Personal tools
\\\\\\\\\
Toolbox /////////
KAREN wiki
KIWI ADVANCED RESEARCH AND EDUCATION NETWORK
National Education Network Trial Extension
From KAREN wiki
Contents |
National Education Network Phase 3: Trial Extension 2010-2011
Since 2008, REANNZ has been operating a trial of a NEN for a limited number of schools on behalf of the Ministry of Education. REANNZ recently extended the trial to schools in Christchurch and Nelson. The end date for the trial has also been extended beyond June 2011 to allow further exploration of the experiences of schools transitioning from copper-based broadband (the current state of most NZ schools) to a fibre-based network environment. To enable this to happen a final group of schools that are in the process of connecting to fibre and that would fit within the trial’s remaining capacity has been identified. This group is expected to join the NEN trial extension by mid 2011.
The NEN trial extension is paid for by the Ministry of Education, and is part of a range of initiatives to bring ultra-fast broadband to schools. The Ministry of Education has provided information on the Broadband in Schools Programme in the 7 December 2009 edition of the Education Gazette.
There is more information on the REANNZ site National Education Network.
If you have any ideas or questions about the NEN Trial Extension we encourage you to add them to the NEN Trial Extension Discussion Page (or click on the Discussion tab above). Visit our Help page to get a wiki account. Disclaimer: The views expressed in this wiki are those of individual contributors and do not represent the official views of the Ministry of Education or REANNZ.
What is a National Education Network?
A National Education Network (NEN) is a dedicated education network that connects schools directly to a range of service providers in New Zealand and internationally. A NEN would give schools access to a range of education-related content and services via ultra-fast broadband. Improved learning would be the focus of a NEN, based on the underlying principles of participation, engagement, content creation and sharing. The REANNZ model for illustrating a NEN comprises four inter-dependent dimensions, each of which can be characterised by an "i" word - interconnection, information, innovation and interaction.
- Interconnection is the physical and logical network that connects schools with each other and to local, national and international communities using ultra-fast broadband (100Mbps+) using optical fibre networks wherever possible. The NEN trial uses KAREN as its national and international backbone;
- Information is the content carried on the network; the symmetrical bandwidth of the network makes it possible for every connected school to create as much information as it receives. This is a transformative dimension that contrasts strongly with earlier one-way broadcast technologies and even today's Internet where users typically receive much more information than they create; the asymmetrical nature of most internet services today perpetuates this imbalance;
- Innovation is the outcome that results from digitally skilled, literate teachers and students who are confident in exploring the learning opportunities presented by the new digital technologies; and
- Interaction encourages teachers and students to actively engage on the network by collaborating and sharing knowledge with each other.
REANNZ's role is to deliver the Interconnection layer
Participating schools
Visit the Members page on the KAREN website for a list of participating NEN schools.
Content and services on the trial NEN
The Ministry of Education led work to select a number of Content and Service Partners to connect to the NEN Trial Extension. REANNZ has managed the connectivity of the chosen partners. The details of these partners are now available under the Services on the NEN page of the KAREN website.
In addition to these specific partners, check out and add to the ever increasing list of KAREN Content
Presentations, reports and communications
| Presentations | Reports | Comms/Media | Previous NEN phases |
|---|---|---|---|
|
We suggest you take a look at the reports and supporting information from the earlier phases of the trial to get a sense of the architecture we will be pursuing:
If you have any ideas or questions about the NEN Trial Extension we encourage you to add them to the NEN Trial Extension Discussion Page (or click on the Discussion tab above). Visit our Help page to get a wiki account.
International experience
The UK's National Education Network
Article on the success of Internet2's K12 initiative
School participation in Australia's National Science week
Frequently Asked Questions
Participants in this wiki are encouraged to ask questions and we are confident that the wisdom of the community will generate robust answers.
Why do you need fibre links between schools?
Fibre optic cable provides the bandwidth that schools require now and in the future. Existing copper technologies (digital subscriber loop - DSL, and variants)are limited by the physical makeup of the cable itself. Fibre is not - the speed is only constrained by the sophistication of the electronic equipment at each end.
What is the capacity of the KAREN backbone?
The current KAREN network has a 10 gigabit backbone, but this can be upgraded as new technologies are developed without having to replace the fibre. Already national education and research networks in some countries are using 40 gigabit backbones.
What network components does the NEN trial extension provide?
The NEN trial provides all the network components external to the school, including the edge router. This includes the physical connection to the nearest KAREN PoP (point of presence)as well as all usage costs for KAREN.
Who pays for network upgrades on the school grounds?
This is not covered by the NEN trial extension. However, schools can receive assistance through the Ministry of Education’s School Network Upgrade Project (SNUP). This is focused on upgrading schools’ internal cabling infrastructure in preparation for the use of ultra-fast broadband in their teaching and learning programmes.
Do we need to join KAREN as part of the NEN trial extension?
Yes. All NEN trial schools must become Associate Members of KAREN. KAREN provides the national and international infrastructure for the NEN trial and all users must conform to KAREN's acceptable use policies (AUPs). For the purposes of the Trial Extension the current 'per student' fee of $2.65 per annum will be continued. This cost will be covered by the Ministry of Education until at least June 2011 for participating schools. After June 2011 different fee structures may apply.
Further information
National Education Network Trial Extension page on the KAREN website
