Cloudpoint helps the city of Valkeakoski stay on top of the digital transformation wave
The city of Valkeakoski needed a partner for change management when it switched to Google for Education services and Chromebooks in basic education. With the support of Cloudpoint, the transition to Chromebooks was implemented in Valkeakoski quite quickly in 2019. For the change to happen, development and determined action were needed in many areas.
“Cloudpoint's role has been really important in change management. Collaboration has been meaningful when the services come from the same place. It has created trust and security that we will survive the digital leap in basic education,” says Simo Siitonen , ICT coordinator for the city of Valkeakoski, who led the project.
First, it was necessary to determine what the schools needed. The starting point in Valkeakoski comprehensive schools was weak and variable: there was one shared device for every eight students, there was no comprehensive wireless network, and the students did not have digital books. “Digital education felt like a burden. Since there were few machines and they were rarely used, the opportunities to utilize technology in learning were lower than average. Digital pedagogy did not materialize.”
The city of Valkeakoski made a bold decision to purchase a computer for every elementary school student from the fourth grade upwards. Now, Chromebooks are also being planned for teachers, as their features are suitable for the school environment. “I went around Finland to interview colleagues who already had experience. As a result of these benchmarking sessions, I realized that G Suite and Chromebooks are also suitable for our use”
The computers arrived at the schools in August 2019. The implementation went smoothly. “From the teacher and student's perspective, the job was done in a turnkey style! All we had to do was log in to the computer with our own credentials. Cloudpoint told us how to take control of the devices, how the process would proceed, and what to consider. We carried out the process according to the plan advised by Cloudpoint,” Simo Siitonen says with satisfaction.
Chromebooks have currently been purchased for fourth and seventh graders. Next year, new students in the same age group will receive their own machines. The students are excited about their personal devices. “When the device is personal, homework and projects can move home. Digital teaching, independent of time or place, enables the development of pedagogy.”
"We are constantly in dialogue with Cloudpoint and also with our network. If Cloudpoint organizes an event in another location, the invitation is valid. We network with colleagues in the same situation. I was at an event myself sharing our experiences. It would be silly if everyone just did their own thing!"
"We will continue to need Cloudpoint's support service because applications and software are constantly evolving. Cloudpoint helps us stay on top of the curve. In the future, support will also be needed in managing data protection-related settings," says Simo Siitonen.