Enabling 24/7 Remote Access for the Riverside City College Cyber Defense Program
How the Riverside City College Cyber Defense Program promoted digital equity among students, and improved accessible education using Splashtop
At a Glance
Challenge
Providing remote access to an on-campus remote lab to students 24/7.
Solution
Riverside City College enabled students to work remotely on class materials with Splashtop’s high performance, broad device support, and ease of use.
Results
With Splashtop, the college’s Cyber Defense Program was able to allow students to access the on-campus computer lab whenever they needed, allowing students to study on their own schedules.
The Challenge
Riverside City College faced the challenge of providing students with remote access to macOS devices for hands-on lab use in their course curriculum.
With an asynchronous online course, various student schedules intensified the need for any time remote access to the labs.
Additionally, with teachers not always located on campus, Riverside City College required a solution that enabled teachers to facilitate this remote lab and any related course remotely.
Key Considerations
When Riverside City College evaluated remote software solutions, they prioritized several critical criteria:
High performance, reliable and secure remote access.
Simplicity of implementation.
Compatibility with their existing environment as well as students using their own devices.
The Splashtop Solution
The Riverside City College Cyber Defense program adopted Splashtop's remote software solution to empower students with remote access to lab macOS devices for hands-on activities.
Splashtop played a pivotal role in delivering practical experience via remote learning, allowing students to access the machines when it was convenient for them, and allowing the teacher to facilitate from any location.
Results
Equitable, Engaging Flexible Learning:
Splashtop's remote software provided an easily accessible platform and user interface, enabling students to perform various tasks and work on macOS devices directly through Splashtop. This approach provided students with real-life experience on live equipment from any device at any time. For over four years now, the Riverside City College “Introduction to Operating Systems” course has been online and successful due to Splashtop enabling students to learn and experience the Mac operating system, and all the apps on the computer, remotely. No matter what device a student has at home, they can leverage the hardware and software that the lab offers, promoting digital equity among students, and improving accessible education for all students in this course.
Simple, Swift Deployment:
The setup of Splashtop Enterprise was straightforward, with onboarding support and comprehensive documentation provided by Splashtop. The implementation process took approximately two days, aligning with the program’s expectations.
Splashtop's technical support team promptly addressed any technical issues and provided additional support as needed.
Device Support:
Currently, Riverside City College's Splashtop remote environment supports 30 Mac Mini devices, ensuring ample resources for students to access remotely, even if they are connecting from a Windows, Linux, Mac, or Chromebook, computers or an iOS/Android mobile device machine at home.
Achieving Goals:
Splashtop's remote software solution enabled the Riverside City College Cyber Defense program to achieve its goal of providing students with secure, any time access to a remote Mac lab environment, while allowing teachers to facilitate courses remotely and enabling students to be successful.
Conclusion
The Riverside City College Cyber Defense program’s journey with Splashtop showcases the power of innovative technology in adapting to changing educational landscapes.
By embracing remote labs and hands-on learning, they have not only overcome challenges but also paved the way for a more inclusive and accessible education for their students.
The program expressed satisfaction with the results and would recommend Splashtop's remote software to other educational institutions seeking macOS remote access solutions.
About Riverside City College
Riverside City College (RCC) in California, founded in 1916, is a renowned community college known for its commitment to academic excellence and student success. Notably, RCC's Cyber Defense program has earned the prestigious designation as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education by the National Security Agency (NSA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), reflecting its exceptional curriculum and contribution to cybersecurity education. Learn more at the RCC Cybersecurity center.