Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Can Schools Increase Internet Connectivity?

  • By Chad Stevens
  • 12/01/15

Thanks to e-rate, 99 percent of our public K-12 schools and libraries are now connected to the Internet. The next step is bringing connectivity to the classroom level to support modern learning.

The majority of U.S. schools do not have enough bandwidth to meet the current needs for digital learning. As 1:1 learning models, online classes and digital content proliferate, the technology foundation needed to support them will become more critical. “Network days” may become the new “snow days” for the next generation of students. When networks fail, learning is disrupted, resulting in lost classroom time.

We recently surveyed K-12 IT professionals to get a better understanding of classroom connectivity and build the K-12 Connected Heat Map, showing the prevalence of wired and wireless connectivity state-by-state.

Enabling classroom connectivity is an involved process. Security is a critical requirement. A next-generation firewall serves as a first line of defense, providing application control and a consolidated filtering approach. Web URL filtering allows schools to enforce security policies. It also allows educators to have safe access to the applications needed to improve student outcomes.

Behind the firewall, the router manages the school’s bandwidth, Internet service provider and type of Internet connection. The core switch acts as the brains of the operation — serving as the internal routing function and handling traffic passing between the user access network and everything else.

Access points sit in the classroom to handle data; as the number of classroom devices grows, so should the number of access points. Finally, managed services can layer on top of the network to ensure a load-balanced classroom, allowing for ubiquitous access to the Internet.

These cohesive network components provide a solid infrastructure that helps schools avoid “network days”.

Visit www.k12heatmap.com to check out your state’s K-12 connectivity.

This article originally appeared in the issue of .

About the Author

Dr. Chad Stevens is the Chief Education Strategist with CDW-G.

Featured

  • Full Sail University Announces First Student Housing Facility

    Full Sail University in Winter Park, Fla., recently announced that development has begun on its first student housing community, according to a news release. The university is partnering with Nvision Development for construction and long-term management of the facility, which will stand five stories and have the capacity for more than 570 beds.

  • Arizona District Breaks Ground on Community Training, Learning Center

    The Tolleson Union High School District (TUHSD) in Tolleson, Ariz., recently broke ground on a new Training & Learning Center (TLC) for both district professionals and the community at large, according to a news release. The 90,000-square-foot facility has an estimated completion date of spring 2027.

  • Pitzer College

    Designing for Change in Higher Ed Learning Environments

    Higher education will continue to evolve, and learning environments must evolve with it. By prioritizing adaptable infrastructure, thoughtful reuse, strong energy performance, and wellness-centered design, campuses can create spaces that support learning today while remaining flexible for the future.

  • Surging Demand for Student Housing Fuels Major Campus Investment Opportunities

    University leaders throughout the U.S. are accelerating plans to modernize and expand student housing as enrollment stabilizes and demand for on-campus living rebounds. Recent data from the National Center for Education Statistics indicates that total postsecondary enrollment is projected to grow through the end of the decade, with undergraduate enrollment alone expected to increase by more than 8 percent by 2030.