Easy access to reliable, robust and cost-effective broadband provides the opportunity for students’ school experiences to include creating engaging text and multimedia projects such as videos, collaborative research with students on the other side of the state or the world, access to online courses not available locally, and the ability to talk directly with authors and experts. Teachers can collaborate with colleagues, participate in professional development online, and immediately analyze the results from online assessments to personalize instruction for each student.

High-Speed Broadband

High-speed broadband is essential for equitable access in schools for all students, as bandwidth capacity determines which digital instructional materials and educational applications students and educators can effectively leverage in the classroom. Reliable connectivity, like water and electricity, is foundational to creating an effective learning environment. The importance of designing high-capacity and widely available networks, including the utilization of wireless networks is essential for meeting our learning powered by technology goals.

Quick Facts

• Cisco predicts that global internet traffic will be over 50,000 Gbps by 2019, more than triple the current traffic rate.
• Education Networks of America (ENA), based on its experience delivering connectivity to over 5,500 schools and libraries, continues to observe and projects into the future an internet growth rate of 65% per year.
• EducationSuperHighway predicts that the typical school district will need to triple its bandwidth in the next three years.
• CoSN’s Infrastructure Survey states that
• 39% of districts report projected growth in the next 18 months between 50% and 499%.

• Online Speed Test Tools
• FCC E-rate Maps of Fiber Connectivity to Schools and Libraries
• CoSN’s 3rd Annual Infrastructure Report

From the Field

The goals of Lamoille Union Middle/High School’s Lancer One Project; Universal Access, Spontaneous Learning, Equity, and Personalized Learning, were established to help meet the needs of students in rural Vermont where 48% of the population qualifies for free and reduced lunch and changes in teaching and learning were needed to increase student success. The district upgraded the school’s broadband infrastructure and provided each student with a tablet to help meet these goals.

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The students played an important role in the development and implementation of the Lancer One project, advocating for the project to the school board, guiding the decision-making, logistics and support of the devices. This initiative shifted instruction to more of a project based focus that gave students a new vision of learning. A review team collects data from teachers and students through interviews, observation, and surveys to support a continual improvement process. In the classroom and at home, students describe their opportunities as transformative. Students have increased access to teacher and classroom materials, they have taken ownership over learning, data and grades are shared more frequently and students find easier access to opportunities and connections outside their school community. In the February 2014 survey, 85.4% of students responded that they could, “find information, and learn new skills anytime, anywhere”. Only 40% of our students responded that they could do this prior to the Lancer One program.

An essential component for learning is a comprehensive infrastructure that provides all students and teachers with the resources they need anytime, anywhere. The underlying principle is that infrastructure includes people, processes, learning resources, policies, and sustainable models for continuous improvement in addition to broadband connectivity, hardware, software, and administrative tools. A robust infrastructure enables schools to expand learning options, empowering students to create content, participate in virtual courses that may not be available on their campuses, and to collaborate with experts or other students remotely. Planning for the acquisition of robust broadband and wireless connectivity is essential as districts and schools transform to a digital learning environment. Rapidly changing technologies and new ways of using technology for learning suggest that this is an ever evolving process. Districts can expect to almost always be in some phase of planning for technology needs. Planning for technology is an iterative process that is alive, kinetic, and never truly complete. Building Technology Infrastructure for Learning is a guide that helps districts address the planning and leadership demands associated with technical upgrades, identifies the key questions for assessing conditions in schools and districts and sets technical goals for the future. Using this and other tools, state and local leaders can build capacity for infrastructure by coordinating efforts and engaging in strategic planning.

Facilitator Guide

The Facilitator Guide – Connectivity provides education leaders with the information and resources they need to conduct a professional learning session. Participants will:

• Learn more about procurement and RFP management
• Identify procurement challenges and success stories
• Collaborate with colleagues and develop solutions for challenges
• Discuss how changes in state/local policies can improvement the procurement process
• Develop and maintain relationships with other district and state leaders

• Facilitator Guide – Connectivity Slides