Nick,
We have explored the possibility of not allowing some students
on the wireless network based on various criteria.
Though a lot of Controller Based Architectures (Cisco, Aruba, ...)
might let you do such a thing as
far as the capability is concerned, the main problem resides into the
control mechanism.
At one point you will have to rely on a database of enrollment to
block a particular student
from joining at a particular location (if you don't do it for a
location, you will prevent students
from joining all together)
The two limitations were:
-who will decide and enable the rules?
(sub-admin privileges to Faculty?)
(Have Faculty call the helpdesk prior to class)
-How accurate is the enrollment database (add/remove)
(classroom assignments do change a lot)
And finally (but you asked us not to mention the philosophical
approach...) it's not because we can
that we should!
We ended up abandoning the idea (though we had a lot of fun
brainstorming about it)
because it would have been a management nightmare, and it is totally
evil.
Philippe Hanset
Univ. of TN
p.s. We brainstormed that idea 3-4 years ago and we are glad we didn't
do it.
We see so many Iphones (using 3G) in classrooms that it would
have been a waste
of time. There is also a "wallpaper" that can be turned ON/
OFF, effectively shutting the classroom
from most microwaves. If one is looking at a special classroom
without "connectivity", this could be
a solution.
On Dec 2, 2009, at 7:56 PM, Urrea, Nick wrote:
Thank you everybody for contributing to the conversation. It has been
very helpful.
----
Nicholas Urrea
Information Technology
UC Hastings College of the Law
urr...@uchastings.edu
x4718
-----Original Message-----
From: The EDUCAUSE Wireless Issues Constituent Group Listserv
[mailto:wireless-...@listserv.educause.edu] On Behalf Of Lee H Badman
Sent: Wednesday, December 02, 2009 3:52 PM
To: WIRELESS-LAN@LISTSERV.EDUCAUSE.EDU
Subject: Re: [WIRELESS-LAN] Restricting of wireless access in
classrooms
I'm agreeing with John- this is madness.
What about the DAS systems boosting cell coverage? Do faculty get an
on/off switch for that? Or for newspapers and magazines that also
distract? And what about ad hoc networks, and MiFi cells? And iPods,
and
doodling? There are several ways to get to the internet, and many more
to not pay attention (one of my sons makes the most elaborate little
paper figures when he's bored in class- the more elaborate his
creations
are, the more his mind was elsewhere in class.) And let's not forget
that more and more emergency notification systems rely on IP and you
being reached in a hyper-connected world.
As far as surgically killing off wireless in a specific room while
leaving it untouched on the other side of garden variety sheetrock
wall
goes, I'm from Arkansas- you'd have to show me. And then I'd be
looking
for the smoke machine and magic mirrors!
But it does make for interesting cultural discussion. Be forewarned-
non-PC profiling ahead: I have to wonder how many of the complainants
are older, or lacking in classroom management skills to begin with...
-Lee Badman
Skeptical in Syracuse
________________________________________
From: The EDUCAUSE Wireless Issues Constituent Group Listserv
[wireless-...@listserv.educause.edu] On Behalf Of John Rodkey
[rod...@westmont.edu]
Sent: Wednesday, December 02, 2009 6:03 PM
To: WIRELESS-LAN@LISTSERV.EDUCAUSE.EDU
Subject: Re: [WIRELESS-LAN] Restricting of wireless access in
classrooms
Build a Faraday cage around each classroom. [
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faraday_cage ] Embed wire mesh in all
walls, remove all windows, replace wooden doors with steel. Your
financial people will look askance on this, and future technologist
who
are now required by the faculty to ensure high wireless signal
levels in
every square centimeter of campus (especially classrooms) will curse
the
day you were born, but you will have provided a solution within the
limits you've requested.
Seriously: you can't really talk with faculty about the ubiquity of
wireless signals and the need to have a workable strategy and
classroom
discipline technique that allows for proper use of those signals?
This
is really the conversation that needs to be happening. As the saying
goes, you need to win the hearts and the minds. Faculty need to win
their students' hearts and minds on this front. Otherwise, you will
have set the stage for a perpetual guerrilla warfare.
John Rodkey
Associate Director of IT
Westmont College
On Wed, Dec 2, 2009 at 11:02 AM, Urrea, Nick
<urr...@uchastings.edu<mailto:urr...@uchastings.edu>> wrote:
I'm compiling research to give to our Faculty Technology Committee.
My question is has anybody successfully implemented a solution that
restricts access to wireless internet in classrooms?
Also if you have tried and were not successful in restricting wireless
access in classrooms let me know. Why didn't the solution work.
No opinions please about how students can just go buy a mobile
broadband
card from a cellular carrier, or installing microwaves in the
classrooms, or that teaching techniques should improve.
----
Nicholas Urrea
Information Technology
UC Hastings College of the Law
urr...@uchastings.edu<mailto:urr...@uchastings.edu>
x4718
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