School districts strengthen internet capabilities for 21st century learning
An education trend undertaken by an increasing number of area schools to put electronic devices in the hands of students has caused districts to reevaluate their internet capabilities to ensure students can access the internet on those devices.
Over the last few years, many school districts in southwestern Pennsylvania have implemented one-to-one (1:1) computing initiatives to distribute electronic devices to students, or bring-your-own-device (BYOD) policies to allow students to use cell phones, tablets and laptop computers from home in the classroom.
School officials say it’s an empowering tool for the 21st century learning environment and the best way to put information at students’ fingertips. However, the internet accessibility needed for these devices may not be adequate in all area schools.
With a 1:1 initiative, schools need strong Wi-Fi coverage to allow all students to connect to the internet at the same time. According to EducationSuperHighway, a national nonprofit focused on upgrading internet access in public schools, some schools lack high-speed fiber-optic connections or robust Wi-Fi networks.
EducationSuperHighway reports that 161 school districts in Pennsylvania may need better Wi-Fi access, 35 districts may need bandwidth upgrades, and 22 districts may need to install a fiber-optic connection for increased speeds.
Included in those numbers are schools from Greene and Fayette counties, southern Westmoreland County and the Mon Valley.
The nonprofit, through its online portal Compare & Connect K-12, provides a snapshot of each district’s connectivity capabilities based on data provided by the district to the Federal Communications Commission on 2016 E-rate filings.
In rural Greene County, where residents have traditionally suffered from slow speeds through commercial internet services, Carmichaels Area School District underwent an upgrade of its Wi-Fi system within the last three years that allows for ample coverage for student devices throughout the campus.
The district is similar to other area school districts in that it works with the Intermediate Unit 1 to receive internet services at consortium pricing. Forgoing the costs associated with installing fiber-optic lines, Carmichaels receives internet from the IU1 through a microwave antennae that school officials say provides satisfactory reliability and performance.
While the district is not in a position at this time to undertake a 1:1 initiative, Superintendent John Menhart said its network is strong enough to accommodate the BYOD policy it implemented last year to allow students to bring devices from home to connect to district Wi-Fi through access points in every classroom.
“Any device can connect up to a gig(bit). We have bandwidth to handle that,” said district technology administrator Mark Batis. “Every student can play a YouTube video at the same time.”
If Carmichaels decided to move to 1:1, the network would be able to handle the traffic, Batis said.
Connellsville Area Superintendent Phil Martell said while his district’s network may not have been up to snuff last year — it appears on the Compare & Connect K-12 list of districts in need of bandwidth upgrades based on prior-year data — the district overhauled its network over the summer to condense multiples network switches and serves and increase the number of Wi-Fi access points throughout school buildings in anticipation of rolling out it 1:1 initiative at the start of the school that gave Chromebooks to 4,400 students.
“We did this project to make sure we have complete coverage in the whole building,” said Martell.
Still, the district has had to work out some kinks this fall as traffic on the district’s network has skyrocketed. A lagging internet has forced the district to increase speeds through it service provider, a recurring monthly cost that has tripled to $1,200, said Martell.
Costs associated with digital technology are something that districts must be mindful of due to the ever-changing nature of the field, he said.
“All of these things have a certain lifespan. We constantly have to maintain equipment and devices. We must have a contingency plan to move forward,” said Martell.
Like Carmichaels, Charleroi Area School District runs on a BYOD basis and is in the beginning stages of implementing a 1:1 initiative. Before the district can fully realize a 1:1, however, its internet services will need improvements, said Superintendent Dr. Ed Zelich.
Despite every classroom currently featuring a projector, smartboard, internet access and the ability to host Chromebooks, costly upgrades would be needed to handle increased traffic.
“There are a lot of logistics to figure out. We will need major upgrades to wireless routing and technology in the district,” said Zelich.
Laurel Highlands School District recently kicked off the first phase of its 1:1 initiative that will equip all district students with a laptop within four years. Sufficient internet access to accommodate the influx of devices was something for which the district had to prepare, said Superintendent Dr. Jesse Wallace.
Wallace called the district’s network bandwidth “more than ample” and recent renovations to the high school specifically targeted 21st-century technology capabilities, including Wi-Fi access points covering all classrooms, and whiteboards hardwired to the internet.
“We did foresee the tech age coming. We saw where this was going years ago, and we feel the district is in position to adequately meet the needs of students,” said Wallace.
An interactive map of school districts and most recently available data on their internet access capabilities can be viewed online at www.educationsuperhighway.org.