BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) - North Dakota is poised to become the first state to achieve 1-gigabit connectivity for all school districts in an effort to improve digital learning.
Gov. Doug Burgum and several state officials announced Thursday the plan to update broadband activity for state and local governments, K-12 schools and higher education institutions by next summer, the Bismarck Tribune reported .
“While we already rank high nationally in connectivity for K-12, these significant upgrades, yet cost-neutral, will ensure that our schools have the bandwidth and the speed they need to prepare students for a 21st century economy, which is ever increasingly being influenced by a rapid digital transformation,” Burgum said.
State Superintendent Kirsten Baesler said that the internet improvement will enable teachers to enhance their instructional strategies and provide more personalized learning opportunities.
In 2016, 100 percent of the 103,951 students across North Dakota’s 175 districts met the minimum recommended bandwidth goal of 100 kbps per student, according to advocacy group EducationSuperHighway.
Burgum said though that’s good, “minimum is not what we’re shooting for.”
The state’s Information Technology Department extended a contract with broadband service provider Dakota Carrier Network, which has been providing internet access through the state’s network since 2000. The two-year extension will take effect July 1, 2019.
Dakota Carrier Network CEO Seth Arndorfer said the latest upgrade will require electronic updates at some schools and government agencies.
“It’s the largest incremental upgrade that we’ve seen on our network since we installed it back in 2000,” he said. “Students and teachers are going to notice that they can use the high-definition video for distance education, they can do research, they can download software upgrades, they can take tests and access cloud-based curriculum, all real-time without impacting their fellow student or fellow teacher.”
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Information from: Bismarck Tribune, http://www.bismarcktribune.com
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