Web-based Technologies Move to the Head of the Class
At this years National Education Computing Conference (NECC), Sun shines some light on its K-12 initiatives and its vision for getting everything and everyone connected to the Education Network.
June 30, 2003 - Presented by the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), the annual NECC show brings together leaders in the technology and education communities to discuss, debate and deliver compelling strategies for making the most of technology in todays K-12 learning environment. This year, with the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) taking precedence in the minds of administrators, teachers and technology companies alike, Web-based technologies are taking on a greater degree of importance than ever before. In fact, theyre moving to the head of the class, the back of the class and everywhere in between
and Sun is there, helping to lead the charge.
As a leading provider of open network computing solutions to K-12 institutions, Sun is dedicated to delivering the resources schools need to build a more "connected" classroom at a price they can afford. Sun has a vision to create "education networks" in schools around the world where everyone from students and teachers, to parents and school administrators, to local and federal administrators, can gather data, access information and collaborate more effectively and efficiently. Sun knows that with greater access schools are capable of greater things, and therefore continues its efforts to open education institutions to the benefits of a simplified Web-based architecture that is highly scalable, open to change, and able to complement existing IT investments.
From Web-based student information systems and Web-based portal solutions to no-cost licensing of its StarOffice software suite, Sun Microsystems is making the grade in helping K-12 academic institutions not only meet the mandates of NCLB, but more importantly, helping them better serve their user base of students, teachers and parents.
SIS Easy as A-B-C and 1-2-3
Putting Web-based platforms on the map for K-12 academic institutions, Sun surpassed the one-million mark this year, teaming with Administrative Assistants Ltd. (AAL) in deploying Web-based student information systems (eSIS ) for more than 1.7 million students. AALs eSIS is designed as a complete, Web-based, real-time information system for tracking and management of student data from pre-kindergarten through grade 12, and into adult/continuing education. The solution utilizes Sun servers, including Sun Fire V880s, Sun Fire V480s and Sun Fire V280s all running on the Sun Open Net Environment (Sun ONE).
Just recently, Sun and AAL added Seattle Public Schools to their joint customer portfolio, helping more than 3,000 schools provide a secure, centralized point of access to manage student records, such as registration, attendance, grade reporting, diploma management, disciplinary processing, school transfers and student demographics. Obviously, to comply with NCLB requirements, schools, districts and states will be required to collect and aggregate years of this kind of data so they can effectively monitor, analyze and report their progress over time. This type of reporting requires data from Web-based student information systems that are open, interoperable and highly secure. Together, Sun and AAL have proven that their solution is this and more. By making the reporting component of the NCLB equation easier and less costly to address, school administrators can even redirect dollars to other critical areas of NCLB compliance, such as supplemental education services or professional development for teachers.
Again, Over One-Million Served
This month, Sun hit another one-million mark one million students and faculty served in the United States with its no-cost StarOffice licensing and redistribution program. In fact, this year alone, Sun signed on more than 800 new schools and school districts and in the past four months has signed up school districts in Alaska, South Dakota and Texas, as well as Hamilton County school district in Tennessee, Heber Springs school in Arkansas, the Texas School for the Blind, and South Glen Falls Central school in New York. To date, Suns free StarOffice licensing agreements in the U.S. equate to more than $28.5 million worth of StarOffice software and training.
Sun understands what its education customers are up against in terms of tight budgets and increasing standards requirements. By offering a cost-effective productivity solution, as well as Web-based training, and its StarOffice Leadership Academy a train-the-trainer program specifically targeting the primary and secondary school market Sun allows schools to focus their dollars and efforts on what matters most: the students.
Portal Power
As attendees of NECC are well aware, beginning this school year, school districts must issue report cards on school safety and student performance by grade, subject, ethnicity and race, economic status, etc. The end goal being that parents will have the information they need to compare results and make better-informed decisions for their childs education needs; and federal officials will have the information to make tough decisions and direct changes in schools. Adequate, secure and reliable access to the schools data and information systems is critical to success. A secure portal solution can provide the answer.
Sun knows that in the business world, the use of portals has become synonymous with streamlining efficiencies and cutting costs. And thats exactly why Sun is partnering with leading education software companies to share its portal expertise with the K-12 market. In todays evolving technology landscape, school administrators must look to a portal solution that is highly secure, based on open industry standards, and that offers the directory, middleware, or search and collaboration services required to provide easy access to information and services today, and in the future. The Sun ONE family of products provides robust, highly scalable directory, e-mail, Web server, application server, calendaring, and messaging based on open standards. Plus, it is designed for cross-platform integration, which can save schools loads of money down the road in terms of integration with existing IT investments and IT investments theyre likely to make in the near future.
Everything Under the Sun
Suns presence at NECC this year underscores its commitment to helping create the schools of the 21st century through open, secure, networked systems that deliver benefits to the classroom and to the administration, while taking into account the reality of shrinking school budgets. Attacking cost and complexity in the classroom and in the schools "back office" is a core priority for Sun, and in this new era of NCLB requirements, Sun will continue to empower students, teachers and administrators with network-based tools and Web-based platforms that deliver cost savings, keep school operations running smoothly, and most importantly, that promote student advancement.
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