EdTech: Chris Babson of Lenovo On How Their Technology Will Make An Important Positive Impact On Education

In recent years, Big Tech has gotten a bad rep. But of course, many tech companies are doing important work making monumental positive changes to society, health, and the environment. To highlight these, we started a new interview series about “Technology Making An Important Positive Social Impact”. We are interviewing leaders of tech companies who are creating or have created a tech product that is helping to make a positive change in people’s lives or the environment. In this particular installment, we are talking to leaders of Education Technology companies, who share how their tech is helping to improve our educational system. As a part of this series, I had the pleasure of interviewing Chris Babson.

Chris Babson currently serves as the Director of Worldwide Education Portfolio Strategy at Lenovo where he leads the delivery of a solution-based education technology portfolio designed to enhance teaching and learning for educational institutions globally. He believes that learning requires technology that creates a safe, accessible and collaborative experience that empowers faculty and staff and inspires students. He has been with Lenovo for nearly two decades and was briefly an educator while earning his Masters degree at NC State University.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series. Before we dive in, our readers would love to learn a bit more about you. Can you tell us a bit about your childhood backstory and how you grew up?

I grew up right outside of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. I had a lot of interests growing up, but not a lot of passions. What may be of interest, especially looking at someone who has made a career in IT, is that I’m primarily what one would consider a right-brained dominant thinker. I’m more creative, intuitive and much more visual than I am logical or analytical. I have a humanities background, rather than a traditional STEM background. I approach technology and its uses perhaps from a different angle, and I believe that has led to some of my success.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

There are a number of people to whom I am grateful towards, but probably the most important would be my parents. They owned their own business, and I had the good fortune to work with them for a while. It was there that I learned about ownership and being responsible for your work. Their name was on the door — which meant my name was on the door. They instilled the need to do your best work, each and every time out. Also, as small business owners, they had to know everything about running their business from back to front. Over time, they were able to bring in people who had specific skills, but they had to know all facets of the business that they owned. I learned the importance of knowing a business end to end and what it means if you make changes in one area, you ultimately impact another.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

I’d like to share a quote from a Lenovo vice president who I reported to that has “spilled over” from work into life:

“People will believe in a world they helped create.” Very few people can get things done, personally or professionally, on their own. Almost always, accomplishing significant goals as a team is easier than doing it on your own. The challenge is having that team see the vision. But if the team is part of building that vision, they are then invested in accomplishing the goal. This holds true in work and in life. It can be something as simple as planning a family vacation, or something as complex as planning a family relocation. If everyone is bought in and feels they have a voice in some facet of the decision, the project becomes easier.

You are a successful business leader. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?

Absolutely, here are the top three that I would say have had the most impact on my career:

Having a sense of ownership. If you feel like what you are doing is “yours,” you are empowered. Empowered to do your best to drive the best outcomes for the business. Empowered to make decisions based on you being the expert in your role. Empowered to share your opinions because what you are doing is important to the growth and well-being of the business.

I am never the smartest person in the room. Everyone has strengths or experiences that can bring a unique viewpoint to solving a problem or meeting a need. You need to be open to listening to others, encouraging their views and opinions and ideas. Those ideas may not be the way you proceed, but they may uncover something that was not thought of previously.

I am always in over my head — but I’m a good swimmer. Every role I have had in my career has been a stretch for me. I came into IT as a product manager from a bicycle retailer. I did not know anything about computers. Every role since has been a learning process that has built on the foundations of a previous role, but each has required me to learn something new.

Ok super. Let’s now shift to the main part of our discussion about the tech tools that you are helping to create that can make a positive social impact on our educational systems. To begin, what problems are you aiming to solve?

​​There are two segments within education that we​ at Lenovo​ try to address with our technology. The first are the “business trends” in ​​education. These are around issues ​pertaining to ​student and staff well-being, teacher retention, student safety, ​and ​data security and ​ransomware. These are big ​challenges school districts​ need​ to address ​in order ​to run efficiently. ​​​

The second ​segment that Lenovo focuses on is​​ ​ more ​around ​the instructional trends. These consist of areas like learning insights/analytics, adaptive learning or the use of emerging technology like AR/VR or AI. Recovering from post​-​​Covid learning loss requires better data integration and utilization. ​Improved data insights​​ can ​give teachers the ability to see where individual students are succeeding and where they need more help.

Utilization of ​virtual ​reality can enhance and elevate the traditional learning experience. It helps break free of traditional classrooms and allows for greater retention of information and concepts through immersive experiences. This technology removes the rote memorization of facts and can help show concept application through visualization.

Recent reports from Gartner suggest that ​​​by ​​2028, 70% of all K-12 primary and secondary education organizations will be utilizing a product built upon or enhanced by AI. There are risks with any new technologies, but the incorporation of AI can help teachers and students save time, address different learning styles, help with both teaching and learning methodologies​,​ and help jumpstart the creative process. The McKinsey Global Teacher and Student Survey ​reported that teachers currently spend only 49% in direct interaction with students and predicted that technology can aid teachers by helping them to reallocate 20 to 30 percent of their time toward activities that support student learning. More time for teachers with students can help​​ address student needs that are increasingly more complex.

​​How do you think your technology can address this?

Lenovo Education provides an ecosystem of strong, trusted technology solutions for administrators, educators, learners and IT decision makers, enabling them to stay ahead of what’s to come. We empower teachers and learners with rugged, secure, manageable devices and engaging content to spark imagination and discovery in any learning environment. And we accelerate an exciting future with continuous innovation that anticipates and meets tomorrow’s challenges.

Teachers are leaving the profession faster than they can be replaced​. The​ ​​McKinsey Global Teacher and Student Survey​​ references an 18% turnover rate per annum in the US​​​,​​​ and 81% of teachers in the UK ​​​are ​​​considering leaving the profession​​. ​​ ​Faculty burnout, especially post​-​​​​Covid, is real. To address this challenge Lenovo is providing new technology solutions that ​​better integrate technology into a “human-centric” approach. Lenovo is offering professional development and assessments for teachers, and strategic planning for districts to help drive connectivity, communication and inclusion for teachers and administrators​ alike.

Large districts have traditionally been “soft targets” for ransomware attacks. The network architecture of districts allows for greater penetration of malware into systems. There is the risk of personal data loss, cancellation of in​ ​class learning and the recovery can take weeks or months. Lenovo helps districts lock down endpoints to prevent malware spread and provide monitoring that protects against these types of attacks with the layered protections available with the Lenovo ThinkShield portfolio.

Lenovo also offers VR solutions with Lenovo ThinkReality and Lenovo VR Classroom to provide the combination of hardware, software, and curriculum content to empower students and teachers to own the learning experience. In addition, Lenovo Esports is a combination of hardware, software, and services to help expand access to a broader population of students for competitive esports who traditionally would not have had access. This allows a broader population to gain skills such as teamwork, strategic thinking, and problem solving. The broader population of students is not just the players​​ but can also include the supporting team members like the gaming analyst, team kit designer, and highlight reel editor.

Lenovo, along with our partners, can also help provide the​​​​ digital learning solutions and technologies that allow for individualized student assessment based on data-driven foundations.

Can you tell us the backstory about what inspired you to originally feel passionate about education?

I am passionate about the utilization of technology to make a difference in how we live, how we work, how we teach, how we learn, and how we create. The positive impact technology has had on my life and the lives of those around me has driven my passion for education technology. In education, those technology impacts are magnified because its use shapes the thinking and creativity and capabilities of the future through the students who use it. My passion comes from wanting to help bridge that digital divide that exists worldwide for teachers and students to drive better outcomes.

How do you think your technology might change the world?

That’s a big statement. I don’t really think about it being the “technology” that is changing the world. What I think about is how technology is enabling someone to make a change or make a difference. For example, if a teacher can use AI technology to reallocate time from lesson planning to spending more time with a student or enhancing their teaching skills to better reach their students, that is what is important and what can contribute to those students being empowered to change the world. That is a paradigm shift. If our technology can help a student learn more clearly, or create more easily, or feel more comfortable asking questions so they can develop or refine the skills that they need to then go and change the world, that is the goal.

Keeping the “Law of Unintended Consequences” in mind, can you see any potential drawbacks about this technology that people should think more deeply about?

Anytime that you are introducing new technologies there are unforeseen challenges. As 1:1 with every student having a device in education has grown, one unforeseen challenge has been changing instruction models. Students and teachers have computers, but how do you maximize their use? The instruction model has had to change. This can be a big challenge for instruction as teachers may have to change the way they teach to better incorporate students in a 1:1 model. That puts the burden on teachers to learn new skills and school districts to provide that professional development for teachers. As a technology provider, Lenovo has seen this and we’ve begun to step in. Lenovo, in partnership with strategic planning and professional development providers, is helping school districts with a strategic planning offering that makes technology adoption and utilization easier for teachers and students alike.

There are also digital equity challenges as more technology is brought into schools. Not all school-aged children have access to the resources that allow them to maximize technology. Limited broadband connectivity and limitations to 1:1 computing can separate and disadvantage students in parts of the country, a state, or even cities that don’t have equal access to those resources. That leads to a digital divide that is a challenge to overcome. We continue to work to create solutions that make adoption of technology easier. Whether that is through devices with WWAN connectivity, or integration of cameras and speakers that make communication seamless, Lenovo continues to integrate technologies that help bridge that divide.

How do you envision the landscape of education evolving over the next decade, and how does your technology fit into that future?

Lenovo’s goal in education is to inspire and empower the future of education. We will continue to work with schools and districts to meet the challenges that the future brings. Education is becoming more personal, more interactive, more immersive and more inclusive. To make this happen teachers, schools and districts will need greater computing capabilities to manage data. This data will allow teachers to create personalized learning tracks for students and help them identify where their students are overachieving and where they may need more help. There will be new computing capabilities around AR/VR to drive immersive learning. Student devices will continue to evolve to become more personal, in order to understand how students learn, communicate and connect. Through technology, students will be better able to maximize their retention, their creativity and their learning.

Here is the main question for our discussion. Based on your experience and success, can you please share “Five things you need to know to successfully create technology that can make a positive social impact”? (Please share a story or an example, for each.)

Here are the five things I think everyone should consider when trying to create technology that can make a positive social impact:

1 . What are the challenges that are being faced by a school district or a state department of education? To create the right solution, we need to know the problem. Technology is a tool to help solve a problem. Lenovo has broad expertise in multiple areas of technology. However, to create a relevant solution, we need to know what we’re solving for. Who will be using it? Where will it be used? It makes a difference if it is a teacher or a student. Or is it a classroom device or does it need to be mobile?

2 . What is the timeframe for solving the problem? Sometimes the problem is solved by providing new notebook computers to teachers to replace old ones. That can be done quickly. But more and more districts are looking at building multi-year strategic plans for technology integration. For instance, the building of eSports leagues requires planning and budgeting beyond a single hardware purchase.

3 . Make sure to consider the sustainability and environmental impact of the solution from the beginning. As we at Lenovo look to create education solutions, we have to account for a lot of factors including creating technology that meets increasingly stringent sustainability requirements. ESG is an increasing requirement for education and how we address sustainability with reductions in packaging waste, energy consumption, repairability, enabling systems to last longer, and managing a sustainable disposal or recycling of those assets when they have reached their end of life.

4 . Design the solution to promote inclusivity and accessibility. Lenovo is very intentional about the design of our products and we have a Product Diversity Office (PDO) to ensure our smarter technology is accessible to all users, regardless of their background or ability. It’s critical to consider diversity and inclusion from the beginning, so that the solution will meet the organization’s goals of promoting inclusivity and accessibility.

5 . Give stakeholders ownership in the solution and engage them throughout the development process. Earlier I talked about how empowered people drive the best outcomes and the stakeholders’ valuable perspectives contribute to the success. People will be more passionate about using a solution they were a part of creating.

In the realm of EdTech, there’s often data collection involved. How do you ensure the ethical handling of user data, especially when it concerns students?

According to a recent IBM Security report, the average cost of a data breach to an education institution is over $3M. Data security and the management of educator and student data is paramount. Lenovo works with a variety of partners in this space to help districts and Departments of Education understand the importance of data security and solve those challenges. Lenovo also takes data privacy very seriously with our ThinkShield security suite that helps protect that data. We have AI powered anti-virus protection that can help detect and prevent malware attacks. We can provide remote management solutions that can manage settings, preferences and provide system updates all to prevent data loss and enhance security.

If you could tell other young people one thing about why they should consider making a positive impact on our environment or society, like you, what would you tell them?

Don’t be afraid to take ownership and be empowered to take action to make a positive impact. Even the smallest actions can add up to make a change.

Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would like to have a private breakfast or lunch, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. :-)

There is a saying that goes something like: We should never meet our heroes. We only see our heroes from very far away. What we see is what they want us to see. I tend to agree with that. I am happy to admire the few writers, sports heroes, business leaders, etc, from afar.

What really interests me is when I read articles and interviews with young creators, makers or discoverers who have built something that was personal to them. Something that solved a very personal problem that they had or someone close to them had. A creation that was done with minimal investment and heavy doses of self-belief and a firm refutation of the word “no.”

For instance, two high school aged girls recently developed a methodology that proved the Pythagorean Theorem using trigonometry without resorting to circular logic. I probably escaped high school geometry with a C-, and would be lost in a conversation with them and the details, but having the ability to talk to them about their motivations, interests and drive to solve an unsolvable problem would be interesting.

There is another example of high schoolers creating bionic prosthetic arms via 3D printers for children in need of prosthetics. These are up to 30x cheaper than a typical bionic arm. Children in need of prosthetics present a significant challenge because as they grow they require newer, larger prosthesis. This can drive costs up. With 3D printing technology, these students have driven down the costs and helped solve significant problems facing children. Again, I have seen a 3D printer in action less than a dozen times, but for me, understanding their process and what drives them and how they think differently when they approach problems…even how they decide what problems to tackle, would be an interesting conversation to me.

How can our readers further follow your work online?

www.lenovo.com/education

Thank you so much for joining us. This was very inspirational, and we wish you continued success in your important work.