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Elchk Lutheran Secondary School Customer Story

Smarter keeps education on track

ELCHK Lutheran Secondary School (ELCHKLSS) is a co-educational school in Hong Kong, S.A.R. of China, for children aged 12 to 18. Affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Hong Kong, ECLCHKSS offers its students a Christian environment in which to develop their skills and interests.

Enabling socially distanced learning
Digital technology is transforming education, and ELCHKLSS is always looking for innovative ways to harness the latest innovations to provide the best possible learning opportunities for every student. For example, the school took the first steps on its digital transformation journey several years ago by equipping teachers and students with laptops for use in the classroom.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in early 2020, Hong Kong introduced strict social distancing measures to prevent the spread of the virus. Schools, colleges, and universities were ordered to close and to move education online.

“As the Education Bureau put it, the aim was to suspend classes without suspending learning,” says Kevin Liang, Principal of ELCHK Lutheran Secondary School. “We had to switch from in-person teaching to virtual lessons, almost overnight. Suddenly, digital technologies were more than a tool: they were a necessity.”

HOW LENOVO EDUCATION SOLUTIONS HELP STUDENTS TO ENABLE HYBRID LEARNING

When schools in Hong Kong were ordered to close to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, ELCHK Lutheran Secondary School leapt into action to keep lessons on track. Working with Lenovo, the school drove a comprehensive digital transformation to enable remote learning. Today, Lenovo education solutions enable teachers to livestream lessons, interact with students virtually, and deliver high-quality learning experiences for all.

Going digital
ELCHKLSS engaged Lenovo to design and deploy solutions to support the transition from traditional classroom-based teaching to virtual learning.

“The Lenovo team ran several in-depth consulting sessions with us and listened carefully to our pain points,” recalls Principal Liang. “They proposed three bundled solutions as part of a comprehensive digital transformation project.”

First, ELCHKLSS implemented Hybrid Teaching & Learning Classroom, an integrated video conferencing solution that enables schools to blend physical classes with online learning. ELCHKLSS installed Lenovo ThinkSmart Hub 500 for Microsoft Teams devices along with an auto-tracking camera and an interactive whiteboard in a classroom. This set-up enables teachers to use familiar physical learning aides and move around the classroom to communicate ideas and demonstrate concepts, with students watching along from home.

Second, ELCHKLSS deployed Virtual Instruction for Distance Learning, a live production and streaming environment that enables teachers to present materials on a virtual background. Using a high-resolution camera and specialized production software, teachers can livestream classes, assemblies, and other presentations to students via Microsoft Teams.

Third, ELCHKLSS deployed the Lenovo Smart Classroom Learning Management System (LMS), a cloud-based platform that enables teachers to upload and distribute materials to students via an intuitive online portal. Students can download materials and complete assignments online from any location. LMS users can communicate via instant message, and teachers can also make announcements, grade assignments, and monitor progress all in one place.

“Lenovo ran plenty of training sessions to help the teachers get to grips with the devices,” says Principal Liang. “The Lenovo team continues to provide ongoing training and support, and is always available to help if we have questions.”

Navigating the new normal
Supported by Lenovo, ELCHKLSS can now offer a truly hybrid learning experience. Teachers can give lessons, share materials, and interact with students—regardless of whether they are physically in the classroom or working remotely.

Principal Liang confirms: “With the Lenovo solutions, teaching has become more streamlined, classes are more interactive, and students are getting the support and help they need. Schools in Hong Kong were closed due to COVID-19 restrictions for most of 2020, and Lenovo education solutions enabled teachers to keep teaching and students to keep learning throughout lockdown, helping us to minimize disruption to students’ education.”

Even as restrictions are lifted and schools are permitted to reopen, ELCHKLSS expects hybrid learning to become the norm.

"We are planning to combine classroom and virtual learning at least in the short term, with students attending lessons on campus in rotation. While our digital transformation was massively accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, we have laid a solid foundation to support students’ education for many years to come."
Kevin Liang, Principal, ELCHK Lutheran Secondary School
ELCHKLSS Lutheran Secondary School Customer Story