Press release
The project ready to start in six European countries will see the introduction of netbooks in schools
London, 22nd January 2010 - Acer, the second player worldwide in the PC market, has given the green light to its education project aiming at introducing schools to a new kind of interaction between teachers and students through the use of netbooks. In partnership with European Schoolnet, an initial pilot will be carried out in six different European Countries.
The introduction of netbooks in schools is an innovative and efficient way of bringing content into classes. The introduction of personal ICT devices in schools is an ambitious objective shared by all of Europe, to which Acer and European Schoolnet would like to offer its total support.
In keeping with its corporate mission, "Technology helps to overcome physical limitations that prevent equal opportunities in some situations," explains Emanuele Accolla, Acer EMEA Vice President for Business Educational. "In schools this aspect is even more intensified and evident. We are convinced that in this setting, ICT can make an enormous contribution to tearing down barriers that would otherwise limit individuals".
European Schoolnet is a network of 31 European Ministries of Education created more than 10 years ago with the mission of bringing innovation to classroom teaching and learning methods through the use of technologies. European Schoolnet's three main strands of activities include: policy, research and innovation; school services; and learning resource exchange and interoperability.
The project's pilot will include the United Kingdom, Italy, France, Spain, Germany, and Turkey, involving ten classes in each country.
Acer will supply each of these classes with the following equipment:
Ø 1 netbook per student,
Ø 1 notebook per teacher,
Ø 1 server with 19" monitor for sharing all class activities.
European Schoolnet will provide schools with educational scenarios, digital learning resources and conduct the evaluation of the educational use of netbooks in the school and home environment. The aim of the pilot is to experiment on site how the use of netbooks, as students' personal ICT devices, can make student learning more effective and engaging thanks to active interaction and an easy exchange of information between teachers and students. The pilot will last two years and, during the period 2010-2011, the number of classes involved in the project will increase to 50 in each country.
"The Acer/European Schoolnet Educational Netbook Project for which Acer is offering its products and services free of charge," - said Marc Durando, Executive Director of European Schoolnet - "allows us to evaluate how netbooks in an educational setting can contribute to improving the efficiency and quality of learning. Personal computers are a precious tool in education and their integration with other tools inside the classroom can help to make learning more interactive and engaging. Each teacher can of course choose the best way to manage the use of the netbook within the educational environment as harmoniously as possible."
The Acer approach to the education sector is not to develop dedicated school programs or provide didactic support, but rather to contribute to the enhancement of learning through technology, providing support that will allow teachers and schools to develop even more efficient and stimulating teaching methods. The collaboration with European Schoolnet moves precisely towards better understanding Acer's future contribution to this area, relying on valuable feedback from those directly involved in education, beginning with the teachers.
