Schools and universities around the world are becoming increasingly reliant on digital technology. Today, smart mobile devices have enhanced the learning experience, with virtual classrooms and online study resources now a regular part of student life. But progress comes at a price. Without adequate security and control, devices can become a distraction or worse—a liability.

Samsung offers the complete answer, with a choice of Samsung devices enabled by a full array of mobile management features with Knox solutions.

The digitization of education

Using tablets for education is nothing new. However, constant tech innovations, better apps, and the demands of a global pandemic have massively increased both the rate of adoption and the extent to which they are utilized. In many cases, tablets and other smart devices have become a major means of learning, with study sessions, homework submissions, and even exams all being conducted online.

The solution to unexpected challenges

While the advantages of digitization are clear—more flexibility and efficiency—the challenges are not. Take device setup, for example: A school might know which apps they want to use, but they may still have to pre-install varying combinations of apps on hundreds of tablets. How can this be done with limited IT resources? Moreover, how do they stop determined students from finding ways to bypass security policies and turning tablets into gaming consoles? What happens when a device is lost? And how do you prevent cheating in a virtual exam hall?

In truth, there is much more to digitization than handing out devices and apps. You need solutions that let your limited IT resources manage and customize devices to your exact and ever-evolving requirements, and provide effective remote support when needed.

Choosing the right hardware is just the first step. Data security, tech support, remote management, and customization are even more important considerations in bringing it together. As a global leader in both hardware and software, Samsung is uniquely capable of providing end-to-end solution for any educational need, including customer support across devices, software and services from a single point.

Customizing the classroom experience

Samsung offers a wide range of features to customize the learning experience. Whether you choose to transform tablets into fit-for-purpose machines to be used strictly as digital textbooks or support more versatile use, is entirely up to you. Utilizing Knox Configure, school IT admins can disable unnecessary functions, pre-install educational apps and choose settings—and deploy this on every device, both out of the box and even after a factory reset. This can all be done easily and remotely for thousands of devices, saving time and resources for administrators, whilst ensuring a seamless experience for students and teachers.

Configuration doesn’t end there. Admins can continue to manage devices after the initial setup, updating policies for batches and individual units as needed. They can even gain remote access to each device and troubleshoot technical issues with ease using a Knox Manage feature.

Preventative measures and policies for protection

Losing textbooks is a timeless school tradition that cannot be stopped by switching to digital devices. Furthermore, the incentive to steal tablets and smartphones is much higher, as is the cost to replace them. To mitigate such scenarios, Knox Guard provides a range of preventative protection measures for Samsung devices, including emergency messaging and remote device lock. Some schools choose to lock devices during semester breaks to stop unnecessary use and limit the risk of loss or damage. However, accidents can happen so naturally Samsung also offers extended warranties and cover against any unexpected, accidental damage – with Samsung Care+ for Business.

Complex requirements made manageable

Each educational institution has unique requirements for device management. For digital devices to replace many aspects of the traditional school day seamlessly and effectively, they must be carefully restricted while being easily adaptable. For example, schools may wish to restrict usage during class to avoid distractions, but enable more functions at home so that tablets become a powerful study resource. Management requirements also vary between educational institutions. High schools often prefer for students to keep their devices and thus need to integrate new sets of materials as students move from one grade to another, while organizations offering short courses might seldom need to perform updates.

Knox Manage and its bundled package, Knox Suite, make meeting these complex requirements easy. IT admins can remotely manage and configure settings, utilizing more than 280 policies to determine what students can and can’t do with their devices—including ‘allow-listing’ and ‘block-listing’ apps or websites, as well as pushing required apps or files.

Knox solutions’ powerful security management features also enable devices to support large-scale, real-time events. By applying different policy sets based on time, location, and various other factors, schools can manage device usage during pre-defined events. For example, blocking web browsers during exams to avoid cheating, enabling the front camera when using a virtual classroom app, or turning on blue light filtering at night.

Rewriting the school rules, worldwide

Samsung is committed to helping educational institutions across the globe embrace digital transformation. Starting in 2018, Samsung worked with the Ministry of Education in one Middle Eastern country to completely transform the national education system. This monumental initiative, which involved supplying Samsung Galaxy tablets to over two million students as well as extensive consultant and technical support, has had a far-reaching impact.

Countless paper textbooks and stationery items were replaced by digital devices, many students gained access to valuable online resources, and schooling was able to continue despite lockdown restrictions. Nationwide semester exams were successfully conducted online using Samsung tablets. And, with effective digital content management in schools and education departments, as well as watertight Knox security features, the Ministry of Education was able to eliminate the ongoing headache of exam paper leakage.

The next generation of education, for today’s generation of students

Customization is key to digitizing education. That’s because every learning environment is unique, with its own set of needs and challenges. Understanding this reality, and having the resources and expertise to address it, is what sets Samsung apart. We combine advanced hardware with service and management software, tailored towards education in a single solution, that can serve the needs of all educational systems—from small private schools to nation-wide organizations.

Learn more about the full complement of Knox solutions:

Samsung Care+ for Business – Device protection plan for organizations Knox Guard – Risk management against financial threats Knox Configure – Customize devices into fit-for-purpose learning tools Knox Manage – Powerful, yet easy-to-use EMM solution optimized for Samsung Knox Suite – all-in-one solution for device management