The Department of Early Education and Child Development has made a decision to standardise on Cisco® wired and wireless networking as the foundation for 21st-century teaching and learning in up to 1,000 primary and secondary schools across Victoria. This education-grade network will support future demand from one-to-one computing, mobility for flexible learning spaces, high-definition video, digital content and the Ultranet.

Jeff Rosewarne, deputy secretary, Office for Resources and Infrastructure from DEECD, said: “To ensure Victorian Government school students remain at the forefront of a rapidly changing digital world, the State Government is investing more than $120 million this year on information and communication technologies. In the classroom this means students will have access to more computers which are linked to high-speed broadband provided through the VicSmart initiative. The Ultranet – a 21st century online learning platform that will connect students, teachers and parents in every Victorian government school is now up and running. Cisco has been integral to this Government’s ICT investment that will help strengthen our education system to build the workforce of the future.”

DEECD’s innovative use of Cisco networking technology in schools will help create media-rich and highly engaging online curricula centered around video and collaboration, automate administrative processes, safeguard important school resources, and enhance the learning process in countless other ways. With the additional mobility provided by Cisco wireless solutions, education can now take place in the classroom, the playground or anywhere else and on any device. By erasing the physical boundaries of the classroom, teachers also gain the flexibility to teach in new ways and from anywhere that wired or wireless connections exist in order to prepare students for success in a global, Internet-based economy.

Les Williamson, vice president Cisco Australia and New Zealand, said: “It is the combination of technology coupled with innovative teaching and learning approaches that makes this deployment so exciting for Cisco. By bringing innovative wired and wireless networking solutions to 1,000 Victorian schools, we are providing a connected learning experience that prepares students for the demands of a fast-paced, global world.”