| 1. Sharing is good.Your connection to the Internet | | | | 70mbps. Let me also mention that wireless |
| deserves to be shared with everyone in your | | | | hotspots are popping up all over the place in |
| home school program. One or two computers | | | | coffee shops, health food stores and even your |
| wired to your internet access can be turned into | | | | favorite burger place. Handheld computers or |
| four or more in their own rooms. Even better | | | | PDA's are advancing also into wireless to where |
| you can create a small computer lab where no | | | | you'll soon be able to watch video on them also |
| one will be standing in line to use the connection | | | | just like a regular computer - why the emphasis |
| for homework or research. Even if you have one | | | | on video you may ask, because it is an incredible |
| computer for everyone in your home school | | | | learning tool.4. Broadband wireless content is |
| program with another computer sharing a wireless | | | | getting more info to your desktop that you |
| broadband connection the access is doubled | | | | need.With the huge push to wireless broadband |
| without string another cable or phone line. Let me | | | | more and more information providers are creating |
| share a quick story about a homeshcooling mom | | | | content that is more targeted to high speed |
| who had one computer in her bedroom and she | | | | delivery. Streaming videos of info from Discovery |
| was homeschooling two teenagers who were | | | | channels website, watching the launch of the |
| getting more email than their mom (computers | | | | space shuttle (from NASA's own website) or the |
| are replacing cell phones when it comes to | | | | landing just in case you missed it on television are |
| chatting if no one has noticed - can we say | | | | one of the few examples available to be |
| Instant Messaging). After buying another | | | | accessed with a wireless broadband connection |
| computer (under $300) and setting up a wireless | | | | that is fast (see Numer 3 above) and you don't |
| network she now has her computer back and | | | | even have to check out a video from the library |
| only has to listen to "Mom, Tony won't let me use | | | | (see Number 5, not to mention how long it will |
| the computer" - instead of "Mom when are you | | | | take for the library to even get a video of a |
| going to get off your computer".2. Dialup is too | | | | shuttle launch).5. No more trips to an already |
| busySome broadband users enjoying the speed | | | | crowded library.A home schooling family of any |
| of dsl would probably argue that this should be | | | | size has a full schedule as it is and squeezing a trip |
| number one and it did take some arguing not to | | | | to the library can be more than a challenge. If you |
| make it number 1. Dsl users never get a busy | | | | have ever tried to get to the library and then |
| signal when trying to access the Internet and the | | | | stay for more than an hour looking for a book on |
| connection is on all the time without being dictated | | | | homeschooling curriculum only to find out it |
| by a busy signal, downed phone line, long distance | | | | already has been checked out then you feel my |
| charges or constantly updated dialup numbers. A | | | | pain. Now you can even check to see if the book |
| homeschool resource is hard enough to get to | | | | you want is available thru the local library's |
| without waiting for someone to get off the phone | | | | website and some of them let you reserve it until |
| and in a home with several very talkative | | | | you can drop by, pick it and leave in just under 10 |
| individuals that can be a long time. If you are a | | | | minutes. Looking good now, that broadband |
| homeschool mom you can have your phone and | | | | connection has paid for itself in time saved |
| Internet connection at the same time - who said | | | | already.For more articles and other content, if you |
| you can have your cake and eat it too...3. Wireless | | | | have an RSS reader click on this link: Peterson: |
| broadband is getting faster and faster.While this | | | | 10-year consultant, instructor, trainer |
| one is still tied to the one above it - remember | | | | Helps african american and minority homeschools |
| that a 56k dialup is like the topspeed of a Model T | | | | bridge the digital |
| car when it was first invented. The speed of dsl is | | | | divide by becoming computer homeschools. |
| getting faster and is being pushed to over | | | | |