Kajeet Smart Spot
There is no doubt that the internet is a powerful tool for education. There are a huge amount of apps, tools, programs, and other resources available through the internet. However, a lack of access still presents a challenge to some school districts. There is one company, Kajeet, that wants to completely eliminate lack of internet access as a barrier to education. Kajeet offers a ton of student-friendly, affordable smartphones, but they have taken this initiative a step further. This is the Kajeet SmartSpot:
The SmartSpot is a portable Wi-Fi hotspot. The 4G LTE SmartSpot, “extends the school day by providing managed broadband access outside of the classroom. Anytime, anywhere Internet access for students can now be a reality!”1 The SmartSpot provides schools with a cost-effective, and safe way to bridge the digital divide:
Within every school district there are still students who lack access to broadband internet access in the home. As our schools expand anytime, anywhere access to learning, bridging this digital divide is crucial to maintain equity. By providing a SmartSpot managed access, a school can provide the connectivity each disadvantaged student needs without the worry that it will be abused. Student use can be restricted to a single program (such as distance learning), a selection of websites (a white list), categories of content or any combination thereof. By restricting the use of high-bandwidth protocols to specific academic use, cost can be controlled and limited to a specific budget, grant program or other funding source.2
During ISTE, we were able to stop by the Kajeet booth. There, we learned a bit more about their SmartSpot, as well as the idea behind the company:
