on what they do best. Some ITAM products, such as CrossTec EMS, even feature an energy feature which helps organizations reduce operating costs while also decreasing their carbon footprint.

It's simple, by implementing a proper ITAM solution you will see increased ROI on technology investments, decreased operating costs, and more time for your IT staff to focus on other projects. Bottom line: you save money... you save jobs...

If you are interested in finding out more about CrossTec's ITAM solution, you are invited to attend a webinar on July 14th. Please RSVP at: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/539129000

SchoolVue Webinar for July 2010

2010-06-29T08:56:00.000-04:00

Please join us for a free interactive webinar on July 21st covering 1:1 and wireless classrooms. The webinar will cover techniques for getting them in place and then go into how to effectively and efficiently manage them. Please RSVP at https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/416142569

Tech Directors - How are you planning for the 2010-2011 school year?

2010-06-17T10:43:00.000-04:00

Now that the school year is over, tech directors all over the country are trying to decide how to utilize their technology budget for the 2010-2011 school year. Depending on the size of their budget, some schools are considering going with a 1:1 wireless classroom approach. This is a great way to incorporate technology into a student's life as well as enhance learning in the classroom. A key component to remember when implementing a 1:1 approach is classroom management. Without the proper classroom management software, the increased technology could do more harm than good. Students would have access to many new distractions and it would be harder for teachers to monitor what students are doing and enforce rules, guidelines, and ordinance in the classroom.

When planning out your budget, I would encourage you to take CrossTec SchoolVue for a test drive. I am very confident that you will be pleasantly surprised with what you discover.

Attention Iowa Educators/IT Professionals

2010-06-11T14:41:00.001-04:00

Are you looking for ways to spend your Microsoft Settlement money? Did you know you can use your Microsoft funds to buy CrossTec SchoolVue? http://bit.ly/drGHLV

Are you on Facebook?

2010-06-03T09:05:00.000-04:00

Are you one of the millions of people who has Facebook? Did you know that CrossTec has a Facebook page? Become a fan of CrossTec today so you can find out all of the important news, updates, tips, and tricks. http://www.facebook.com/pages/CrossTec-Corporation/372621488807

School's Out!

2010-05-28T10:40:00.001-04:00

You are now likely sitting at your desk staring out into an empty classroom, recently vacated by students eagerly awaiting the start of summer vacation. A job well done. You just completed another great year and know that the impact you have left on each and every one of your students is something that will better them for the rest of their lives.

So what's next? The next few weeks you will likely spend organizing your classroom and starting to think about what new and exciting activities you will lay out for next year. Maybe you are taking a look at some of the professional development programs that are offered over the summer or brainstorming of ways to enhance learning even further in your classroom for the next round of students who are coming in a few short months. Or you could be thinking about the trip you are leaving for in a few weeks to celebrate the conclusion another successful year of educating our youth.

This summer when you are thinking about ways you can enhance learning in your classroom, not only for next year, but for many years to come, I would encourage you to take a look at CrossTec SchoolVue. Not only is it a great tool used to expand the learning potential in your classroom, SchoolVue also reduces the amount of effort you need to spend managing your classroom, correcting tests, and collecting homework assignments.

Take a look at SchoolVue, visit the CrossTec website at: http://www.crosstecsoftware.com

Or register for one of the upcoming SchoolVue webinars HERE.

On behalf of all of us at CrossTec, we would like to thank you for another year of ongoing dedication to improving and educating our society.

School

2010-05-28T10:40:00.000-04:00

SchoolVue Webinar for June 2010

2010-05-21T11:06:00.001-04:00

The next CrossTec SchoolVue webinar will be held on June 23rd at 11:00 EST.

Is your school looking to go to a wireless classroom or 1:1 model of learning? CrossTec SchoolVue is the most effective classroom management software in wireless environments.

Please join us for this upcoming webinar. You can RSVP for the webinar by clicking HERE.

Otherwise if you would like to see a listing of all of the upcoming CrossTec webinars, please click HERE.

New CrossTec Website!

2010-05-20T17:19:00.001-04:00

CrossTec Corporation has launched an ALL NEW website! Take a look at www.crosstecsoftware.com

You're invited to attend a FREE CrossTec SchoolVue webinar on May 19th!

2010-05-17T15:14:00.001-04:00

You're invited to attend a FREE CrossTec SchoolVue webinar on May 19th at 3:30PM EST. Does your school have a 1:1 or wireless learning environment? CrossTec SchoolVue is the leader in classroom management in a 1:1 environment.

Learn how to maximize learning in your classroom by leveraging the most powerful and modern classroom management technology. CrossTec SchoolVue puts teachers, lab instructors, and corporate trainers center stage in networked classrooms. This newest generation of classroom management software facilitates the seamless transition, from teaching to groups, to interactive one-on-one instruction, and ensures that the teacher is in full control of classroom technology at all times.

RSVP at: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/646175785

Welcome!

2010-05-17T10:49:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the all new CrossTec SchoolVue blog site. This is the official blog for SchoolVue where you can expect to find all of the latest updates, tips and tricks, and insight into new and exciting features.

Get More Information About SchoolVue

2010-05-14T16:42:00.001-04:00

To get more information about SchoolVue, please contact CrossTec Corporation at 800-675-0729.