WaaSchool
The Fourth Strategy on IT in Education announced by the Education Bureau highlighted the importance of eLearning by strengthening schools’ IT infrastructure and equipping all classrooms with WiFi access.
Being one of the major advocators of eLearning in Hong Kong, Hong Kong Education City (HKEdCity) is devoted to enhancing information technology infrastructure in schools and exploring possibilities to assist schools to implement eLearning. In 2013 working together with Association of I.T. Leaders in Education (AiTLE), HKEdCity established a pioneer project, ‘WiFi as a Service School Partnership Project’ (WaaSchool), providing convenient and easy-to-access WiFi network to schools, so as to empower our future generations with innovative learning paradigm.
WaaSchool Services
Login WiFi network with HKEdCity account.
Simplified Management
- – Administrative works, such as managing accounts, can be simplified. HKEdCity supports schools to update accounts annually with ease.
- – Schools can set up a shared account for parents and guests to access WiFi on campus.
- – Functional accounts can be set up for shared devices, including tablets, Apple TV, Miracast, WiDi, etc.
- Compared with using Mac Address for authentication, schools need not to register hundreds of devices, or replicate the action in case of damage or loss of devices.
- – School email accounts, such as Gmail and Microsoft Outlook, can be used as HKEdCity account’s login name. (Remarks: For security, users have to log in with their HKEdCity account password.)
- – Schools can view the WiFi login record on WiFi Authentication Service Admin page by using School Administrator Account or Affiliated Teacher Account.
Cost effective
- – The service is free of charge for secondary and primary schools in HK.
- – Compared with using school server for authentication, schools need not to invest much on technical support, such as managing the server and protecting it from security leakage.
- – Schools can restrict WiFi access to a specific period of time or to a specific group of students through the ‘ON/OFF’ feature.
- – Schools can limit the number of devices connecting to the WiFi network for each user. e.g. each student can use only one device to log in, whilst teachers do not have such restrictions. (Remarks: This feature requires network service providers’ coordination.)
Two settings are provided: General Setting and Special Setting
1. General Setting: School can preset time slots of WiFi accessible to students. For example, students are only allowed to access WiFi from 8am to 6pm on Monday to Friday (Demo 1). On the other hand, school can limit WiFi access for students during weekends and holidays (Demo 2).
Demo 1: General Setting: Restrict student’s Wi-Fi Login Time Slots Demo 2: General Setting: Wi-Fi login is not allowed on Saturday and Sunday Demo 3: Special Setting: Restrict Wi-Fi Login for Specific Users Demo 4: Special Setting: Enable Wi-Fi Login for Specific Users Session control allows school to limit the number of devices connecting to the WiFi network for each user. This is set up and maintained by Service Provider in collaboration with EdCity. School shall contact Service Provider for details.
School can select one of the following settings:
- Each user can connect multiple devices to WiFi at a time
- Each user can connect only 1 device to WiFi at a time
- Specific user can connect only 1 device to WiFi at a time whilst other users do not have such restrictions
School Accounts Management
Please login to “School Account Management System” with your school administrator account (xxx-admin) to manage student and teacher accounts.
Before connecting to WaaSchool Wi-Fi network, the password for students and teachers have to be reset. Please refer to Chinese version for details.
Application Procedures
1. Schools can apply through network service provider.
2. Service provider provides information to Edcity, such as school supporting document and school IP address
3. Agreement will be signed by EdCity and Service provider.
4. EdCity provides service to schools after receiving all necessary documents.
5. Service provider confirms that service is provided to schools.
FAQs
How to create an account to use WiFi Authentication service?
Before connecting to WaaSchool WiFi network, all passwords for students and teachers need to be reset. Please refer to Account Management for details.
To ensure accuracy of account information, schools need to update all user accounts with the school administrator accounts (xxx-admin). Please visit School Account Management System to update student information. If you have any questions concerning account update, please feel free to contact us at support@hkedcity.net for technical support.