University Business - December 2012 - (Page 79)

SponSored CaSe Study Abilene Christian University Mobilizes Learning with Smartphones ACU commits to mobile, delivers advanced applications supported by an Alcatel-Lucent network infrastructure I ntegrating mobile devices in learning is getting to be old ACU Connected. Students and faculty have developed numerhat in Abilene, Texas. As early as 2008, Abilene Christian ous ways to leverage mobile and revolutionize campus life at University (ACU) was the first university in the United the university level and for K12. New applications range from States to provide each incoming student with an Apple iPhone in-class learning tools to mobile interaction during theater productions. Abilene Christian launched a YouTube page to or iPod Touch. Each of the nearly 4,800 students on the ACU campus located memorialize its efforts at: go.acu.edu/kpwgn. The university is now also exploring distribu180 miles west of Dallas can access tion and use of iPads, which have course calendars, campus maps, already been given to Physical receive homework alerts, security Resources staff for managing alerts, and answer in-class surveys work orders. and quizzes, among other ACU“We have considered providdeveloped web applications. ing laptops to all of our students, Alcatel-Lucent, a partner with but research showed that the Abilene Christian University since vast majority of students were 2001, provides ACU with a wired already bringing laptops with and wireless multimedia network them to campus,” says Brant. “We environment that gives students examined a number of handheld unique services customized for devices, but each presented sigthese devices and access to infornificant adoption barriers. With mation wherever and whenever the release of the Apple iPhone, they need it. “We were the first school in and its fully functioning Web “As we started with a mobile the world to do anything like browser, we recognized the device device that is Wi-Fi enabled, it was this so this was completely as a tipping point. Our faculty significant for us to be able to protried them out and championed vide and to engage Alcatel-Lucent new for everyone involved the decision to move forward with in a process where we refocused with many unknowns. ” the iPhones.” our efforts on capacity as opposed -Kevin Roberts, Today’s learners are differto coverage when it came to the ACU Associate Vice President of Operations ent. This generation is different. Wi-Fi system,” says Arthur Brant, They have always had the interDirector of Enterprise Infrastrucnet; they have always had cellture at ACU. With adding thousands of devices to the network, the system had to have the phones. They always need to be connected. The world that capacity to scale both in terms of user support as well as the this generation inhabits is one that is increasingly mobile and increasingly reliant on converged media devices. number of applications. “When you talk to parents and you help connect the dots To support these goals, ACU deployed an advanced fiber optic network that delivers campuswide IP telephony with for them and say this is why we are doing this, the response advanced calling features that include support for the analog has been overwhelming,” says Kevin Roberts, ACU’s associphones already on campus. It provides secure VLAN campus ate vice president of operations. “Parents of ACU students are networking with intrusion detection and prevention, virus very positive about the education their children are receiving at containment, and firewalls. Through strategic design, Abilene ACU from using the latest in technology to learn.” Christian has full wireless coverage across the 208-acre campus—covering in-building and outdoor spaces—to enhance For more information, go to: www.alcatel-lucent.com/enterprise. students’ mobile learning experience. This experience has become a campuswide program called universitybusiness.com December 2012 | 79 http://go.acu.edu/kpwgn http://www.alcatel-lucent.com/enterprise http://www.universitybusiness.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of University Business - December 2012

University Business - December 2012
Contents
Editor’s Note
College Index
Ad Index
Behind the News
Money Matters
Independent Outlook
5 Reasons Flipped Classrooms Work
Test Driving Mobile
Open Source Myth Busters
Models of Efficiency
1st Annual Readers’ Choice Awards
Education Innovators
Viewpoint
Endowments: New Questions
End Note

University Business - December 2012