Networking & Wireless | News

Medina City School District Upgrades Network To Support BYOD

• By Leila Meyer
• 02/05/13

Medina City School District in Ohio has deployed new wireless and wired network solutions across its 13 campuses to support bring-your-own-device (BYOD) policies and blended learning.

Faced with the need to support mobile devices, but lacking sufficient bandwidth, the district chose to implement IdentiFi Wi-Fi and Mobile IAM from Enterasys Networks. IdentiFi provides the district's wireless networking capabilities, and Mobile IAM provides network access management and security. Because the district has only one IT staff person in charge of support for the district's 13 locations, 7,500 users, and thousands of devices, it also uses system management and Global Technical Assistant Center (GTAC) from Enterasys to provide support.

Since implementing the new network, a district school has been selected as one of seven schools in the state to pilot a new blended learning initiative, which combines traditional classroom learning with digital learning. "Our school district is now being looked to as an example of technology use in the classroom," said Jack Howell, senior network and systems engineer for Medina City School District, in a prepared statement.

The Enterasys network enables the district to implement video in the classroom, interactive student polling for instant feedback, location-based content filtering, and online classes and assessments. Students in the middle and high schools can now bring their own laptops and mobile devices from home to access educational tools and collaborate with each other, and elementary school students and teachers are now using iPod Touches in the classroom. The new network also supports more than 100 Apple TVs for delivering educational content to classrooms.

"Enterasys has helped us make substantial and meaningful advancements in technology in our schools," said Stacy Hawthorne, technology integration coordinator for the district, in a prepared statement. "Both students and administrators have had positive feedback on the BYOD initiative and it has increased collaboration in the classroom and even outside the classroom, as online testing and online classes have become more popular."

Further information about Enterasys Networks' K-12 solutions is available at enterasys.com.