Slow Internet connections have been troubling for some Richmond County schools, especially in classes that rely on the Internet instead of textbooks.
Butler High School teachers Debby Arnold and Alzenia Williams say they are all too familiar with the problem.
"When they're all on the computer at once, it slows down," said Ms. Arnold, who especially notices an Internet speed problem in her Introduction to Animation and 3D class. "There are times you just need to reboot."
Ms. Williams said that "early in the mornings I'm OK because not a lot of people are online," but she said that changes by 10 or 11 a.m.
Ms. Arnold said a task as simple as checking class attendance through an online program can sometimes prove difficult, and when a student's online test freezes up the student must be given extra time to finish.
Rob Jankus, the acting director of Information Technology, brought up the subject at a recent school board committee meeting, telling board members that T1 and Metro-Ethernet lines for schools should be changed over to fiber-optic technology -- which would be 1,000 times faster than the system's current best speeds.
The biggest issue, board members were told, is T1, but fiber-optics also would be better than the Metro-Ethernet lines.
"Students are not able to use many Internet-based programs because the programs today are graphic intensive and use streaming video. As time goes by, our network will not be able to support the many resources available to our teachers and students," reads a summary on the meeting's agenda list.
Superintendent Dana Bedden agreed.
"We need to look at a better system for our Internet infrastructure. And we didn't want to go exploring this route without your knowledge of it. We have got to move toward fiber," he told board members at the committee meeting.
Dr. Bedden said the system is bottle-necking just as hundreds of new computers have been added for teachers.
"It's knocking people off and they're going to get frustrated," he said. "The farther we go out, the worse the problem."
Dr. Bedden said officials would like to develop a request for proposals to present to the board.
Ms. Arnold, whose class has 28 computers, said such an improvement would allow both teachers and students to keep up with current technology.
"It's moving so fast," she said.
Reach Preston Sparks at (706) 828-3851 or preston.sparks@augustachronicle.com.
The Augusta Chronicle ©2010. All Rights Reserved.
Back 
Well, that was simple. The problem is recognized and the solution is identified. The only thing needed now is money.
Animation and 3 D classes in high school. No wonder the system is slow. Do ya'll have any idea how much this type of stuff eats? You are duplicating tech and college classes and internet based classes are usually full of ads that can slow it more. Just look at the AC website!
If you think that the internet is slow for the schools, you should try my conection at home when 500 million people are online at the same time. Throwing money at the problem will not fix anything for very long. Welcome to the 21 st cen.
the teacher needs a computer to check class attendance? Sounds like ARC could use an "upgrade" from that teacher. I think all this technology is starting to get in the way more than its helping. I still have students trying to tell me "wikipedia" is a valid source. Ugh.
The county requires teachers to update attendance through the I-Cue website. And, Wikipedia can be a valid jumping off point for deeper research, contrary to popular belief. Sounds like your family could use a mom upgrade.
On-line textbooks, sites, etc. are the wave of the future. Better plan and make the changes now or get left behind. Some school systems are no longer focusing on handwriting because it's all going to be done on computer in the future.
Wikipedia is NOT a valid source for scholarly work. If you cite Wikipedia as a source you deserve at most a "D". "Popular belief" knows Wikipedia is highly questionable.
Omnomnom needs to get her facts before criticizing teachers. teachers are required to use ICue for attendance and almost every report is online or sent via email. It's not 1980 anymore.
Wikipedia is a valid source if you go to wikipedia, find the information, go to it's citation, and use the information off of the source. There is a reason it has grown so immensely popular.
What ever happen to the good old times? use a book at the library to do research... make the libraries stay open longer in the evenings...start useing the brain and don't depend on computers to do the work for you...Todays children use computers for almost everything...let them use their brains...
Yes indeed, lenard - there used to be pens, pencils and paper - power failure was no problem - the students thought for themselves and without calculators and computers I feel like the last generation ended up as a smarter bunch. Don't know what it will be in the future - don't dare to think about that!!
I feel the way the computer is used determines the "brain use" of the individual. Going back to horse and buggy, plowing with a hoe and looking for a title in an immense library only slows down the action and production(as a result). If there is a log jam, fix it, don't just do with less water and logs.