Transforming Education Through Wireless, One-to-One Mobile ... · Transforming Education Through Wireless, One-to-One Mobile Computing Wireless mobile computing is fast and affordable

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Transforming Education Through Wireless, One-to-OneMobile ComputingWireless mobile computing is fast and affordable and allows for more flexible use of classroom

space. Pioneering primary and secondary schools are using it to help create interactive,

student-focused environments that dissolve boundaries and enhance student achievement.

See what they’re learning—and what steps education decision-makers can take today to

move toward ubiquitous eLearning environments.

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Executive Summary

Schools around the world have made enormousstrides in bringing technology into the classroomand connecting students to the riches of theInternet. Now, advances in wireless computing are making Internet connectivity easier and moreaffordable than ever. These advances pave theway for schools to transform themselves into inter-active, student-driven eLearning environmentswhere access is ubiquitous and wireless mobilecomputers are a vital tool for teaching and learning.

By preparing children for a digital future, theseubiquitous eLearning environments lay the ground-work for more highly trained work forces and moresuccessful, competitive national economies. Theyexcite students and teachers alike, and delivercompelling educational value and fiscal return oninvestment (ROI). Early experiences show thatwireless schools and broad-based deployment of wirelessly enabled notebook or tablet PCs cangenerate significant behavioral changes, including:

• Students spending more time on homework andcoming to class better prepared

• Parents becoming more involved with their chil-dren’s education

• Teachers reporting that they can more effectivelyprepare lesson plans, meet their curriculumgoals and individualize the curriculum

These behavioral changes lead to exciting educationalbenefits. Pilots and early deployments have found:

• More students continuing their education afterhigh school1

• Higher scores on state-wide standardized tests2

• Higher attendance rates and graduation rates3

• Improvements in writing skills and higher orderthinking4

Wireless computing creates new opportunities forengagement between schools and the communi-ties. Forward-looking schools and cities are joiningforces to deploy wireless area-wide networks thatimprove the delivery of government services whileerasing school/community boundaries.

To realize the full impact of wireless, mobile eLearning,districts will ultimately want to empower each studentand teacher with a wireless notebook computer, so they can carry their learning environment withthem at school, home or in the community. Someorganizations are moving rapidly in this direction,but even those for whom one-to-one wirelesscomputing must be a longer-range goal can takeimportant steps today:

• Initiate partnerships with parents, teachers, government and private organizations to createa vision for wireless schools and communities

• Establish a vision of one laptop computer ortablet for each student and teacher: one-to-onemobile computing. Move toward the vision bydeploying PCs in classrooms as a core teachingand learning tool.

• Deploy wireless networks

• Research and plan eLearning curriculum

• Train teachers how to leverage technology andmobile PCs in their classrooms

2


Introduction: Using Technology to Meet Critical ResponsibilitiesSchools have complex responsibilities that impact the

individual, society and the economy 5:

• Individuals: Develop the individual to realize his or her

full potential and lead a happy, rewarding life

• Society: Reduce disparities and inequalities between

individuals and groups

• Economy: Ensure that students graduate with the

skills needed by business and employers

In today’s knowledge-based global economy, fulfilling these

responsibilities depends more than ever on making effective

use of information technology (IT). Students will graduate into

a digital world pervaded by computing and communications,

in which many job activities can be performed anywhere in

the world. To maintain or enhance their standard of living,

nations must use technology to find new and more creative

ways of adding economic value. Schools must ensure that

students not only develop deep computer skills, but also are

self-directed learners with high level thinking skills who can

communicate clearly and effectively.

While preparing students for a complex and economically

challenging world, educators must also contend with rising

enrollments, greater cultural and economic diversity, in-

creased reporting demands, higher achievement standards

and budget constraints. It’s no wonder education systems

around the globe are looking to information technology to

help them find more creative and cost-effective ways to teach

increasingly sophisticated subject matter to a larger, more

diverse student population. In particular, schools are adopting

wireless computing technologies and combining them with

innovative education solutions to enable students and teach-

ers to use computers anywhere the wireless network reaches—

at school and beyond. These ubiquitous eLearning environments

can enhance learning, improve collaboration, lower the costs

of networked computing, reduce administrative burdens and

help schools fulfill their responsibilities to individuals, societies

and the economy. They also can be a step toward wireless

cities and counties that seamlessly link students and citizens

into a borderless eLearning community.

Contents Executive Summary.....................................................2

Introduction:

Using Technology to Meet Critical Responsibilities ...........3

Advancing Technology Facilitates

Student-Centered eLearning.........................................4

Visionary Leadership Around the World ..........................5

Essex Schools......................................................5

Houston County High School, Georgia .....................6

Malaysia ..............................................................7

Michigan and New Mexico .....................................7

Karlstad...............................................................7

Measurable Educational Value ................................8

Compelling Return on Investment ..................................8

Creating Wireless, One-to-One

Mobile eLearning Communities .....................................9

Think Strategically and Collaboratively .....................9

Deploy Secure, Standards-Based Wireless Networks ..10

Research, Plan and Train on New Technologies

and eLearning Curriculum.....................................11

Plan for Support ..................................................11

If Budgets are Tight, Move Incrementally .................11

Choose Technologies Wisely .................................12

Intel’s Role as a Solutions Enabler ................................12

Work with Intel to Enhance Your Success ......................13

Learn More...............................................................13

3


Advancing Technology Facilitates Student-Centered eLearningWireless mobile eLearning capitalizes on technology advances

to meet urgent educational demands. In recent years, industry

standards have emerged for wireless networks, and products

that can wirelessly extend existing networks or create new

wireless networks have become increasingly affordable. These

solutions provide Internet access at broadband speeds, and

since there are no cables and wires to string, they are easier,

less expensive and generally faster to deploy than traditional

hard-wired deployments. Wireless networks provide greater

flexibility in siting computing resources, enabling administra-

tors, staff and students to use computers in locations and

areas of the curriculum where installing hard-wired networks

and computers would have been impractical.

Mobile PCs have advanced as well. For example, Intel®

Centrino™ mobile technology† is built from the ground up

for wireless mobility. It integrates and validates several impor-

tant technology building blocks for wireless computing, to

minimize compatibility headaches and enable the design of

notebooks that are thinner, lighter and easier to carry around.

Intel’s advanced power engineering helps extend system

battery life, so students and teachers can work for longer

without a recharge.† Intel Centrino mobile technology also

offers plenty of performance,† so the system is fast and re-

sponsive even when users work with multimedia learning

content, such as audio and video, complex simulations or

large spreadsheets. In addition, the price differences between

desktop PCs and notebooks or tablets has fallen, making

mobile devices more practical and affordable.

Wireless networks and wireless mobile computers, along with

innovative educational applications and visionary curriculum

leadership, form the basis of a ubiquitous eLearning environ-

ment. In such an environment:

• Computing is ubiquitous, and mobile. Notebook and

tablet PCs predominate, replacing the PC lab down the hall

or the bank of PCs in the back of the classroom. Students

and teachers can work, communicate and conduct re-

search from anywhere on the school premises. Teachers

can wirelessly control video projection systems and interac-

tive whiteboards from anywhere in the classroom.

• Computing is integrated into the curriculum. The PC is

no longer an end in itself, or a way to learn about comput-

ers—it becomes an essential tool for all forms of learning.

4

InternetKnowledge

Portal

Company-basedLearning Communities

ExpertsClass Student

LibraryInstructor

Other Schools/Organizations

Knowledge Environment

Student-centric

Student Student

Student Student

Instructor

Instructor-centric

Figure 1 Shift from Instructor-centric to Student-centric


• Learning is collaborative and connected. The wireless

environment connects students to their teacher as well as to

the Internet, networked libraries and community resources.

Students can more readily use their PCs to work with peers

and teachers; teachers can more easily stay in touch with

parents, share best practices with colleagues and manage

their administrative workloads. Both students and teachers

can more easily work with community experts.

• Computing becomes personalized and moves toward a

ratio of one PC for each student and teacher. Students

take their “learning environment” with them throughout the

school day and at home. When the community is wirelessly

connected, the learning environment becomes truly borderless.

• The student is at the center of the learning experi-

ence. Students increasingly become independent, self-

directed learners who master higher-level analytical skills

and can communicate more effectively. Students can learn

at their own pace, repeating material to consolidate the

learning or delving deeper into additional material and refer-

ences. Students can apply the key learning of a lesson

by creating their own works that demonstrate their under-

standing and application of the content. Teachers can get

immediate feedback on each student’s understanding of

the material at hand, making it easier to meet the needs

of diverse students.

In addition to producing direct educational impacts, one-to-

one wireless mobile computing enables teachers and admin-

istrators to work more efficiently and productively. Whether

the activity is recording grades or planning curriculum, it can

be performed at any location covered by the wireless net-

work, any time administrators, teachers or staff members

have their notebook computers with them. Intel has widely

deployed wireless computers to its own staff and has found

that this flexibility helps promote work/life balance, reduce

errors, give people a feeling of greater control and enhance

communication. Similar advantages should be seen in school

environments. By fostering process efficiencies, wireless

mobile computing also enables teachers to reclaim lost time

and devote more time to teaching rather than to paperwork.

Visionary Leadership Around the World Wireless, mobile one-to-one eLearning is a global trend

in education, with cutting-edge deployments occurring

in places as diverse as Essex County, England; Malaysia;

Houston County, Georgia; and Detroit, Michigan.

Essex Schools

One leader in the trend toward wirelessly enabled eLearning

is Essex Schools, which serves the 200,000 primary and

secondary students of England’s second-largest county. Essex

Schools has created approximately 60 wireless schools using

802.11b wireless networking, a suite of 15-20 notebooks, and

a mobile cart that’s used to store and recharge the notebooks

and wheel them from class to class. In these schools, wireless

interactive whiteboards have replaced traditional blackboards,

students use notebook PCs for everything from science to

geography, and teachers can access the Internet and work

on lesson plans from many locations at school without the

hassle of wires and cables.

Essex Schools wants to go further, and is taking steps to

provide wireless connectivity in all schools, link the schools

electronically, and give every pupil one-to-one access to a

mobile PC or tablet by 2007. Key goals are to raise academic

achievement levels and close the digital divide. Essex expects

clustered schools to increase administrative efficiency, improve

relationships among schools, increase the sharing of resources

and enhance the synergies between schools in achieving

higher education standards. The district can more easily and

affordably provide remote access to classes not available on

site, thus meeting individual needs and increasing each stu-

dent’s access to specialized courseware and materials.

Building on the schools’ initiative, Essex County plans to use

wireless broadband to connect schools together and provide

high-speed connectivity throughout the county. The result will

be the UK’s first entirely wireless community, offering wireless

convenience and productivity savings to public employees and

5

“All the educational technology in the classrooms today is worth nothing if teachers

don’t know how to use it effectively. Computersaren’t magic, teachers are.”

Craig Barrett, Chief Executive Officer, Intel Corporation


enabling citizens to connect wirelessly from homes, public

buildings such as town halls and libraries, and public hotspots

such as those in airports and coffee shops, as well as from

local schools. This will provide:

• Increased flexibility for business people to work nearly

anywhere, enhancing business productivity and spurring

economic growth by making the county a more attractive

place for companies to operate.

• More efficient services in the field to citizens as government

agencies such as emergency services and the police force

experience the flexibility and productivity gains of wireless

mobility.

• Easy internet and e-mail access for the community.

• The ability for community members to share their schools’

technology assets and gain a higher return on the education

investments they’ve made through taxes and donations.

• Access to shared content for every member of the Essex

community, thus reducing social isolation, increasing the

shared sense of community, and improving productivity.

• Improvements in public field services including policing,

healthcare, social work, environmental operations, health

and safety audits, traffic management and many more.

City officials believe the wireless community will draw new

residents and businesses to the area. They expect to see an

increase in new households and a higher standard of living

for Essex citizens resulting from the increased levels of public

services and the ability of all citizens to work, play, learn and

live more creatively, efficiently and effectively. By embarking

on a clear roadmap to implement wireless one-to-one

eLearning, Essex Schools differentiates itself in education

delivery and attainment and expects to become the bench-

mark for technology usage in UK schools.

Houston County High School, Georgia

Houston County High School (HCHS), located in the geo-

graphic center of Georgia, has 2,200 students in grades 9-12

and is part of a district with 35 schools and nearly 23,000

students. The predominantly rural county, one of Georgia’s

fastest growing, is home to the state’s largest industrial

complex, as well as to hundreds of contractor firms and

other small businesses.

Mike Hall became Houston County High’s principal seven years

ago with a goal of creating a better educational environment.

At that time, HCHS had fewer than 100 computers, and most

teachers were computer illiterate. Today, the school has a cam-

pus-wide 802.11b wireless area network and more than 1,200

computers and 20 computer labs. The faculty has embraced

technology and used it to revitalize the curriculum and raise stu-

dent achievement. HCHS has been honored as a National Blue

Ribbon School of Excellence for its success in meeting local,

state and national education goals. In May 2003, it was named

an Intel Model School, one of only three in the US, for its

advanced use of technology. Enrollment has soared from 650

students in 1991 to more than 2,200 students today as families

flock to the district to take advantage of its unique programs and

improved educational outcomes. In 2004, HCHS juniors scored

in the 96th percentile on the Georgia High School Graduation

Test, five percent above the district and state average.

HCHS has used its wireless LAN as the springboard for a

variety of approaches to transform the learning environment

and reduce administrative costs:

• Wireless mobile computers have become an engine for

creativity and are used in experiential learning projects

across the curriculum. Science classes do sophisticated

simulations and can record readings outside. English stu-

dents collaborate on video and audio presentations in the

library or cafeteria as well as in the classroom. Woodshop

students use computer-aided design software to create

detailed furniture designs, and the computers take up less

classroom space.

• Teachers employ interactive whiteboards to deliver social

studies and foreign language curriculum that aligns to the

state’s core curriculum. Using their tablet PCs, teachers can

develop lesson plans and flip charts when they’re away from

the boards. Teachers are enthusiastic about the technology,

saying it allows them to be information facilitators rather

than sources of facts.

• Students have hand-held voting devices that teachers

use to get instant information on student understanding.

• Administrators use wireless handheld devices based

on Intel XScale™ and Intel® Personal Internet Client

Architecture (Intel® PCA) technologies for convenient

access to student records. Attendance and grading are

performed electronically, saving time and reducing errors.

• Students, parents, faculty and administrators have

continuous access to the school-wide portal that provides

information such as grades, attendance records, transcripts

and class schedules.

6


Not only are student scores rising, but students are more

engaged in their learning. HCHS recently began a year-long

pilot of one-to-one wireless computing, and early results indi-

cate that students who have their own tablet PCs and 24x7

Internet access are performing better than a control group

of students with similar academic history and the same

teachers. Now, Houston County is taking a page from the

high school’s leadership. The county will become one of

the first in the US to deploy county-wide wireless broadband

capability. When complete, the project will be one of the

largest wireless broadband networks in the US. The Wireless

Houston County Committee says it expects the county’s

wireless deployment to reinforce the high school’s wireless

LAN and to benefit businesses, hospitals, local governments,

residents, and the rest of the county’s schools.

Malaysia

In Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia’s Ministry of Education has a

vision of making the Malaysian school system one of the

most advanced in the world, to support the nation’s drive

to diversify its economy and accelerate economic growth.

It has equipped 75,000 teachers of English, science or math

with wireless notebooks based on Intel® Centrino™ mobile

technology. Training has been provided on how to create

eLearning materials and curriculum and make course

content available over the Internet.

Teachers report that the wireless notebooks enhance produc-

tivity by allowing them to access email and the Web from

many different locations. They find it easier to work as a team,

whether at their own school or other institutions. Students are

becoming more active, engaged learners and developing their

leadership skills. Administrators say the notebooks are inspir-

ing a new generation of teachers who integrate technology

into their lesson plans, accessing online lesson resources in

real time and showing students visual diagrams in 3-D.

Michigan and New Mexico

Michigan will attempt to raise student achievement by provid-

ing Intel processor-based wireless notebooks to as many

as 44,000 sixth graders in the state’s neediest schools. The

state’s pilot deployments have found that students who had

a notebook or tablet on a one-to-one basis were more moti-

vated to learn, developed new skills and got more out of their

studies.6 Wireless notebooks also opened the door to new

classroom experiences, enhanced the state’s status as a

technology leader and improved communications, collabora-

tion and productivity. Michigan prepared for the deployment

by becoming the first state to purchase a laptop for all

80,000 of its public school teachers.

Governor Bill Richardson of New Mexico has announced

plans for a statewide notebook program called the Governor’s

Laptop Learning Initiative. eSchool News reports that all New

Mexico seventh graders and their teachers will receive note-

books based on Intel Centrino mobile technology and loaded

with software tailored to their grade-level curriculum. The first

wave of deployment, scheduled to begin in the fall of 2004,

will give PCs to 700 students and 80 teachers in six schools.

Karlstad

The city of Karlstad, in Sweden’s Rud Township, installed a

wireless local area network in one district’s schools and pro-

vided teachers with laptop computers. The project is adminis-

tered from Karlstad City by the educational IT coordinator,

Maria Holm, and funded primarily by the Karlstad municipality.

The Karlstad project is based on an award-winning eLearning

education portal known as Skoool. Developed by the Intel IT

Innovation Centre in Ireland, Skoool offers extensive resources

for teachers to incorporate interactive, Web-based learning

experiences into their courses. Content is delivered over a

wireless network to wireless notebooks or smart phones,

and to stationary PCs via hard-wired networks.

Skoool content features rich media that bring real-world

context to eLearning content and provides a fully integrated

wireless technology/school environment. The curriculum

7

“It’s made an absolutely incredible difference.Not only do [the Detroit seventh graders whowere given wireless laptops and handhelds]engage more with the educational process

because they are excited by this, we are con-vinced that having the technology has had avery positive effect on classroom discipline.”

Elizabeth Wiley, Pilot Program CoordinatorMcMichael Middle School, Detroit


includes specially adapted eLearning modules for grades

8 and 9 and the first grade of secondary upper school. In

Karlstad, a wireless LAN connects 250 teachers at 10 school

buildings linked through a fiber broadband network. Wireless

access points offer connectivity in public areas (such as the

school cafeteria) as well as classrooms. A common informa-

tion and administration portal hosts the interactive content

modules. A Digital Teacher Assistant helps teachers bring

assessment technology into the classroom.

In addition to deployments in Ireland and Sweden, Skoool

is being piloted in other countries around the world.

Measurable Educational Value

Early studies indicate that one-to-one notebook or tablet

deployments, combined with professional development and

curriculum reform activities, have a positive and measurable

educational impact. Here is a sampling of results:

• In Henrico County, Virginia, test scores went up in 9 of 11

core areas of the state standardized test, dropout rates fell

to the lowest levels in the district’s history and the number

of students continuing their education after high school rose

2.5 percent following one-to-one wireless notebook deploy-

ment. Student proficiency increased most in the content

areas where notebooks were used most: history, reading

and writing.7

• In a Detroit middle school, the seventh grade classes, which

received notebooks, had half as many suspensions and

parent referrals as the sixth and eighth grade classes.8

• In British Columbia, a study of one-to-one notebook

deployment found that notebook users boosted their

English scores by an average 30 percent. Ninety percent

passed the province’s writing performance standards,

compared to 70 percent before the notebook program.9

• In Maine, more than 70 percent of teachers said one-to-one

wireless mobile computing improved student interaction

with teachers, particularly among at-risk and low-achieving

students. Over three-fourths of the teachers said the pro-

gram improved class participation and student motivation

and enhanced their students’ ability to work in groups and

to work independently.10

• Two Minneapolis high schools that gave students a note-

book computer for their four years of high school saw the

students’ graduation rate rise by 16 and 29 percent over

the previous year.11

Compelling Return on Investment Wireless mobile eLearning can generate substantial financial

benefits. Since there is no need to wire a cable to each com-

puter, wireless networks cost less than traditional networks

and generate savings in labor and support. A 2003 analysis

by Madge Limited, a global supplier of networking solutions,

suggests that wireless networks for 500 users could cost 16

percent less than wired Ethernet deployment over the initial

12 months, with savings rising to 32 and 42 percent for the

second and third years, respectively.12 Wireless networks also

provide greater flexibility in using—and reusing—the educa-

tional workspace. Schools can design and reconfigure flexible

workspaces much more easily, and can quickly extend a net-

work to accommodate temporary workspace requirements.

Research by Intel Corporation and the industry analyst firm

Gartner shows that wireless networks pay for themselves many

times over because the convenience of being able to work in a

wide variety of settings enhances productivity and efficiency.

Gartner estimates productivity savings of up to 11 hours time

saved per week from wireless mobility in business settings.13

Using a more conservative estimate of only 4 hours per

week per teacher, Essex Schools estimates14 it will achieve

productivity savings of £48 million annually when it achieves

its planned full deployment in 2007. Essex County students

and their families are projected to realize additional savings of

8

“The teaching and learning initiative is more than laptop deployment. It is about a

transforming change in resources, activities,roles and relationships in our schools.

The purpose of the initiative is to create a new model of teaching and learning that

is based on high levels of student engagementwhere 21st century tools dissolve

the walls of the classroom.”

Mark A. Edwards, SuperintendentHenrico County Public Schools


almost £60 million per annum (£290 per pupil per year) through

factors such as reduced needs for text books, individual tutor-

ing and home PCs. Additional tangible benefits include avoid-

ing the costs of dedicated media rooms, increased retention

of teachers and students, and the opportunity to generate in-

come by offering classes for the community. The avoidance of

dedicated, traditionally-wired media rooms alone is estimated

to generate savings of almost £12 million over the four-year

period 2004 to 2007, in addition to providing much-needed

flexibility in the use of precious classroom space. Specialized

classes can be presented via distance learning, reducing

travel time and expenses and enabling the courses to be

offered to more students.

Essex expects teacher retention to be higher, because the

education and collaboration setting is more enjoyable, educa-

tion attainment is higher and teachers can accomplish their

administrative and curriculum planning tasks faster and more

creatively. It is estimated that Essex County can increase

teacher retention 2 percent by fully implementing its wireless,

one-to-one mobile eLearning environment, producing esti-

mated savings of £210,000 annually.

In addition to these opportunities for increased efficiencies

and cost savings in the schools, Essex County’s community

wireless network offers the opportunity to derive value from the

use of mobile computing and broadband wireless in delivering

county services such as policing and security, healthcare,

traffic management, higher education and environmental

management. With an extensive broadband wireless network

in place, further opportunities arise for partnership and sharing

with other government and education groups. Community

eLearning centers can be set up in remote locations where

conventional classes would be prohibitively expensive.

Creating Wireless, One-to-OneMobile eLearning CommunitiesHow do you go about creating ubiquitous eLearning environ-

ments? Here are some best practices suggested by the

experiences of the Essex Schools, Houston County Schools,

and others.

Think Strategically and Collaboratively

National and regional governments have a strong interest in

strengthening economic competitiveness by creating highly

skilled, digitally literate work forces. Wireless, one-to-one

mobile eLearning is a powerful tool for achieving this goal.

Similarly, both large and small businesses benefit from having

9

Table 1 Six Steps to a Ubiquitous eLearning Environment

Deployment Steps

Think strategically and collaboratively

• Create a vision of wireless, one-to-one mobile eLearning as a means of enhancing education, promoting a highly skilled workforce and strengthening economic competitiveness.

• Partner with educational organizations, businesses, governments and nonprofits to set direction, secure funding and plan curriculum.

• Give voice to all stakeholders.

Deploy secure, standards-based wireless networks

• Use industry standards to help you establish flexible, secure infrastructure and interoperable solutions.

• Take advantage of standards-based security technologies such as Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) and the new 802.11i wireless security standard to maintain data integrity and preserve confidentiality.

• Leverage emerging de facto standards such as the Schools interoperability Framework (SIF), the IMA Content Packaging Specification, the Managed Learning System (MLS) specification and the Gateway to Educational Materials (GEM).

Best Practices

Research, plan and train on new technologies and eLearning curriculum

• Start well in advance of widespread classroom deployment to plan new curriculum and adapt existing curriculum to take advantage of the added capabilities of ubiquitous eLearning.

• Make computing a tool for communication and learning across the curriculum, not a specialized subject.

• Give teachers wireless PCs before deploying them to students, to allow time to develop familiarity and adapt curriculum.

• Develop peer experts and mentors.

Plan for support • Develop a plan for ongoing support.

• Consider using student-based support to reduce support costs and provide students valuable experience.

If budgets are tight, move incrementally

• Maintain a vision of ubiquitous eLearning and take steps to make the vision a reality. Bring computing out of the lab and into the classroom. Empower teachers and staff with wireless-enabled mobile PCs. Deploy mobile carts as a stepping stone to wireless, one-to-one eLearning.

Choose technologies wisely • Notebooks and tablets based on Intel® Centrino™ mobile technology provide integrated wireless capability, enablethe design of thinner, lighter systems, and offer advanced power engineering to help extend system battery life.†


a better educated local work force and a highly connected

community. You can take advantage of these compatible goals

and increase the impact of your planning efforts by working

closely with government organizations and the private sector

to set broad directions, secure funding for basic infrastructure

and define national and regional core curriculum.

As with any significant institutional change, it’s important

to give voice to all stakeholders, including parents, adminis-

trators, teachers, students and private-sector organizations.

Students themselves can become a powerful voice for

change, and can be enlisted as early adopters and tech-

nology advisers.

The County of Essex has established the Essex eLearning

Foundation, a registered charity, to act as a funding facilitator for

the schools. The foundation holds donations from businesses

and individuals and funding from such sources as the EU, and

allocates the funding to the schools of Essex based on relevant

criteria. Schools also secure their own funding at the local level

via donations and fund-raising events. The Henrico County,

Virginia, schools collaborated with the Greater Richmond

Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Richmond Technology

Council, the Henrico Education Foundation, university officials,

business leaders and local Parent Teacher Associations.

Deploy Secure, Standards-Based Wireless Networks

Like wireless phones, wireless computing uses radio signals

to transmit data from one point to another. A notebook or

tablet equipped with a wireless network interface and the

appropriate software must be within range of an access point,

the radio transceiver that transmits data to the computer.

Wireless networks can be added relatively easily to existing

network infrastructure or used to provide complete site

coverage if you don’t have an existing local area network.

International wireless network standards are developed by

the Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)

and are part of the 802 networking family. The predominant

wireless network standard is 802.11b, also known as Wi-Fi.

Established in 1999, it provides a range of up to 100 meters

and a data rate of up to 11 megabits per second (Mbps).

Other options include 802.11a, which provides data rates of

up to 54 Mbps, and 802.11g, a newer standard that also pro-

vides rates of up to 54 Mbps and has the added advantage

of being compatible with 802.11b. All these can be used in-

doors and outdoors, making it possible for network coverage

to extend to school cafeterias, playgrounds, public commons

areas and parks. In addition, an 802.16a (WiMAX) link can

provide broadband connectivity between access points and

the Internet and government networks, bridging buildings

and filling in service gaps across metropolitan areas.

There are no hard and fast rules about how many access

points you’ll need or how closely spaced they should be.

A general guideline is to plan on one access point for each

classroom and common area, but since wireless signal quality

can vary depending on the composition of school buildings

and the location of elevators, walls, etc., a site survey is an

important pre-deployment step. Kits are available for do-it-

yourself site surveys, and a number of companies perform

site surveys.

To maintain the confidentiality and integrity of student records

and other documents, attention should be paid to securing

the network through the use of industry-standard and/or

proprietary security technologies. Among the critical tech-

nologies to evaluate:

• 802.11 security technologies offer basic protection but

have been shown to have vulnerabilities.

• Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) addresses these vulnerabili-

ties by incorporating additional encryption and key protec-

tion measures. WPA provides a good security starting point

for new implementations, and is compatible with the up-

coming 802.11i security standard.

• The new 802.11i wireless security standard adds strong

authentication and the advanced encryption standard (AES)

to all compatible access points and notebooks or tablets.

It is recommended that districts either purchase 802.11i

hardware infrastructure, or make sure new infrastructure

purchases can be upgraded to 802.11i.

10

“My laptop has become my locker, my notebook, my library and my backpack.”

High School StudentHenrico County Public Schools


• 802.16a security includes privacy and encryption features

to support secure transmissions and provide robust authen-

tication and data encryption.

• Virtual private networks (VPNs) provide application-based

security that is independent of the transmission medium.

Some schools or communities may have VPNs that can

be extended to the wireless network.

Industry standards are essential in enabling interoperable

environments that reduce costs and minimize or eliminate

the need for expensive, customized integration. In addition to

networking and security standards, you’ll want to take advan-

tage of emerging industry standards for creating and manag-

ing content and sharing student data and curriculum across

institutions, systems and products. Among those to consider:

• The Schools Interoperability Framework (SIF) provides a list

of rules and definitions to enable software programs from

different companies to share information. SIF is a non-profit

membership organization of more than 100 software ven-

dors, school districts, state departments of education and

other organizations active in primary and secondary educa-

tion. The SIF framework, like other emerging technology-

based education standards, is based on the Extensible

Markup Language (XML), a foundational specification for

digital information sharing.15

• Instructional Management Systems (IMS) Global Learning

Consortium’s IMS Content Packaging Specification is an

XML-based standard that facilitates the interchange of con-

tent between different learning systems (both free and pro-

prietary) by providing a way to package learning information

and metadata. IMS is a worldwide nonprofit organization

that develops and promotes the adoption of open technical

specifications for interoperable learning technology. Several

IMS specifications have become worldwide de facto stan-

dards for delivering learning products and services.16

• The Gateway to Educational Materials (GEM) is an XML-

based specification for content cataloging via metadata,

to enhance information retrieval. A project of the US Depart-

ment of Education, GEM is a consortium of more than 700

organizations and individuals aiming to provide simple,

efficient access to Internet-based educational materials.17

• The Managed Learning System (MLS) specification is an

open-system, standards-based research and development

environment that provides a framework so all elements of an

educational IT system can communicate and interoperate.

MLS components include educational content and delivery,

academic standards, assessment and testing, technology

and business processes. The MLS specification was devel-

oped by JES & Company, a Tucson-Arizona-based nonprofit.

Research, Plan and Train on NewTechnologies and eLearning Curriculum

Teacher training is absolutely essential, and should cover

the use of the notebook and its software as well as using the

new technologies to foster student-centered problem solving,

collaborative projects and independent research. Give note-

book or tablet PCs to teachers and administrators well in

advance of widespread deployment, so they can become

familiar with their use and have adequate time to prepare

curriculum. Develop peer experts who can inspire and

mentor any staff who are hesitant to embrace change.

Plan for Support

Ongoing support is essential for continued success. Many

school districts can afford extended warranties and third-

party support services. Others are finding innovative and

more cost-effective ways to meet their support requirements.

Some schools use their own students for “support from

within,” giving these pupils valuable education and experi-

ence. Others have integrated such support work into new

IT-related curricula. Some primary schools have teamed up

with local high-schools to first provide support and training

and then to act as mentors going forward.

If Budgets Are Tight, Move Incrementally

The fullest range of wireless eLearning benefits are achieved

in a one-to-one, wireless mobile environment. If tight budgets

force that to be a long-range goal, keep the vision of ubiqui-

tous eLearning in mind and move in the right direction. Bring

computing into the classroom, provide teachers with mobile

computers, shift toward the use of mobile PCs and then in-

crease the proportion of PCs to students. Another option is

to deploy several mobile carts, each housing enough note-

books for an entire classroom. This option delivers the flexibil-

ity of mobile eLearning in a cost-effective way that enables

multiple classrooms across the school to access the shared

resource. Over time, you can add more carts and eventually

migrate to a full one-to-one environment. To avoid the cost

and inconvenience of future upgrades, make sure that all

notebook and tablet purchases come with integrated wireless

mobile capability such as that provided by Intel Centrino

mobile technology.

11


Choose Technologies Wisely

Wireless notebooks and tablets must provide:

• Integrated wireless capability, to reduce compatibility

headaches, enhance convenience and lower support costs.

• Power management so batteries can last a full morning

or afternoon session without recharging.

• Lightweight, compact designs, so younger children can

carry them easily.

• Outstanding performance, including adequate processing power,

memory and local storage, so students can work with rich

creative content and use speech and handwritten interfaces.

Devices should have local performance and storage so students

and teachers can remain productive even if they are not con-

nected to the network. Devices should also have sufficient

headroom to remain viable over the device’s planned lifetime.

• Support for industry security standards such as WPA and

the Protected Extensible Authentication Protocol (PEAP)

as well as leading proprietary security technologies such

as Cisco Compatible Extensions (CCX).

• A track record of exceptional reliability and manageability,

to reduce support costs over the product’s life time.

• Seamless connectivity and the ability to work in different

networking environments without reconfiguration.

• Compatibility with the business world, to facilitate collaboration

with business and community representatives and give

students the expertise in using the tools and applications

they will encounter in the work force.

Intel’s Role as a Solutions EnablerIntel is the world’s largest chipmaker, a leading manufacturer

of communication and networking products, and a driving

force behind the PC and Internet revolutions that have trans-

formed business and society. Intel invests billions of dollars

annually to accelerate the development of innovative tech-

nologies, including many that are used throughout schools

and universities.

Intel technologies provide a robust, standards-based found-

ation for mobile, one-to-one computing. Notebooks and

tablets with Intel Centrino mobile technology inside deliver

outstanding performance and enable thinner and lighter

designs. They offer excellent support for industry-standard

and third-party security technologies, as well as the ability to

enable great battery life. Intel extensively validates its mobile

technologies and has some of the industry’s most rigorous

quality assurance and compatibility testing programs. This

serves to minimize compatibility issues and reduce support

costs by ensuring that products based on Intel technologies

will operate reliably and consistently. And, with integrated wire-

less networking, there’s no add-in card for users to break or

lose and support staff to manage. Intel® XScale® technology

provides high performance and features for handheld devices

while offering a consistent platform architecture that mini-

mizes support costs.

Intel’s extensive R&D investments help ensure that products

based on Intel technologies are on a steady path to higher

performance and more advanced features that meet evolving

user needs. In addition to our own R&D activities, Intel works

with other companies to develop industry standards and

remove roadblocks to technology progress. For example,

Intel has been an integral part of international organizations

developing standards for secure wireless networking. Intel

also leads a Mobilized Software Initiative to help ensure that

applications provide the convenience and ease-of-use mobile

users require. Through activities such as Skoool, Intel works

to advance the state of the art in technology-based curricu-

lum and help ensure that educators have a broad choice

of outstanding software solutions to run on their Intel-based

platforms.

In addition to its commitment to product innovation, Intel is

a leader and contributing member in our global communities,

seeking to deliver long-term shareholder value and to inspire

people through educational initiatives and outreach efforts

that improve life. Through the Intel® Innovation in Education

initiative, Intel collaborates with educators and government

12

“Education should be seen as using technologynot only as an end in itself, but as a means to pro-mote creativity, empowerment and equality andproduce efficient learners and problem solvers.”

South East Asia Ministries of Education OrganizationAugust 2002


leaders around the world to design and provide programs

and resources to support innovation in teaching and learning.

Intel Innovation in Education programs support elementary

and secondary education, higher education and community

education worldwide. Programs that are part of the Intel

Innovation in Education initiative include:

• Intel® Teach to the Future, a worldwide effort to help both

in-service and pre-service teachers integrate technology

into instruction to enhance student learning. Through this

free professional development program, teachers learn from

other teachers how, when and where to incorporate tech-

nology tools and resources into their lesson plans. They also

learn about how best to create assessment tools and align

lessons with educational learning goals and standards. The

program, which launched in 2000, has trained more than

1.5 million classroom teachers in 33 countries. Intel often

collaborates with ministries of education and other govern-

ment entities to adapt the curriculum for each location.

• The Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (Intel

ISEF), the largest pre-college science competition showcas-

ing the world's most promising young inventors and scien-

tists in grades 9-12. After an initial round of 58 fairs held

in 19 countries, over 1,000 students from 40 countries

compete for awards and scholarships.

Intel has forged partnerships with educators, business lead-

ers and government to raise the bar for student achievement

while holding schools and students accountable for their

results. Intel CEO Craig Barrett has played a significant role

in pushing for passage of landmark bipartisan legislation. He

serves as a co-chair of the Business Coalition for Excellence

in Education and is a member of Achieve, Inc., a nonprofit

organization created to help states raise academic standards,

improve assessments and strengthen accountability to pre-

pare all young people for post-secondary education, work

and citizenship.

Work with Intel to Enhance Your SuccessAs you plan your wireless, one-to-one mobile eLearning

environment, work with your local Intel representative, who

can offer advice to help you evaluate the potential of wireless

mobile eLearning and choose hardware, software and sup-

port solutions to support your long-range goals. Take advan-

tage of Intel’s extensive investments in wireless mobile

computing and innovative educational solutions. Choose

notebooks and tablets based on Intel Centrino mobile

technology and handheld devices based on Intel XScale

technology, to benefit from Intel’s product innovations and

quality and use a consistent architecture that supports security

standards and helps reduce complexity and support costs.

Because Intel technologies are so widely used around the

world, you’ll find a wealth of choices for software, peripherals

and support services. Backed by Intel’s outstanding product

technologies and industry leadership, you’ll be freer to create

innovative, student-focused curriculum that turns the promise

of one-to-one wireless computing into reality, and to concentrate

on doing what you do best: Educating the next generation.

Learn More See how Intel technologies are transforming the educational

experience for students, educators, and administrators.

Visit www.intel.com/go/education

For information on Intel Innovation in Education, visit

www.intel.com/education.

13


1, 7, 19, 20 Mark A. Edwards, The Lap of Learning, The School Administrator Web Edition, American Association of School Administrators. April 2003.2, 9, 10 Studies Validate Laptop Programs in U.S., Canada, eSchool News Online. March 1, 2004, and Mark A. Edwards, the Lap of Learning, the School AdministratorWeb Edition, American Association of School Administrators. April 2003.3, 11 Megan Boldt and Julio Ojeda-Zapata, Laptops Put to the Text, Twin Cities Pioneer Press, October 5, 2003.4 Studies Validate Laptop Programs in the U.S., Canada, eSchool News Online. March 1, 2004.5 Brian Holmes, DG Education and Culture, eLearning: A Question of Quality, 2003.6, 8, 18 Mike Wendland, Laptops Propel Students, Research Shows, Detroit Free Press, March 4, 2003.12 Justifying the Wireless Enterprise, 2003, available to download at www.madge.com/products/products-wireless.aspx.13 Desktop PCs: Technology Overview, August 2002.14 Data in this section is drawn from the study Anytime Anywhere Learning: A Report of Mobile Devices and Broadband Wireless Computing for Schools in the County of Essex, authored by Jo Anne Donoghue of the Intel IT Innovation Center, March 3, 2004.15 For more information, see www.sifinfo.org.16 See more at www.imsproject.org.17 See www.geminfo.org.† Wireless connectivity and some features may require you to purchase additional software, services or external hardware. Availability of public wireless LAN accesspoints is limited, and some hotspots may not support Linux-based Intel Centrino mobile technology systems. System performance measured by MobileMark* 2002.System performance, battery life, wireless performance and functionality will vary depending on your specific operating system, hardware and software configurations.See http://www.intel.com/products/centrino/more_info for more information.

Copyright © 2004 Intel Corporation. All rights reserved. Intel, the Intel logo, Intel Centrino and Intel XScale are trademarks or registered trademarks of Intel Corporationor its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries.

*Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others. 0804/KR/KAS/XX/PDF 303583-001


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