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Announcements and Updates Internet2 Network Connection Offered to Ohio School Districts Students can participate in cutting-edge teaching and learning opportunities Message from Ohio Department of Education July 16, 2008 Columbus - The Ohio Department of Education (ODE), the Management Council of the Ohio Education Computer Network (MCOECN) and the Ohio Academic Research Network (OARnet) today announced a one-year renewable agreement funded by ODE that will give Ohio schools unlimited Internet2 Network access this fall without charge to districts that use the Ohio Education Computer Network as their primary Internet provider. Internet2 is a consortium led by more than 200 universities working in partnership with industry and government to develop and deploy advanced network applications and technologies, accelerating the creation of tomorrow's Internet. The Internet2 Network is helping to develop and test new technologies that will enable a new generation of Internet applications. For schools, a practical application will be the ability to participate in videoconferences among schools for live language, cultural and other educational interactions among people all over the world. "Based on questions I receive from superintendents across the state, there is definitely an increasing demand for Internet2," said Bruce Hawkins, chief executive officer for the MCOECN. "This is a great opportunity to provide very good educational resources and high-speed access to collaborative events that are not available via the traditional Internet." "The Internet2 Network can help better prepare Ohio students for college and careers while enhancing Ohio's cost efficiency model," said Duane Baker, MCOECN's chief operating officer. "By connecting Ohio elementary and secondary schools to the Internet2 Network, students will have the access to share information and ideas with mentors, teachers, professors and fellow students around the world," said Pankaj Shah, director of OARnet. "This access to a national research and education backbone network provides Ohio's school children with unparalleled educational and cultural opportunities such as Megaconference and Megaconference Jr. Ohio has played a major role in conjunction with Internet2 and other Regional Optical networks to host this annual event since 2000," he said. "The Internet2 Network is a research network that is substantially faster than the Internet to which the majority of us have become accustomed and depend on every day," said Steve Burigana, ODE's chief operating officer. "Preschool through high school-aged students can now participate and become leaders by attending virtual field trips across the United States and the world. Students will have the ability to control microscopes remotely, participate in remote music auditions and lessons, interview fellow students across the world, or view a science experiment in real time." Most of Ohio's larger universities and a number of smaller ones are connected to the Internet2 Network. Ohio is one of 38 states that have a Sponsored Education Group Participant agreement that allows smaller colleges and universities, as well as the K-12 community, libraries, museums, zoos, science and performing arts centers to connect to Internet2. About Internet2 Internet2 is the foremost U.S. advanced networking consortium. Led by the research and education community since 1996, Internet2 promotes the missions of its members by providing both leading-edge network capabilities and unique partnership opportunities that together facilitate the development, deployment and use of revolutionary Internet technologies. Internet2 brings the U.S. research and academic community together with technology leaders from industry, government and the international community to undertake collaborative efforts that have a fundamental impact on tomorrow's Internet. For more information: http://www.internet2.edu/. Karla Warren |
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| Last Updated on July 16, 2008 |
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