What is believed to be one of the largest radio computer networks in SA has resulted in improved performance and confidence levels among the Grade 10 to Grade 12 learners at St Alban`s College, Pretoria, proving that this technology is an integral component in education enhancement. IT services and solutions provider arivia.kom installed the Orrinoco wireless network, designed for "anytime, anywhere" learning at the college, in March 2001.
"The wireless information technology network installed by arivia.kom has operated successfully for the past 18 months and has more than adequately supported in excess of 250 desktops and laptops," says Ron Beyers, director of technology for St Alban`s College.
"We opted for the Orrinoco wireless network as opposed to the traditional hard-wired network as it proved to be more cost-effective and the least disruptive system to install at the college."
The wireless option is integrated into a fibre optic backbone that provides a saturated connected environment for learners with laptops to roam the campus.
Beyers says the college introduced this innovative and collaborative learning programme to encourage learners, teachers and parents to push the educational envelope. The emphasis is on skills development in a cooperative, lateral-thinking, problem-solving and creative-learning environment.
Furthermore, the wireless network allows teachers, learners and parents, 24-hour access via an Internet service provider or a dial-up facility to the St Alban`s College Information Hub housed on an intranet.
These two means of access provide the essential connectivity to facilitate the process of providing opportunities for learners to interact and to access educational material in a distant learning environment.
Says Kagiso Mokgatle, sales and marketing manager (Africa) in arivia.kom`s Infrastructure Business division: "The benefits of wireless technology to St Alban`s have been impressive and includes the real advantage of being cost-effective.
"St Alban`s demonstrates that by employing modern information communication technologies, it is possible to not only shift educational paradigms but also to reduce the overall cost of education.
"There is no doubt that wireless technology is the way of the future. The more we populate wireless technology, the more cost-effective it will become, resulting in an affordable and practical way of providing access to education."
Beyers adds: "The cost of implementation has to be measured in terms of hardwiring, time for installation, disruption to work and maintaining the UTP points and hubs. In a classroom environment these points are exposed to a natural process of 'accidental` damage and these costs can accumulate over time.
"However, with wireless technologies in place, one has the freedom and flexibility to 'shift` connectivity from classroom to classroom as the need arises.
"Furthermore, it is difficult to make long-term projections as to where UTP connections need to be placed and one would have to then saturate all classrooms which becomes a costly exercise. The use of classrooms can also change and investments in UTP connectivity can be misdirected in this way.
"Opting for wireless connectivity helped us overcome all these issues due to its flexible nature."
Initially the system was set up to cross-saturate all classrooms. There were shadows in the system but these have been overcome with the installation of 1-amp antennae boosters, providing greater coverage for all students and to upgrade the backbone to 11Mb.
Beyers notes: "Since then we have had virtually 100% up-time with a very broad coverage over the college. This has allowed the concept of anytime, anywhere learning to become a reality on the campus. It has removed a key barrier of access to teaching and learning and has spawned new educational opportunities for the future.
"In the afternoons it is not unnatural for learners to be working on their laptops while waiting for their parents to pick them up. This goes a long way to eradicating the notion that class time equals learning time as the walls of the classroom are being broken down."
According to Beyers, the performance of the system has been more than acceptable.
"Apart from the installation of Microsoft Millennium and XP, the system has been virtually plug-and-play with many of the students even installing their own cards. The introduction of this technology, coupled to the introduction of laptops, has led to an increase in the number of learners succeeding at national academic events and some even being highly placed in international events. The technology has played a significant role in freeing up the minds of many learners at the college and will continue to do so in years to come."
The wireless technology provides practical advantages in totally different environments, as Mokgatle points out: "In some African countries where it is not practical to install traditional hard-wired systems, learners will be able to access the educational material that learners worldwide have access to. This will allow them to be more explorative and network with other learners across the globe, thus bridging the gap in the global divide."
Mokgatle adds that locally our education system could also gain from the benefits of wireless technology.
"For example, when using the system for matric or similar examinations, imagine the cost savings on printing and distribution of exam papers as well as on the time and expense of marking these papers. There are also added benefits of examination results being made available almost immediately as well as no risk of theft."
Beyers argues that the wireless technology network has removed the barriers of access to teaching and learning and has resulted in learning without limits.
"The parents have been very supportive of the technologies. They have seen how their sons are being prepared for life in a technological world where the transition into a saturated technological environment of the workplace will be a natural process, rather than a steep learning curve.
"ICTs provide the essential delivery vehicle for education. And, there is no better way to smuggle ICT skills into a school than by focusing on education rather than on an isolated process of IT training.
"Information management and access have also started to revolutionise the way teachers are delivering the curriculum and it is the ideal way of being able to transform outreach projects into true community partnering events," says Beyers.
Billy Twala, sales and marketing manager in arivia.kom`s Infrastructure Business division, agrees with Beyers and adds: "The wireless infrastructure provides a stable and scalable environment for the deployment of the outreach projects in previously disadvantaged community schools and forms part of the ongoing strategy to close the digital divide."
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Arivia.kom is a leading South African IT company operating throughout Africa, with the proven ability to implement customised, integrated IT solutions and provide services at whichever global location our clients may specify. Our end-to-end services and solutions generate significant business advantages for our clients. Through operating in a transparent, straightforward manner, providing a single point of responsibility for account management, and being able to access a national footprint and large expertise base, we simplify the complexity and reduce the risk of IT for our clients. We have a thorough understanding of the market sectors in which we focus and an impressive track record as proof of our capabilities. www.arivia.co.za
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