Flexible Connectivity for K-12 Schools, Buses & IoT Applications

Flexible Connectivity for K-12 Schools, Buses & IoT Applications

Gone are the days of blackboards, three-hole punches, and freshly sharpened No. 2 pencils. Today’s K-12 students and teachers depend on laptops, tablets, cloud apps, data-driven instruction, and nonstop Internet connectivity.

Due to widespread shifts such as online testing for Common Core and the rapid rise of cloud-based applications, many school districts are seeking networking solutions that meet their evolving needs without complicating network management or creating new security vulnerabilities. K-12 IT teams are asked to adopt new technologies while solving an array of challenges related to bandwidth, cybersecurity, reliability, flexibility, scalability, and cost-effectiveness.

Because of these needs, LTE-based broadband and WiFi have become vital components of K-12 network architectures. Wireless WAN connectivity is no longer a luxury for school districts; it’s now essential for enhancing and personalizing learning — from main offices to school buses and IoT devices.

This blog explores the most popular education technology trends in K-12 education, and the role of LTE, WiFi, cloud management, and all-in-one network solutions in addressing the complexities and time and budget constraints currently facing school district IT departments.

How to Leverage Secure, Reliable Networks to Enhance Learning
Gone are the days of blackboards, three-hole punches, and freshly sharpened No. 2 pencils. Today’s K-12 students and teachers depend on laptops, tablets, cloud apps, data-driven instruction, and nonstop Internet connectivity.

Due to widespread shifts such as online testing for Common Core and the rapid rise of cloud based applications, many school districts are seeking networking solutions that meet their evolving needs without complicating network management or creating new security vulnerabilities.

K-12 IT teams are asked to adopt new technologies while solving an array of challenges related to bandwidth, cybersecurity, reliability, flexibility, scalability, and cost- effectiveness.

Because of these needs, LTE-based broadband and WiFi have become vital components of K-12 network architectures. Wireless WAN connectivity is no longer a luxury for school districts; it’s now essential for enhancing and personalizing learning — from main offices to school buses and IoT devices.

This content is marketing to target audience includes but not limited to educators, teachers, professors PHDs etc.. explores the most popular education technology trends in K-12 education, and the role of LTE, WiFi, cloud management, and all-in-one network solutions in addressing the complexities and time and budget constraints currently facing school district IT departments.

The Changing Landscape of K-12 Technology
K-12 education is one of the most essential mainstays of society, but the way itis administered has drastically changed. Schools and districts need to provide Internet connectivity on and off campus, thanks to a vast and growing list of technologies, trends, and advancements.

Common Core
In states that have adopted Common Core State Standards, online testing is now a regular and critical event for schools. While such online tests offer certain benefits, uninterrupted Internet and ample bandwidth are critical.

Cloud Applications
Instead of constantly replacing textbooks and computer programs, schools can use cloud-based applications and Massively Open Online Courses (MOOCs) to hone students’ skills in coding, math, foreign languages, and other areas. These services can even be extended onto school buses that provide WiFi. Meanwhile, teachers can post grades, assignments, attendance, messages, and lecture videos online through cloud-based portals that are accessible to students anywhere. Resources are always available as long as network access
persists.

1:1 & Bring-Your-Own-Device
Schools can save money by replacing computer labs with a one-to-one computing policy, also known as 1:1, in which all students have access to their own laptop, tablet, or similar mobile device. Schools that lack the funding to purchase a mobile device for every student often integrate “Bring-Your-Own- Device” (BYOD) into the policy, along with providing as many district-owned devices as possible. Contact Us for more information.

1:1 policies and BYOD help level the playing field for students, providing opportunities for every child to utilize technology and cloud apps inside the classroom, on the bus, and even at home.

For network administrators, the wide variety of devices accessing the network increases the complexity of management and security.

AR/VR
Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) tools give students remote access to worlds they otherwise wouldn’t be able to experience. Students can explore historical events, museums, national parks and monuments, far-off countries, and exotic environments — all from their classroom, using many
of the same devices they use for standard coursework. With laptops, tablets, apps, and AR/VR headsets, much of the world is at students’ fingertips.

Personalized, Data-Driven Instruction
Educators are using online platforms and mobile devices to conduct assessments that lead to data-driven, personalized curriculum based on each student’s interests, abilities, growth, and mastery of content.

Teachers can quickly recognize and respond when students begin struggling with specific subjects and use quizzes to determine which areas need to be reviewed or taught differently prior to test days.

40% of teachers use education technology in every lesson.
The Educational Technology Survey 2018

Child Safety Measures
In an era of heightened awareness regarding child safety, school security has moved far beyond placing a uniformed guard at the main entrance. Districts are implementing Internet of Things (IoT) security such as Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) cards to let students scan on and off buses and in and out of buildings. Parents and schools can easily track attendance and the location of children.

Additionally, Internet-connected surveillance cameras placed on campuses and in buses send real-time footage to headquarters. The mere presence of these systems often deters dangerous or illegal activity.

Solving K-12 Networking Challenges

Bandwidth
Provisioning and managing bandwidth is a major challenge for IT teams at K-12 schools. The network must be able to handle students and educators constantly using devices to stream audio/video and access cloud applications all over campus.

During periods with particularly high data usage, IT administrators need enough flexibility to adapt to fluctuating bandwidth needs at a moment’s notice, but without incurring exorbitant fees that would put undue financial burden on cost-conscious districts. For example, at the beginning of the day — when students, teachers, and administrators are all logging on the network — the team should be able to ramp up bandwidth before throttling back down as the day progresses.

Solution
Augment or replace existing connectivity devices with a cloud-managed LTE-enabled solution. Enterprise-grade routers that support dual modems enable load balancing, additional bandwidth, and wireless-to-wireless failover. In addition, choose a data plan that allows data pooling among locations to provide adaptability during high- and low-usage times.

For automated, policy-based traffic steering, make sure your solution also includes LTE-optimized SD-WAN technologies.

Cybersecurity
School district IT departments have to maintain compliance with laws enacted to protect students against obscene and dangerous content on the Internet. The Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA) is critical to student safety — and more difficult to uphold as students and their devices become increasingly mobile. Failure to comply with CIPA puts students at risk and exposes the district to legal and financial liabilities.

Also, the personal data of minors is highly lucrative and coveted by hackers, and children’s Social Security numbers usually are less protected than adults’ numbers. Like corporations and government entities, schools must protect the data of their employees and the people they serve, but often with fewer resources.

Solution
Choose a network solution with a built-in firewall, easy VPN capabilities, robust network segmentation, multiple SSIDs, content filtering, and the ability to remotely manage updates and add-on security integrations with industry-leading platforms through the cloud.

Reliability
When schools today experience Internet downtime — losing access to key files and online tools — practically everything slows to a stop, including instructional time, teacher duties such as grading and testing, and messages from the school to parents. In buses, tools such as student WiFi, location tracking, and streaming security footage lack value unless WAN access can be upheld.

SOLUTION: Seek a hybrid WAN solution that supports LTE, Ethernet, WiFi-as-WAN, and other links through one router. Additionally, use a cloud management tool that sends alerts and features cloud-based Out-of-Band Management, letting IT personnel address downtime and other issues without visiting the school.

Flexibility & Cost-Effectiveness
With limited budgets, school districts need network solutions that make sense today and for years to come. Integrating LTE Internet into existing wired architectures can be complex, fiscally burdensome, and prone to human error — especially for districts that don’t use a cloud management service for monitoring, managing, and troubleshooting from headquarters.

The rapid rate of technology advancements and school expansion creates a frenetic pace of change that is difficult for IT managers to accommodate on limited budgets. IT administrators need to be able to manage and troubleshoot mobile deployments remotely with as little impact on staff and finances as possible.

SOLUTION: Deploy an all-in-one network solution that accommodates both wired and wireless links, with high-performance LTE connectivity supporting multiple carriers and modems simultaneously. Ideally, find a solution that is packaged with a cloud management service, allowing instant updates, carrier switching, and troubleshooting from anywhere.

Use Cases for K-12 Networks
>Main Building
>Portable Classrooms
>Special Events
>Study Hall on Wheels
>Software-Defined Perimeter

WiFi on School Buses
With a LTE-based mobile router installed aboard a school bus, students traveling to or from home and out-of-town events can use WiFi to complete homework. LTE makes it possible for a bus driver to alert school administrators and/or stream live surveillance footage back to district headquarters when a dangerous incident is taking place. Also, the district can automatically offload less-essential footage via WiFi the next time the vehicle parks at headquarters.

Some fleet managers require in-vehicle connectivity to enable AVL solutions and to reap insight from rich telematics data that can deepen cost- efficiencies. They also use GPS to keep track of where their buses are at all times. Some schools even offer phone apps that show parents and kids the bus’s location.

Main School Building
In a small school building, an all-in-one router provides multi-WAN connectivity and seamless failover through a single device. On a much larger campus, the school’s IT team may need a branch continuity solution that
converts LTE into an ethernet connection, providing four-nines uptime.

Digital signage is an increasingly common technology at K-12 locations, and not just for the reader board in front of the main building. School staff can remotely adjust digital signage throughout campus at a moment’s
notice — without physical intervention. A LTE-enabled IoT router makes it easy to place digital signage anywhere on campus without having to extend fiber or ethernet connections.

Cloud-based Out-of-Band Management capabilities enable IT teams to use 4G LTE to remotely access either a primary router or any LAN-connected devices. Remote troubleshooting saves schools the time and expense of sending IT specialists to sites suffering from outages or hardware failure. Contact Us for more information.

Temporary Classrooms & Portables
Temporary classrooms require connectivity for multiple reasons. Many districts set up makeshift standardized testing areas in gymnasiums and other large spaces. Others use portable buildings for temporary or even long-term classroom space to address overcrowding. These buildings usually are connected via the existing infrastructure, but when that is too difficult or time consuming, using a LTE or WiFI-as-WAN connection via a router helps the district make portables operational more quickly.

Video Surveillance
To help keep children safe, some districts install cloud-managed IoT solutions to maintain a constant connection to security cameras. In addition, some districts have their own police force and install mobile routers within their law enforcement vehicles to maintain data and video connectivity between officers and the district.

Special Events
Most schools host dozens of special events throughout the year, including sports, plays, musical performances, and much more. These days the ability to accept credit card payments is essential, so schools need the ability to provide secure and reliable network access for Point-of-Sale (POS) at a moment’s notice. Contact Us for more information.