Apr 9, 2018
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3 min read
WiFi in Education
Since its invention, the internet has expanded into every part of our lives. This includes educational institutions like schools and universities. Students have come to rely on the vast amount of information they can gather online for research purposes. Thinking of my own education, especially at university, it is clear that the internet made things a lot easier.
Offering WiFi in education is a must. Without the internet, students would actually have to read books and remember everything they’ve ever read – unthinkable!
Content Filtering
Since the internet is open 24/7, procrastinating is easier than ever before (clearly a student speaking here). People who blame certain websites for distracting students and pupils, clearly have a point. Whereas some pages are helpful and informative, other websites are just going to steal your time. Especially in education, content filtering can support students and pupils to fully focus while on a school supplied network. Making certain websites inaccessible does not only prevent distraction, it is also protection, especially for younger pupils. Just think of all the harmful content that’s out there in cyberspace. Content filtering is not only helpful for students to focus better on the actual important information on the web, it is also a simple way for schools to filter harmful and offensive content to protect younger pupils.
Security
If an educational institution offers a single accessible network, it can clearly be considered a security threat. Storing teacher or management material on the same network that is shared with students, can lead to security breaches quite easily and can lead to sensitive data falling into the wrong hands. Which student wouldn’t love a copy of that really hard exam that’s coming up next week? Therefore, two separate networks are absolutely essential to prevent a breach from happening – one for sensitive back office information and another for student access.
A network breach is not the only security threat that educational institutions might face. Giving out passwords to students for accessing a wireless network might seem a good solution at first – but, sorry to disappoint here- it’s are not. In order to provide the institution and the students with the safest way to connect, we recommend using a splash page that supports data encryption and therefore ensures the safest connection. Plus, you can put the University’s logo there and brand it accordingly.
Whitelisting/ Blacklisting
Another useful tool to manage educational networks better is blacklisting. Simply ban unwanted network users and make sure only the people who are supposed to use it, are actually on the network. A whitelist, on the other hand, can make it easier for authorised staff to connect. Teachers on the whitelist can login instantly and without any effort and on a daily basis.
To provide a seamless and secure WiFi experience in education, Stampede created a unique set of tools that help institutions to manage networks better. If you want to find out more on how to provide safe internet to pupils and students, click below or feel free to get in touch with us.