SchoolCast is a content delivery system for the distribution of multimedia-based education content (learning and teaching materials, web content, text, video, audio, image, software) over a multicast enabled network. Distributed files are cached on the school server for immediate local access, avoiding long wait times caused by clogged networks. This service was piloted on high bandwidth terrestrial multicast networks as well as on 2-way satellite connections during a one year trial with 10 schools in Ireland, in collaboration with NCTE and HEAnet. Throughout the year 2005, SchoolCast has multicast education content (mainly websites) to 10 primary and secondary schools in Ireland. Many of these sites were suggested by teachers themselves. This pilot of SchoolCast in schools in Ireland has demonstrated how SchoolCast can provide a reliable and sustainable service for education content delivery and how it can improve the use of Internet and digital content in the classroom.

SchoolCast is a system aimed at education service providers (ISPs that are providing access and connectivity to schools), at educational stakeholder communities including national and regional schools portals, at ministries of education and government agencies, at school networks and educational content providers, and all those who are in need of a management system to distribute education content safely and securely to larger homogenous user groups.

Take a look at this short clip to see how SchoolCast works!

The SchoolCast consortium is now collecting interest from relevant stakeholders in various countries (Ireland, Greece, Russia, Austria) in order to explore opportunities for deployment.