Shine Magazine, Issue 9, October 2009 - Department of Education ...

School News
Shine 45
Wireless upgrade for
primary schools
Classrooms may soon match the modern office thanks to a $7 million wireless access point upgrade to
all Victorian Government primary schools.
Up to 7300 wireless access points (WAPs) were
delivered to schools in September boosting
network coverage and capacity for students who
access the web. The statewide ratio of wireless
radios is now one to 14 students, which is among
the best in Australia.
Minister for Education Bronwyn Pike made
these exciting announcements during a recent
visit to Merri Creek Primary School, which is one
of the first to go live with the new devices.
“Schools across the state already enjoy
10-megabits-per-second broadband speeds
and these upgrades will help Victoria maintain
its leadership in the provision of bandwidth to
schools,” she said.
The Department has provided, through IBM,
Cisco new generation dual radio WAPs
and funding for cabling to every Victorian
Government primary school. In addition,
specialist school technicians are receiving training
in planning and optimal placement of the new
equipment in the classroom. Rollout of the new
WAPs is expected to be complete by early 2010.
In the meantime, staff and students at Merri
Creek PS are enjoying the added freedom that
boosted network coverage allows.
“The increased coverage throughout the school
means that there are more spaces that children can
take laptops to,” principal Dionne Wright says.
“The courtyard is a really lovely outdoor space for
the Year 5 and 6 students to work in, and we are
considering a complete changeover from desktop
computers to laptops for students in Years 3 and
4. It will allow them to work in different spaces,
and not always at a desk. It means that the
teacher can sit in circle with the students to work,
which is very exciting,” she says.
Ms Wright adds that one of the greatest – and
most appreciated – changes has taken place in
the staffroom.
“Only half of the staffroom was covered by the
original wireless network so the teachers were all
stuck on top of each other at one end of the room
during breaks – now they can relax and spread out
while they work.”
Minister Pike with Merri Creek PS students Joshua, Year 5, and Isobel, Year 6 – two
of thousands of Victorian Government primary school students who will reap the
benefits of having increased wireless access.
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