Internet In The Classroom

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Internet in the Classroom

The Internet is a network of millions of computers worldwide, connected together.
It is an elaborate source of education, information, entertainment, and communication. Recently, President Bill Clinton expressed an idea to put the
Internet into every classroom in America by the year 2000[4]. Considering the magnitude of this problem, and the costs involved, it is not realistically possible to set this as a goal.

The Internet allows the almost five million computers [1] and countless users of the system to collaborate easily and quickly either in pairs or in groups. Users are able to access people and information, distribute information, and experiment with new technologies and services. The Internet has become a major global infrastructure used for education, research, professional learning, public service, and business.

The costs of setting up and maintaining Internet access are varied and changing.
Lets take a look at some of the costs of setting up Internet service in a typical school. First comes the hardware. Hardware required is generally a standard Windows-based PC or Macintosh and a 14.4 Kbs or higher modem. This will cost about $1000 apiece. If the average school has 50 classrooms, already the cost has risen to $50,000 per school, for only one connection per classroom.
Next you need actual Internet service. For 24-hour connections expect to pay
$100 or more per month, per account.

If a school plans to have more than a few individual Internet users, it will need to consider a network with a high-speed dedicated line connected to the
Internet. This school network would probably be a small- or medium-sized network in a single building or within very few geographically close buildings.
Connecting an entire school may require more than one specific LAN(Local Area
Network).

Most high-speed Internet connections are provided through a dedicated leased line, which is a permanent connection between two points. This provides a high quality permanent Internet connection at all times. Most leased lines are provided by a telephone company, a cable television company, or a private network provider and cost $200 per month or more. The typical connection from a
LAN or group of LANs to the Internet is a digital leased line with a Channel
Service Unit/Data Service Unit (CSU/DSU), which costs between $600 and $1000.

When budgeting for a school's Internet connection there are a number of factors to consider that might not seem immediately obvious. Technical support and training will incur additional ongoing costs, even if those costs show up only as an individual's time spent. Equipment will need to be maintained and upgraded

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