Technology & Learning - May 2008 - (Page 31)

“This project of replacing our whole network has progressed as seamlessly as possible. We look forward to putting our ProCurve equipment to work to help us stay at the cutting edge of using IT to improve education.” - David Kessler, Manager of Network Infrastructure and Operations, Columbia Public School District The Digital District With access to individual notebooks and the Internet, students are able to learn in an environment where information is readily available, where they can own their learning structures, and where they are so engaged that learning becomes meaningful. Reports from districts that have technology programs indicate higher attendance rates, increased engagement, and improved writing skills. The infrastructure should support the goals and priorities of the district and address the need for access control to meet child information protection guidelines. storage Districts also have to decide on storage capacity and determine how much space is needed for organizing and maintaining digital files and the capacity to find and access data. While small file systems can use a data storage device such as a CD-ROM or DVD, schools and districts have a large volume of files that require more space and more permanent storage capacity. Storage must protect data reliably, simply, and easily because a school district needs dependable backup. data Warehouse A data warehouse is a repository of an organization’s electronically stored data that provides the means to load, retrieve and analyze data for reporting. Whether it is a collection of simple relational databases or massive containers with ongoing transactional data, data warehouses are structured to facilitate data collection, management, querying and reporting for decision making. Today, accountability demands mandate data-driven decision-making, which requires the capabilities of data warehousing. netWorking Networks in school districts have to be robust in order to provide reliable access, easy management, simple deployment, cost- effective connectivity, standards-based platforms, future-proof investment, and expert support services. Ideally schools need a unified network strategy—one that combines all resources onto the same unified platform that can be hardened to assure safety and reliability while making ongoing management simple and cost effective. Administrative Goals • Improve administrative computing capacity and efficiency. • Maximize total cost of ownership and technology value. • Align instructional and operational use of technology. • Take advantage of the latest technologies and best practices. Technology Goals • Use a variety of technology tools in effective ways to increase productivity. • Use communication tools to reach out to the world beyond the classroom and communicate ideas in powerful ways. • Use technology effectively to access, evaluate, process, and synthesize information from a variety of sources. • Use technology to identify and solve complex problems in real-world contexts. Learning Goals • Integrate technology into curriculum. • Improve student achievement. • Improve student communication skills. • Provide access to research, learning materials, and the tools to apply what they have learned. • Improve student collaboration skills. • Help students acquire critical-thinking skills. Case Study, Columbia Public School District: With more than 17,000 K-12 students and about 1,400 teachers spread across 30 schools—and with high standards of educational excellence—the district represents a significant IT challenge. They have a server farm with 87 HP servers that provide storage and deliver applications to the desktops of students, teachers and staff. A long-time user of ProCurve Networking products, Columbia Public Schools recently upgraded its network and added ProCurve Switch 8212zl core switches at each of its school buildings. The district’s IT department now offers a 10 Gbit distributed network to every school, for streaming audio and video content securely to teachers, deploying a wireless network and providing all voice/phone traffic over the network. As a result, Columbia Public Schools is able to expand its educational capabilities while also reducing operating costs. IT Goals • Ability to manage data easily and cost-effectively. • Standardization of hardware and software. • Built-in application and information security. • Centralized maintenance and upgrades. • Flexible, scalable, secure wireless. • E-mail and messaging capacities. • Reduced IT complexity. • Improved economies of scale. • Better return on IT investment. Special Section of Technology & Learning 3

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Technology & Learning - May 2008 Contents New@techlearning.com Editor’s Desk News and Trends E-Learning Gets Real Cover Story: Make Students Info Literate School CIO Product Guide Reviews Best of the Blogs What’s New LOY Profile Series

Technology & Learning - May 2008

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