Professional learning strategies and practices have changed significantly in the last two decades largely due to the continued expansion of high-speed Internet access. Other advances in technology, such as the pervasiveness of affordable mobile devices, have drastically increased access availability for both students and educators.
As a native of rural Virginia, my own access has been somewhat limited for years. Ten years ago, smartphones were still too expensive, and cell-service too weak for heavy Internet usage. Satellite Internet was the only real access choice since we didn’t have a cable connection, and the most affordable data plans imposed a data cap to manage network traffic. In addition, inclement weather could interfere with the signal. When I first started at UOPX in 2016, I often experienced either slowed connections or lost access completely due to the nature of the uplink. Last spring, we received word that a local electric company was investing in a fiber-optic network infrastructure in our area. We signed up for a connection, and by fall we were connected to true high-speed for the first time. A stable, reliable connection with no data limit has made the educational process much easier for me.
Mallory Jones 