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Services

EAGLE-Net Services


Colorado enjoys a reputation as a high-technology growth center. Alternative energy, space exploration, communications and nano technologies are only a few of the cutting-edge industries in our state. Yet Colorado students rank 29th in the nation in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) scores and ours is one of only 12 states that do not currently have Internet2 available to its K-12 students, placing them at a serious disadvantage.

Today’s children have been bombarded with technology their entire lives. From computer games to Wii, kids are ravenous hi-tech consumers who are instantly captivated by crisp, fast-paced, interactive visuals that entertain and educate them. High-speed connectivity combined with advanced applications brings new life to learning, virtually transporting students to interact with another environment.

EAGLE-Net (Educational Access Gateway Learning Environment Network) is a Colorado cost-sharing, non-profit consortium. A fully collaborative and secure high speed broadband network, EAGLE-net provides educational benefits and services to connected Colorado school districts. Enabling access for technology-rich, quality education to every student in all 178 Colorado public school districts via broadband network services, advanced applications and Internet2 connectivity, is the mission of EAGLE-Net.


Internet2 is comprised of over 200 universities working in partnership with industry and government to develop and deploy advanced network applications and technologies – 147 Sponsored Participants (K-20 schools, museums, libraries, hospitals, zoos) and 37 Sponsored Educational Group Participants (aggregations of educational and education-related organizations and state/local government institutions within a state).


EAGLE-Net is the K-12 statewide cost-sharing, non-profit consortium for high- speed broadband connectivity for schools, BOCES and school district networks to the Commodity Internet and Internet2. K-12 membership in Internet2 will be active in July 2009.

Over 50 Colorado school districts and BOCES are in the process of becoming EAGLE-Net members or curently participate through high-speed broadband connections to EAGLE-Net. Of the current participants, 25% are urban and 75% are considered rural.

Benefits


For Students

  • Any Fourth Grade class can take an interactive, high-definition virtual field trip to the Smithsonian Museum or a Federal Reserve Bank.
  • A high school biology class can explore the human immune system with an emergency room doctor who answers their questions – in real time.
  • Students can operate remote instruments around the world to collect data and perform problem-based experiments.
  • Musically gifted children can attend regular classes at the Cleveland Institute of Music to study under music masters.
  • U.S. K-12 schools are able to experience night-time, southern-hemisphere astronomy observations with Australian observatories in real-time, during U.S. school hours.
  • Unencumbered by geography, EAGLE-Net students, teachers and administrators statewide are empowered and engaged by technology with Internet2 and other worldwide educational resources from over 40 countries.

For Teachers and Administrators

  • Professional Teacher and Administrative Training with IT systems and Tech Tools.
  • Access to extensive electronic content, curriculum and online assessments and testing.
  • Teachers are able to receive live, interactive professional development from NASA, Library of Congress and more.
  • Live participation events to share knowledge and ideas in a cost-effective, instantaneous format.
  • Distance learning dramatically enhances collaboration ability and professional networking groups within Colorado and ALL Internet2 connected states.
  • Technical resource sharing and application-development collaborations.
  • Comprehensive information-systems coordination.
  • Member-driven, district level participation in programs for technical and instructional application and development.