Creating Digital
Learning Spaces
Alcatel-Lucent Solutions for K-12
Rapidly evolving technology offers both
opportunities and challenges for today’s
educators. Advancements in communications
enable new ways to reach students and
enhance learning, but at the same time,
they raise new issues. Preparing the next
generation to live, work and flourish means
ensuring equal access to technology for all
of our children. And delivering that access
while maintaining the security of students,
teachers and staff – as well their information
– becomes more complex.
As a technology and communications
partner, Alcatel-Lucent understands these
challenges, and primary and secondary
educators around the world are choosing
Alcatel-Lucent to help them build networks
that connect their communities and teach
students the skills they need to succeed in
the 21st century.
Alcatel-Lucent | Creating Digital Learning Spaces - Solutions for K-122
CUSTOMER NEEDS
The primary goal for administrators and teachers is to
educate children – preparing them to live and work in
today’s complex world. Students need to learn basic
skills – such as problem solving, communication, and
interpersonal skills – plus the information to support
good decision making.
Technology
The industry group Partnership for 21st Century Skills
has outlined how technology can play a significant
role in teaching these skills and how technology skills
are themselves vital to teaching and learning. As
Table 1 shows, students must have information and
communications technology (ICT) literacy.
Communication
An effective technology solution should create digital
learning spaces that support those vital 21st century
skills. It must facilitate communications among the
many education stakeholders – students, teachers,
principals, and parents.
• Students get information and share projects by
working confidently with tools such as the Internet,
audio and video collaboration.
• Teachers and administrators can share best practices
to generate new ideas and leverage the competencies
of other teaching professionals.
• Parental support and involvement are key to a
child’s education. Without it, a child can easily fall
behind in school and even develop social problems.
Communications technologies are a primary tool for
relaying important information about a child's
activities and progress in a timely and effective
manner.
Table 1. Partnership for 21St Century Skills Learning Matrix, www.21stcenturyskills.org
Learning skills + 21st Century Tools = ICT Literacy
Thinking and problem solving skills Problem solving tools – spreadsheets,
decision support, etc.
Information and communication skills Communications tools –
e-mail, groupware, web, collaboration
Interpersonal and self-directional skills Personal development tools –
e-learning, time management,
collaboration
Manage complexity, solve problems,
think critically
Access, manage, integrate, evaluate
create and communicate information
Enhance productivity and
personal development
Alcatel-Lucent | Creating DigitalLlearning Spaces - Solutions for K-12 3
Administrators are challenged to integrate technology into the classroom and its
operations in a way that productively supports the goal of educating children.
Technology for its own sake is counterproductive.
Government Standards
The pressure to address these issues
has increased in recent years with
the implementation of the No
Child Left Behind act in the U.S.,
and many other mandates at the
state and local level. No Child
Left Behind states that by the end
of the eighth grade, all students
should have technology literacy.
States must certify that they are
working toward this goal to receive
certain federal funds.
Governments and communities are
raising the bar on education
standards, even as budgets are
more and more constrained. In
many cases, not meeting these
standards means losing funding
and losing students to other
schools.
Given these additional headaches,
it behooves a school district to
seriously review its
communications strategy to see
how it can get teachers and staff
more connected to parents and
each other – in the classroom, in a
mobile campus environment, and
in the community.
Security
Every school needs a way to
quickly lock down the premises
and broadcast emergency messages
to the necessary personnel. And
information security is also vital.
Student records, teacher files, and
district applications must be
protected from mischievous
students, hackers, identity thieves,
worms and viruses.
And just like businesses, districts
have human resources, payroll,
food services, transportation
departments, etc. These staff
members need access to the
highest quality, most reliable
enterprise network – with access
and security extended to wireless
data service. A district that runs
well operationally is best
positioned to support teaching and
learning.
And with tight budgets for
network and telecom equipment, a
good solution must be user friendly
with simple network management,
manageable with only a handful of
network administrators.
Alcatel-Lucent | Creating Digital Learning Spaces - Solutions for K-124
ALCATEL-LUCENT SOLUTIONS
Converged Networking
Alcatel-Lucent’s network solution for educators
provides a converged, high-capacity infrastructure that
supports applications from email and broadband
Internet access to voice over IP (VoIP). With AlcatelLucent, a district can scale its network from a single
site with basic Internet to multiple schools with
gigabit Ethernet across a wide area network. This
scalable, flexible network is the foundation for
creating digital learning spaces that will drive 21st
century teaching and learning.
Plus, converged networking offers significant cost
savings over leased lines and IP Centrex, while
offering more services and functionality.
Figure 1. Alcatel-Lucent’s Solution for K-12
• Every teacher can have a phone in the classroom
with unique voicemail
• Dial-by-name on IP or digital business phones
enables fast communication
• Automate school directories to allow a teacher to
call a parent by entering a student's name
• Client or web-based IP soft phones allows teachers
and administrators access to school phone features
from home or remote offices
All of these features empower teachers, make it easier
for them to communicate with parents, and increase
their professional autonomy and satisfaction. And by
empowering teachers, you boost their performance,
which in turn improves the learning and performance
of students.
Alcatel-Lucent | Creating Digital Learning Spaces - Solutions for K-12 5
To administer the converged network, Alcatel-Lucent provides simplified, centralized network management to
configure and troubleshoot each device, monitor network traffic, and deliver end-to-end security. Easing network
management supports a district’s IT staff – helping them do more to support students and teachers with their
limited resources.
CONVERGED NETWORKING FEATURES
Leverage your data network to offer newer, higher value services that integrate voice, data, and video
•
• Seamless operation of multiple high-bandwidth applications in classrooms, libraries, and offices
• Instant access to information and online resources around the globe
• Connectivity among students, teachers, parents, and administrators
SOLUTION COMPONENTS
• OmniSwitch Series - optimized for voice and data integration, intelligent switching and routing services with capacities
up to multi-gigabit Ethernet
• OmniStack Series – cost-efficient, stackable workgroup switches that deliver power, flexibility and network services,
plus a wide range of uplinks (fast Ethernet, gigabit Ethernet)
• OmniPCX Series – an integrated communications solution that combines traditional voice and IP networking for costconscious districts on the cutting edge
• IP Touch or Reflexes Phones – flexible digital phone options that allow districts to choose whether to deploy IP to the
desktop while still implementing a full-featured IP telephony network
• OmniTouch Unified Communications – suite of next-generation IP-based applications for unified, multimedia
messaging, conferencing and collaboration, call forwarding, integration with automated directories, and support for
custom XML development
• OmniVista – comprehensive, centralized management with embedded security that can monitor network activity and
configure and troubleshoot each device
• VitalQIP – complete centralized and scalable IP Address Management system to manage, maintain, distribute and
secure IP addresses as well as DHCP and DNS services for continuous uptime and communication across the IP
network.
6 Alcatel-Lucent | Title
Alcatel-Lucent | Creating Digital Learning Spaces - Solutions for K-12
Mobility
uilding on the foundation of a converged network,
B
Alcatel-Lucent’s mobility solution for education
facilitates anywhere, anytime access to information.
Our flexible wireless local area network (WLAN)
technology allows a school to deploy laptops that can
be shared and moved between classrooms, to a library
or science lab, or even outside – with ubiquitous
access to the Internet, email, and online school
applications. Wireless VoIP handsets are also
supported, providing a greater degree of mobility for
staff and helping improve overall school security.
For example, a principal can access her email or
voicemail from a handheld device while visiting a
classroom or attending an event in the auditorium. Or
emergency personnel can launch a conference with a
principal and school counselor instantly from a
hallway on the other side of the school.
MOBILITY FEATURES
• Support for multiple devices, including PDAs and mobile handsets.
• Support for VoWLAN, when coupled with a VoIP solution
• Wireless savings
• Greater access to all network applications, regardless of device used
• Better manageability, scalability, availability and security
• Lower total cost of ownership
SOLUTION COMPONENTS
• OmniAccess Wireless LAN Series – flexible, scalable WLAN switches and access points providing industry-leading
security and reliability
• OmniPCX Series – beyond VoIP, this integrated communication solution supports voice over wireless LAN handsets and
WiFi-enabled handheld devices such as smart phones and PDAs
Alcatel-Lucent | Creating Digital Learning Spaces - Solutions for K-12
7Alcatel-Lucent |Title
Security
ecurity is a primary concern for school districts, and
S
Alcatel-Lucent’s networking solutions are built to
support and extend their security policies across the
network – from the network core to the applications
and devices students and teachers use everyday.
As you can see in Figure 2, Alcatel-Lucent’s converged
wired and wireless networks are composed of virtual
LANs (VLANs) with the access rights and
applications for each user role – students, teachers,
school and district administrators, parents, etc. A
user’s network access and assignment to the
appropriate VLAN can be based on the device media
access control (MAC) address, IP address, or protocol.
A district can configure its security solution to match
its desired security policy.
Figure 2. Alcatel-Lucent’s role-based, VLAN security solution
Alcatel-Lucent’s OmniAccess SafeGuard further
enhances a district’s ability to peer deeper into
network traffic to determine what users are doing on
the network and then compare that with what they’re
allowed to do. OmniAccess SafeGuard then flags any
activities prohibited by the district’s acceptable use
policies (such as peer-to-peer downloads or unsecure,
public instant messaging), therefore helping K-12
districts enforce the school board’s desire to keep
students safe online.
Alcatel-Lucent | Creating Digital Learning Spaces - Solutions for K-128
In support of physical security, teachers can signal an emergency in the
classroom from a PC or phone and instantly, simultaneously notify the
principal, security officer, nurse or counselor on their mobile phones, desk
phones, PCs, etc. IP-enabled alarms on doors, windows, or smoke
detectors can signal those same staff members as needed. Administrators
can also deliver lockdown alerts to every classroom via email, text or
voice message to phones and/or computers, supporting school and district
security policies.
SECURITY FEATURES
• Check user devices for virus protection status before granting network
access
• Isolate/quarantine unrecognized or suspicious users without disrupting
access of authorized users on the same port
• Monitor file sharing to limit legal exposure on copyright violations
• Seamless, flexible delivery of information via voice, data, and video to
multiple devices
• Alarms and monitoring plus notification messages
• Support for SIP, XML, and other open communications standards
SOLUTION COMPONENTS
• OmniVista with Quarantine Manager – integrated security management
that screens, maps, and inspects users accessing the network and
enforces district policies
• OmniAccess WLAN Series – secure switches that define user roles and
extend VLAN security procedures to the wireless data network
• OmniAccess SafeGuard – management application that allows IT
managers to ensure compliance with acceptable use policies
• VPN Firewall Brick – advanced firewall to protect against hackers and
denial-of-service attacks while delivering high-speed content security and
premium authentication services
uccess Story
S
Cheltenham School District
Location: Elkins Park, PA
(in suburban Philadelphia)
Solution: Converged networking with voice
over IP and wireless handsets
Cheltenham needed to address the
inability of its communications network to
support business operations across
separate phone systems. District goals
included reducing telecommunications
costs from Centrex, and installing
advanced call features, security with text
messaging, and e911.
With Alcatel-Lucent, Cheltenham achieved
cost savings with voice over IP and
implemented an IP communications system
that delivered:
Digital classrooms connecting students
to the world
Enough bandwidth to support video
streaming in the classroom and teacher
applications like LetterGrade
District-wide emergency notification
and lockdown communications to
phones, wireless handsets, and PCs
“We now have more open communication,
and the technology provides the district
with tools to make us more productive,
efficient and successful that were not
previously available to us. The impact is
very significant.”
Gary Bixby, Director of Facilities and
Support Services
• FortiGate Security Appliance (in partnership with Fortinet) – multipurpose
intrusion detection and prevention system, antivirus, and firewall
appliance capable of issuing a simple network management protocol
(SNMP) trap or syslog message upon detection of a violation
Alcatel-Lucent | Creating Digital Learning Spaces - Solutions for K-12 9
Conferencing and Collaboration
lcatel-Lucent offers a packaged solution providing
A
audio, data, and even video conferencing. The
software-based solution – My Teamwork – is a part of
Alcatel-Lucent’s Unified Communications suite and
can be enabled from any telephone, any location, and
any browser. It allows secure conferencing with
anyone, inside or outside the school district, without
the need for downloads or a VPN. My Teamwork can
be deployed on any vendor’s PBX or softswitch in an
IP or PSTN calling environment.
The presence-aware, self-service user interface offers
meet me, ad hoc, and scheduled conferencing with
click-to-call, document management, and much more.
With My Teamwork, a district gets secure, on-network
instant messaging that allows for instant collaboration
in a safer, monitored environment.
Alcatel-Lucent partners with Polycom to add video,
bringing rich multimedia conferencing in support of
district operations, classroom learning, and
professional development. Smoothly integrated into
My Teamwork’s one-click browser interface, video
conferences may be initiated as easily as IM, audio or
Web conferences, or added to an ongoing session. My
Teamwork users may also participate in room systemcentric video conferences.
Students can:
• Share data with other students in the district or
around the world for group projects
• Attend class virtually if they are home bound or in
distance learning programs
• Review class sessions to study or catch up on missed
lessons
Teachers can:
• Attend virtual training sessions
• Collaborate and share curriculum content within a
district or beyond
• Launch instant conferences with parents
• Application sharing shows grades and
student work
• Parents don’t have to leave work
• Non-custodial parents can attend
conferences from out of state
Administrators and staff can:
• Conduct audio and video conferences for more
effective meetings
• Record memos and presentations teachers can view
on their own time
•Conduct individualized education planning (IEP)
meetings and archive them for the student’s record
CONFERENCING AND COLLABORATION FEATURES
• Presence awareness
• Secure, on-net instant messaging (IM)
• Ad-hoc, scheduled and meet me conferencing, presentation, and application sharing
• Blended learning through video conferencing
• Session recording and archiving
SOLUTION COMPONENTS
• My Teamwork—part of the OmniTouch communications suite designed for multimedia conferencing and collaboration
• OmniPCX Series—converged communications platform that supports conferencing and collaboration using IP and SIP.
Advanced features
Alcatel-Lucent | Creating Digital Learning Spaces - Solutions for K-1210
Video Distribution
ntegrating video can dramatically
I
improve the blended learning
environment. In addition to video
conferencing, Alcatel-Lucent can
provide video distribution for
streaming live video or delivering
video on demand into the
classroom.
A school can digitize its media
assets—purchased or created by
the teachers and students—and
store them within the system for
on demand availability across the
district. For live television, the
district can work with a local
VIDEO SOLUTION FEATURES
• Clientless
• No special video players or browsers
• Saves on administration time and cost
• Live streaming
• Broadcast/cable/satellite TV distribution
• School or district TV stations
• Video on demand
• Digitized media assets
• Meta-tagging for searchable content
• Operates over Ethernet
• No need to run coaxial cable in new buildings or campus expansions
• Delivers content to a PC or TV with set-top box
• Standards based – MPEG 1/2/4
ontent provider (telco, cable or
c
satellite) and distribute channels
to classrooms and libraries.
Teachers can easily take clips from
the Discovery Channel or a
foreign language program and add
multimedia that enriches the
lesson and helps students
remember key concepts. Or, if a
school or district has video
cameras, it can do its own live
streaming and broadcast school
assemblies, performances, or
athletic events over the network.
SOLUTION COMPONENTS
• OmniSwitch Family – a reliable, high-speed data infrastructure that supports the bandwidth requirements of unicast
and multicast video
• OmniVista – powerful network management for traffic monitoring and quality of service
• Video Distribution Hardware and Software (in partnership with Video Furnace) – standards-based (MPEG 1/2/4)
solution offers clientless viewing, live encoding and playback, and fully integrated programming guide
Alcatel-Lucent | Creating Digital Learning Spaces - Solutions for K-12 11
WHY PARTNER WITH ALCATEL-LUCENT
Alcatel-Lucent has global education experience,
working with some of the largest school districts in the
U.S. and with ministries of education in countries
around the world.
Success Story
Hamilton Southeastern School District
Location: Fishers, IN
(in suburban Indianapolis)
Solution: Powerful data networking with secure wireless LAN
solution
To keep pace with explosive growth in the student population,
Hamilton Southeastern constantly updates its technology,
maintaining state-of-the-art communications systems for
access to services such as the Internet and to student
databases. One of the major challenges for the district was to
provide mobility for students and teachers so they can
incorporate the power of computers into the classroom.
The district chose an Alcatel-Lucent solution that upgraded
their network core to a gigabit MAN and added wireless data
networking.
With Alcatel-Lucent, you have an outstanding
business partner that provides not only technical
expertise, support and service, but that can help with
teacher professional development and introducing
technology into the classroom.
The solution delivered:
Fast, reliable wireless Internet access across district locations
Virtual LANs to segregate user traffic and provide secure
access to the appropriate applications
Intelligent network engineering with redundancy and high
port density
Easy installation with minimal impact on management of the
network
“It’s always nicer to be in the position where you can look
back and say ‘Yes, I made the right decision.’ We’ve had good
help from Alcatel-Lucent. We consider Alcatel-Lucent to be a
partner in every sense.”
Jay Denney, Assistant Director of Technology
Alcatel-Lucent | Creating Digital Learning Spaces - Solutions for K-1212
www.alcatel-lucent.com
Alcatel, Lucent,Alcatel-Lucent and Alcatel-Lucent logo are trademarks of Alcatel-Lucent. All other
trademarks are the property of their respective owners. The information presented is subject to
change without notice. Alcatel-Lucent assumes no responsibility for inaccuracies contained herein.
© 2007 Alcatel-Lucent. All rights reserved. 21000 (03)
Loading...