Schools have always been a complex usage case for technology because of the range of media used in class. Students are required to use computers for some assignments, but activities like taking notes or drawing diagrams for biology or physics doesn’t translate well with a keyboard. School districts are also tasked with preparing students for employment in the wider world where computers are necessary in every job setting. So what are students supposed to do? Carry a laptop, an iPad, and take notes on paper? Ideally there would be a single device which can check every box.
The Surface 3 runs full Windows 8, has amazing digital inking support, and has a very portable form factor. While the Surface 3 isn’t the fastest or thinnest device, it spans an incredibly wide range of usage cases. High school students can use the Surface to watch educational videos, type their papers, and take notes with a pen while naturally resting their palm on the screen. Teachers can also use the device to enter grades in Excel, drive projectors, and record lessons.
The Surface 3 spans pretty much every usage case within schools and does so at an affordable price, considering the company is now offering a special edition 32GB Surface 3 for education. Microsoft probably didn’t make the Surface 3 specifically for schools, but it kind of seems like they did. School district IT staff are already accustom to managing Windows devices and have the tools and power to do exactly what they want with the Surface 3.
When school districts invest in technology ideally it can be used in several usage cases within in the district. The Surface 3 meets the needs of students, teachers, and administrators equally well. This simplifies the job of buying and maintaining devices within a district. It also makes it easier for teachers to help students with issues they are having because they are exposed to the same device.
