The New Era of Smart Printing forSchoolsOctober 4, 2013 by Andy Slawetsky

Digital content, personalized learning,classrooms filled with tablet-toting studentsusing mobile devices supplied by the school orthrough bring-your-own-device (BYOD)initiatives — it’s clear that the latest tech-nology innovations are continuing to reshapethe K-12 educational landscape. But what doall these changes mean for printers, the long-time fixtures in classrooms and administrativeoffices? As content transitions from beingpaper-based to being created and consumed on digital devices, will printers go the way of dial-upmodems and floppy drives? Don’t bet on it.

Schools aren’t pulling the plugs on their printers; they’re using these essential devices in new andinnovative ways. For example, as students create more digital content, they still need high-speed,color-capable output devices to produce visually compelling presentations for class discussions. It’sthe same with the assignments that originate on mobile devices, whether they are tablets, notebooksor streamlined Web clients. But these traditional uses are only the beginning as increasinglysophisticated, versatile printing hardware enables new ways of distributing content in the digitalclassroom.Technology-savvy schools are now taking advantage of networked and multi-function printers(MFPs), which can print, scan, copy and fax information as black and white or color output. Becausethese devices connect directly to school networks, they be- come communication hubs that enablestudents and teachers to scan essays and artwork and distribute the digital files to a website or emaillist without even producing a paper document.

As 1:1 computing and BYOD initiatives continue to proliferate, more students will be equipped withsmartphones, tablets, netbooks and laptops — and the ability to print from these mobile devices willgrow in importance. Additionally, administrators who face stringent regulatory requirements willincreasingly rely on workgroup printers and MFPs to create, capture, store and distribute informationfor federal special needs funding and other state and local government mandates.The good news for cash-strapped schools is that technical innovation and sophistication doesn’tmean the latest hardware is a budget buster. Prices have been steadily falling in recent years so thatmany high-volume workgroup models now fall well below $1,000. And when schools replace older,single-purpose printers, scanners and fax machines with more efficient multi-function units, they willreap additional benefits from reduced hardware costs, increased productivity and lower energy bills.

The bottom line: Output devices aren’t becoming less relevant for digital classrooms, they’rebecoming more versatile, more available, more convenient and more resourceful than ever before.

But to get the most out of these advanced products, schools must develop a digital content strategythat takes advantage of the latest device innovations and related solutions.

Printers Keep EvolvingOne thing is clear — despite the digital revolution now occurring in K-12 classrooms across thecountry, schools need printers and MFPs more than ever. MFPs come packed with networkconnections, processors, hard drives and touchscreen panels, putting these devices squarely in thecategory of specialized computers.

In the classroom, teachers can use the latest devices to create hard copies of lesson plans andassignments for students, especially for those who rely on digital content but cannot bring a devicehome. In addition, teachers can produce presentations that make use of color to grab the attention ofpupils and facilitate learning. Beyond these traditional uses, networked printers and MFPscomplement the growing world of tablets, Web-based applications and Internet resources. Followingare some print solutions and strategies that are supporting schools in their digital revolutions.

Document management and digital contentIn schools, the ongoing need for networked printers and MFPs issolidifying around a host of new applications that are creating afoundation for a larger transformation in how educationorganizations create and manage documents. At the core ofthese changes is document management software, which, whencombined with the scanning capabilities of MFPs, enablesschools to turn hard copy documents into digital content. Thismeans schools can gather all of the required information aboutstudents — ranging from grades and teacher evaluations tomedical histories — into central electronic repositories. Theinformation then can be stored securely, located easily anddistributed efficiently via networks, workflow systems and theInternet.

According to AIIM, an industry association devoted to digitalcontent trends and best practices, key document management features include:

Document check-in and check-out Security and access control Version control Audit trails Annotation and stamps Summarization

A recent report by AIIM concluded that the latest technologies for scanning, imaging and characterrecognition are improving the processes organizations use to turn information in hard copydocuments into digital content. AIIM surveyed a cross section of organizations, including ones ineducation, and found cost-saving and productivity benefits when content is in digital form and doesn’trequire manual data entry processes for keying-in data.1 The majority of the survey respondents saidthey saw a gain in productivity of 33 percent or more, according to the report. “These could generallybe considered hard-dollar savings, and they commence as soon as deployment is complete, andcontinue for the life of the process,” the AIIM report states.

How does this translate for schools? One compellingexample is the ability to automate testing and grading.

This comes about when school districts combine thescanning capabilities of MFPs with the right software thatenables instructors to create and print tests and barcodedmaster answer sheets. The scanners in MFPsautomatically match student responses to the mastersand compile the scores. This eliminates the expense ofcommercial test forms and specialized scanners andgives instructors nearly instant feedback on student performance. The MFP and software combinationcan then send test scores directly to the school’s student information system to update each pupil’seducation record and allow instructors to analyze the results to identify areas for improvement. Gapanalysis like this is especially important as instructors prepare for standardized tests and otherregulatory requirements.

Another important aspect of document management is the related area of content lifecyclemanagement: the ability to organize and store data according to its age, educational relevance,regulatory importance and other retention policies of the school district. Lifecycle managementsystems can automatically move digital records to the most appropriate destination, whether that’s ahard drive on a networked printer or MFP, a file server, a database housed on a storage area networkor a public cloud archival site. School districts should look for systems that manage dataunobtrusively so teachers and administrators have the information they need whenever they need itand don’t encounter any productivity delays.

Managed print services and cost controlManaged print services (MPS) are another game- changer for school district printing resources. MPSis a print optimization system that provides visibility into the entire printing environment. This allowsdistricts and schools to account for every penny they spend and manage how the print resources areused. With this outsourcing approach, school administrators contract with an outside specialist to takecontrol of the printing and imaging equipment, including such tasks as ink and toner replacement,routine maintenance and repairs.

Managed print services and cost controlManaged print services (MPS) are another game-changer for school district printing resources. MPSis a print optimization system that provides visibility into the entire printing environment. This allowsdistricts and schools to account for every penny they spend and manage how the print resources areused. With this outsourcing approach, school administrators contract with an outside specialist to takecontrol of the printing and imaging equipment, including such tasks as ink and toner replacement,routine maintenance and repairs.

This can all be addressed with the help of a managed print professional that can provide

supplies replenishment, maintenance and preventive care all for a set monthly cost that remains

predictable throughout the school year.

Finding an optimal ratio of devices to users is essential for

managing costs, according to the Photizo Group, an industry

association devoted to the MPS segment. It states that some

organizations maintain one printer for an average of every 2.2

employees, 3 which can rack up unnecessary costs for

hardware, ink or toner, and energy, totaling about $750 per

employee, per year.4 An evaluation by a managed print

specialist often finds ways to use workgroup printers and MFPs to centralize printing resources and

serve perhaps six employees per device. The savings from

a successful managed print program may average 30 percent, Photizo adds.5

Better management of printers and MFPs has ripple effects that go beyond direct budget

considerations. With proper oversight, school districts can be sure these networked devices don’t

open up new security risks through careless use of the resources. For example, a student health

record or Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) report left unattended in an MFP

output tray could lead to embarrassment or legal problems if accessed by someone who isn’t

authorized to see the information. And while scan-to- email capabilities on MFPs can be effective

ways to distribute information, they could also facilitate security breaches if access controls aren’t in

place.

Challenges like these help explain why organizations are turning to MPS. The Photizo Group reports

that millions of organizations across all market segments have adopted managed print services in

recent years. In 2011, the North American market alone reached $17.5 billion, or 20 percent higher

than the previous year, Photizo says.6 Similar growth rates are likely for at least the next three years,

it adds.