Transforming Education Through Wireless, One-to-One Mobile ... · Transforming Education Through...
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Intel® Centrino™ mobile technologyEducation VerticalWireless Schools
White Paper
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
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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
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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.
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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
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• 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
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“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
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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.
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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
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“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
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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
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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.†
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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
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• 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.
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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
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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
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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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