Microsoft is trying to show that Windows 8 can be used by more than just consumers and businesses. Today, the company announced that so far, over 540,000 students and teachers in grades K-12 and in higher education institutions have been using Windows 8-based systems in their education programs.
Today"s press release put the spotlight on a number of the school systems already using Windows 8, including Atlanta, Georgia, one of the largest public school systems in the US. Microsoft states that 48,000 students in the system use Windows 8 on 25,000 virtual desktops. It adds, "Staff designed their own student digital portfolio learning application using SharePoint, which grants students seamless access to their desktop experience, Office 365 Education, and Office Web Apps from school or any offsite PC or device."
Over 3,000 kids who go to public school in Fargo, North Dakota are using Dell Latitude 10 tablets with Windows 8 installed. A number of colleges are also using Windows 8, including Thomas College in Maine, which has installed Windows 8 on all of its desktops and laptops. Pace University in New York is also rolling out Windows 8 on its 10,000 desktops and other devices. Windows 8 is also being used by the Apollo Group. The press release states:
The adult education and online learning company supports 324,000 students and 25,500 employees worldwide and are building out a standard desktop image, including Office 2013, and making it available to developers and testers in anticipation of a larger rollout in the near future. The most common reason for testing Windows 8 will be the proliferation of touch-based devices and shift to a more mobile workforce, coupled with the increased demand for work-life combination devices.
Source: Microsoft | Image via Dell