| Wireless broadband facilitates e-learning |
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| Date: 28 June 2004 |
Issue: 28 June
(Computing S.A.) |
| Category: SA News |
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The Ulwazi E-Learning Partnership has successfully launched an e-learning initiative run on Canopy, Motorola’s new broadband wireless access technology. The pilot aims to create a connected learning community, by linking five schools in the Tshwane area to promote shared learning, cultural experiences and knowledge.
“This project was launched in response to the dire need to improve and accelerate education throughout SA, particularly among disadvantaged communities, where a lack of teachers, resources and funding is hindering their path to progress,” explains Ron Beyers, Ulwazi project leader and director of technology at St. Alban’s College.
The five schools - St. Alban’s College, one of SA’s leading private schools, and four schools in Mamelodi (Gatang High School, Tshwane Northern College, Mamelodi High School and Modiri Technical High) fall within a 15km radius, and have been connected via a high-speed broadband wireless network.
“Lack of affordable broadband connectivity is crippling the cost of education, and preventing us from delivering quality education where it is needed most. In the past, we had to bus pupils to the college, which wasted time and cost money. With the high-speed network that we have installed, we can reach far more students and create an extended connected learning community,” says Beyers.
The project is materially supported by a number of private companies, with Motorola supplying the Canopy wireless network, and Omega Digital Technologies providing electronic whiteboards. It also has the support of the Knowledge Management and Multimedia units of the Department of Communication, the Department of Education, the CSIR Innovation Hub, the University of Pretoria, and Schoolnet SA. Recently, the Universal Service Agency has also come on board.
“The network is key to the execution of the project. We are using Motorola’s Canopy system, which operates in the 5GHz band, and provides data rates of up to 7Mbps. It is highly flexible, transparent, quick to configure, and easy to use - in just two days we would be able to connect another ten schools, which is how we would like to expand the project in the future. In fact, there is no limit to the number of classrooms that we can interconnect, so we hope this pilot will result in a model for nationwide roll-out,” Beyers notes.
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