Schools and kura will be able to access affordable, safe and rapid broadband. N4L will also bring internet based services for engaging learners. Additionally N4L will provide services to help streamline school administration.

BENEFITS

We aim to unleash learner potential by delivering innovative online services across an ultra-fast broadband network to teachers and learners in all schools.

Our immediate focus is on delivering what schools need in connectivity and on-line services, taking the hassles out of ICT service procurement and administration, and providing broadband services that are safe, easy, relevant and affordable.

Benefits for our learners will be improved achievement through greater engagement, which will be driven by innovative approaches to teaching and learning by the schools themselves.

The benefits to schools include:

Enabling improved learning opportunities for students - greater collaboration with communities, peer learning, authentic learning, potentially increasing engagement and the motivation to learn.
Improving effectiveness of teaching and learning - resources can be more easily accessed and adapted to individual student’s needs. Learning can be differentiated, self-paced, and personalised.
Enabling leaders and teachers - to engage more effectively in collaborative enquiry practices.
Improving efficiencies - in administration processes.

"The classrooms where we observed the most interactive and ubiquitous use of technology, where the students were the most enthused, were those where the technology was being used by the students around the classroom. It was in their hands; they were able to access the Internet from any point of the classroom; they were in charge of their own learning. Further, the Internet was just available - it was part of their normal classroom practice. They used the laptops sitting on the floor, at their desks, and in shared spaces. They treated the laptops as they would books, casually carrying them from one place to another."

NEN Trial Evaluation Report Series: Report No. 4

WE’D LOVE YOUR FEEDBACK

It’s really important to us that we focus on delivering what schools need in connectivity and content. We’d love to hear what you see as the opportunities to engage learners in digital learning and how N4L could provide services for schools which would help to streamline learning management and administrative systems. We’d also like your feedback on what content we should be looking to provide.

Feedback form

WHAT’S HAPPENED SO FAR?

The infrastructure that will deliver ultra-fast broadband is expected to reach more than 97.7% of New Zealand schools. Fibre is being rolled out to towns and cities up and down the country. Crown Fibre Holdings are responsible for the roll out of fibre in urban areas and are prioritising schools to ensure urban schools can get access to ultra-fast broadband. Schools in rural locations are being serviced by the Rural Broadband Initiative (RBI) or the Remote Schools Broadband Initiative (RSBI) managed by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. The 2.3% of remote schools that do not receive fibre will receive high speed wireless or satellite connections.

The Ministry of Education has been communicating with schools about when their school will receive fibre. They have been liaising with fibre providers and companies to lay fibre from the gate to the school server rooms ready for connection by a service provider. More information on the School Connection Programme (SCP), see ufbis.elearning.tki.org.nz

The School Network Upgrade Programme (SNUP) is another initiative managed by the Ministry of Education. This programme focuses on upgrading schools’ internal networks to bring them up to consistent standard so they can gain the full benefit of ultra-fast broadband. For more information on SNUP, see elearning.tki.org.nz/Ministry-initiatives/Getting-connected2/SNUP.

4 STEPS TO GET CONNECTED

The physical fibre cables pass by your school gate. In most instances this step will be managed by Crown Fibre Holdings via the Ultra-fast Broadband rollout and Rural Broadband Initiative.
The fibre is connected from your school gate to your school server room. This is organised by the Schools Connection Project team in the MoE.
The fibre needs to be "lit" before it can be used. Crown Fibre Holdings has contracted a company to come to your school to do this. Once this is done then your fibre is ready to be connected to N4L.
Once N4L has announced a vendor that will build its managed network service (connecting all the schools together),H your school will be contacted to arrange a connection. If you need a fibre internet connection in the meantime, then it is suggested you avoid locking your school into a long-term agreement and see if a shorter, month-by-month contract is available.

LOOKING FORWARD

Connection Schedule

To find out when your school will be connected to ultra-fast broadband, see elearning.tki.org.nz/Ministry-initiatives/Getting-connected2

BEING DIGITAL CITIZENS

We’re here to support all of those in education – be they learners, staff or their communities – to be and become confident, capable and creative digital citizens of New Zealand and the world.

The Learn Guide Protect framework created by NetSafe will be embedded in the services we provide. Using this, we will catalyse the great work already done and continuing to be done to create digital citizens who:

are confident and capable users of ICT
use technologies to participate in educational, cultural, and economic activities
use and develop critical thinking skills in the online environment
are literate in the language, symbols, and texts of digital technologies
are aware of ICT challenges and manage them effectively
use ICT to relate to others in positive, meaningful ways
demonstrate honesty and integrity and ethical behaviour in their use of ICT
respect the concepts of privacy and freedom of speech in a digital world
contribute and actively promote the values of digital citizenship

For more information on the Learn Guide Protect framework, see www.mylgp.org.nz.

WHAT’S NEXT?

N4L is committed to on-going consultation and engagement with schools. We will be working with the Ministry of Education to align their work with ours, and other government agencies to ensure we make the most of what ultra-fast broadband has to offer learners, schools and teachers.