September 2003 — Applications

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Rural Wisconsin District Improves Teaching and Learning Through Worldwide Connectivity

By Tom Mykl, Technology Coordinator, Tomorrow River School District

The flagship tool in the kit is "VisualRoute," developed by Visualware Inc., which automatically determines precisely when, where and how data is flowing between two points on the Internet. Many Internet users encounter problems connecting to a Web site or find that data is moving too slowly, and determining the source of the problem can be difficult for people with limited IT experience. Traditional diagnostic tools for troubleshooting connectivity problems are run in an outdated DOS environment, yielding lines of complicated text that can be difficult to interpret. VisualRoute has a graphical interface that integrates the basic connectivity tools of traceroute, ping and whois into one tool that automatically analyzes Internet connectivity. With a simple click, users can see a visual display of the actual path of an Internet connection in an easy-to-understand table and world map, identifying at which point on the path any data is being lost or a slowdown is occurring.

In essence, VisualRoute provides an X-ray view of an Internet connection, helping students to understand the mechanics of how Internet data travels. Using VisualRoute and other Web-based tools, adults and children alike are able to see and understand how the Internet works and why connectivity problems occur. For example, during the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, students in one class were asked to choose athletes for whom they would track their competitive results and overall standings. After daily visits to the Games' official Web site, the students found on one particular day that the site was inaccessible. Using VisualRoute, they were able to determine that the connectivity problem was due to a faulty server in Rome.

Teachers also benefit from VisualRoute and the other WiscNet tools because they are provided at no charge to member institutions. When attempting to access a particular Web site that may be nonresponsive, they can now use these tools to determine the source of the problem. This self-empowerment allows more time for the enhancement and expansion of curriculum support, rather than network troubleshooting by the district's IT personnel.

The Electronic Dirt Road

In only 20 years, technology has dramatically impacted every area of society and every aspect of our social and cultural lives. Unfortunately, the part of our society that has been slow to accept this change is education. In "Why Use Technology" (1994), Peck and Dorricott sum up this point well: "While businesses have been building electronic highways, education is traveling an electronic dirt road."

Students graduating from high school or college in the 21st century will have very different jobs than those existing today. About half of them will work with information systems: analyzing pre-existing information, generating new information, and storing and retrieving information. A major portion of this group will not even work in an office, but at home. Fortunately, most students are ready for this change to happen because they have grown up with this technological revolution. Because of this exposure, many students welcome the use of technology and feel comfortable applying it; their educational environment should be no different.