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PROJECTS PTISD Bond 2011

Information . Communication . Resources . Election-May 14
Pine Tree Students
Technology
  • Replace the Technology - Wide Area Network (WAN) with business class components and a true core switch.   (Estimated cost $610,899)

 

  • Provide Technology – Local Area Network (LAN) Upgrades at the High School, Junior High and Intermediate campuses.  (Estimated cost $1,227,846)
What does the upgrade for Technology provide?
PTISD Director for Technology provided explanations and justifications regarding the scope of work for the wide area network (WAN) and local area network (LAN) upgrades.

The project will allow the district to better manage data traffic, maximize the capacity of available cabling and provide for more effective safety controls that are required when students are using the internet.

Replacement of the Wide Area Network would include business class components and a true core switch.  This will provide each campus with a robust wireless infrastructure which would enable and support a variety of wireless devices such as laptops, iPads, iPod Touches and computers on all campuses. 
What could the district do differently if they were to upgrade technology infrastructure?
Administrators and teachers need data to improve instruction. To do this, the infrastructure has to be fast and reliable and provide the type of flexibility seen in a data warehouse that will allow raw data to be cleaned and redistributed in a useful way.

The infrastructure also has to have the bandwidth to deliver rich content, including voice capabilities, and it should provide mobility, filtering, security and scalability to allow for increased usage by all stakeholders.
 
According to Mike Hall, deputy superintendent of information technology at the Georgia Department of Education, “The large majority of districts across the country don't know what they are missing or what it's like to offer one-to-one opportunities (and do away with textbooks) or provide usable data to all decision-makers in real time.” Read full article.

To take full advantage of the opportunities mentioned below, schools must have an adequate technology infrastructure to do the following:

Managing information: Today’s data-driven instruction movement has pushed educational technology beyond its former preoccupations with motivation and enrichment. Instructional experts now understand that the success of teaching basic literacy and mathematics depends on the collection, analysis and informed use of robust bodies of data.

Securing data: Keeping test scores and other performance and personal records as digital files offers tremendous advantages: ease of retrieval, speed of information transfer, saving of crucial space and security of records.

Enhancing teaching and learning: Technology and the Web offer access to greater quantities of richer and more varied content than what's available in a hard-copy environment. Facilitating and transforming communication: Systems that use e-mail as a central function can overcome classroom isolation. Portal solutions, like Web-based intranets, offer related and seamlessly integrated functions including secure e-mail, Web publishing, electronic list servers and threaded discussions.

Offering professional development: When administrators think about Professional Development (PD) and technology, they usually focus on PD in technology use and integration. However, technology also can be used to better deliver and manage PD in literacy, math and other subject areas. Even when PD content and trainers are available, teachers frequently are not able to attend sessions because they are busy teaching. Today, helpful technologies such as Webinars, asynchronous courseware and online tutorials allow teachers to take PD whenever they have time.

Redefining the instructional environment: Ubiquitous computing will enable students to take advantage of the security and robustness of their school network, which offers fluid movement among individual desktop machines, handheld devices and group activities centered on LCD-projected images.

Tech infrastructure and No Child Left Behind: The white paper Closing the Equity Gap: Addressing NCLB Compliance with Access Infrastructure Software by Eduventures points out that the challenge of NCLB can be met in large part by updating technology infrastructure.
Computers
What exactly is a WAN and LAN?
L-A-N stands for "Local Area Network." A LAN is a computer network limited to a small area such as an office building, school campus, or even a residential home. Most mid to large-sized businesses today use LANs, which makes it easy for employees to share information. Currently, the most common type of LANs are Ethernet-based and use software from Novell or Oracle. However, with the emergence of wireless networking, wireless LANs have become a popular alternative.

W-A-N stands for "Wide Area Network." It is similar to a Local Area Network (LAN), but it's a lot bigger.  WANs are not limited to a single location. Many wide area networks span long distances via telephone lines, fiber-optic cables, or satellite links. They can also be composed of smaller LANs that are interconnected. The Internet could be described as the biggest WAN in the world.
What is the condition of the current system?
The current system has caused occasional problems with video streaming and other online learning activities. This project would resolve many of those conflicts restricting total bandwidth capabilities while positioning the district for the foreseeable future. 
How long will the technology investment benefit the district?
While technology needs are constantly evolving and predicting the future of technology is very difficult to do, anecdotal evidence suggests a 15 year life span is likely. This is based on the years of service accomplished by the district’s current system.