Technology is quickly changing how schools teach and children learn, but many devices aren't as sturdy as an old-fashioned book. So M-Edge, an accessories manufacturer for mobile devices such as tablets and e-readers, created a program to offer discounts on protective covers for educational devices.
While many schools are interested in using e-readers or tablets in the classroom, most don't have a large enough budget to buy the device and the protective cases and other accessories that can make the device last longer in the hands of (occasionally careless) children.
"Teachers were contacting us inquiring about our products, and it was clear to me that we needed to have a group dedicated to assisting educators. We talk through how students use devices and work with their school’s budget to make recommendations on the best, most affordable option to protect their investment," Allison Ward, a vice president at M-Edge, said in a statement.
M-Edge's newly formed Education Team has already partnered with four schools in New York to provide protective cases for the 84 Amazon Kindles the schools bought to lighten the load of books in student backpacks. Grants also helped pay to train educators on how to use the e-readers in the classroom most effectively.
The M-Edge Education Team plans to work with more school superintendents to provide protective cases for iPads, Kindles and Nook e-readers schools may choose to use.