Essa Academy Offers Creative Learning over Meru's Wi-Fi Network Based on Its MEG Wireless Platform

Meru Networks (News - Alert), Inc recently announced that Essa Academy is using a Meru Wi-Fi network based on the Meru Education-Grade (MEG) wireless platform to connect with its teachers and students via Apple (News - Alert) devices.

In a statement, Mark Howell, area director, UK & Ireland for Meru Networks, said that, "With over 2,000 Apple devices running over a Meru wireless network, we are enabling creative teaching at Essa Academy that uses learner-led techniques for uninterrupted learning. We are also supporting one of the largest deployments of Apple mobile devices in any sector, let alone in education. Supporting over 2,000 devices in a very small area is an extremely difficult thing to achieve both practically and technically. However, with Meru’s virtualized wireless architecture, the Wi-Fi and the delivery of classroom content to all of these devices is completely seamless and hassle free."

Essa Academy which is one of UK's leading education centers is expecting to offer creative personalised teaching and learning through this initiative. It has also become the first education academy in UK to provide its teachers and students with an Apple device which will run over the Meru wireless network.

Abdul Chohan, Director at Essa Academy, said that, "The academy’s goal is to ensure every pupil has access to 21st century learning resources and to move away from buying printed text books. Imagine being in an environment where a student can use a ''textbook'' that’s completely personalized for them, flick digital pages over, watch video, look at content, listen to audio, interact with it and then capture their own learning - this is what we are hoping to achieve. Our vision means that technology will become embedded as the foundation upon which all teaching and learning takes place."

Mirroring the prevalent IT trend in the workplace, the academy has also implemented a 1-1 mobile device programme which will allow students to use mobile devices for both their school and homework. With the adoption of Meru's technology, not only has Essa Academy been successful in driving creative teaching and learning for its teachers and students but it has been also able to cut its photocopying bill down from around $125,000 to a mere $22,000 a year.