IMS Global Learning Consortium, Inc.
More Information

PDF of Tait Article
IMS Community Resources

Search


QuickLinks
Join the IMS/GLC Community
Download Specifications
Specification Problem and Suggestion Reporting
Join IMS/GLC
Contact Us
Site Map
Events Calendar
RSS Feed
 






 



Specifications Activities Learning Impact About IMS/GLC
Banner


An Interview with Stuart Tait

Table of Contents

Page 1
Page 3
Page 4
Page 5
Page 6
Page 7


IMS Global: Perhaps a good place to start would be giving us a brief description of The Le@rning Federation. What is it and what is its purpose? How is it funded?

ST: The Le@rning Federation (TLF) initiative is a result of agreements by all education Ministers in Australia and New Zealand to collaborate in developing online curriculum content and to support infrastructure for all Australian and New Zealand schools. The Initiative is in its third Phase. Phase 1 of TLF was a feasibility phase. Phase 2 (2001 to 2006) was a major content development phase which included the design and development of infrastructure and specifications to support and distribute the content. Phase 3 has broader objectives with an eye on establishing sustainable processes to extend achieved benefits of TLF beyond 2009. This Phase includes further content and infrastructure procurement, programs to support implementation across the schools sector, and research to investigate the effectiveness of TLF digital content within a teaching and learning context.

The objectives of Phase 21 were:

  • Produce a pool of online material in areas of high priority, namely:
    • Innovation, Enterprise and Creativity

    (Prep to year 10)

    • Languages Other Than English

    (Prep to year 10)

    • Literacy

    (Years 5 to 9)

    • Numeracy and Mathematics

    (Prep to year 9

    • Science Years

    (Prep to year 6, years 9 & 10)

    • Studies of Australia

    (Prep to year 10)

  • Produce the online material within a framework for distributed access to state and territory gateways.
  • Develop online materials that:
    • Represent the best education available or conceivable in the twenty-first century.
    • Will engage teachers and students in the construction of learning and in creative and critical thinking.
  • Support the growing innovations, enterprise, and knowledge economy priorities of state, territory, and Commonwealth governments in Australia.
  • Encourage a marketplace for high quality public and private online curriculum content.

The objectives for Phase 32 have been expressed as targets and values:

  • Targets:
    • A further 4,000 items of high quality, globally recognized, online curriculum content for all Australian and New Zealand schools.
    • A workable framework, standards, and structure for the sharing of online curriculum content between jurisdictions within Australia and New Zealand and with other countries.
    • An interoperable framework to enable sharing and peer-reviewing of teacher-initiated online resources.
    • Brokered arrangements with vendors to support distribution and use of online curriculum content in schools.
    • Consolidated schooling sector support for a local education digital content industry.
  • Values:
    • The value of learners constructing knowledge, being active in the learning process and building on prior learning.
    • The extension of opportunities for all students to develop to their fullest individual potential through new pathways for learning afforded by digital content.
    • Education as a foundation for citizenship, public life, and active, productive participation in our democracy and community, with an imperative of developing habits, skills, and understanding for such active participation.
    • Creativity, initiative, and enquiry at all stages of life for all members of the community.
    • Schools as communities of learners in which children work with adults and each other, within, between, and beyond schools, in the richest and most stimulating environment possible to become intelligent, responsible, and competent members of society.
    • The development of cultural understanding, common experience, and the innovative potential of difference across our diverse communities through a significant body of high quality Australian and New Zealand materials available to all children.
    • The diversity of students as a foundation of a productive, creative, and democratic society for the twenty-first century.
    • A common body of materials that can be applied in flexible ways within different jurisdictions, supporting distributed access and drawing on the strengths of each system.
    • The collaboration that is fundamental to Australia's Federation, and the capacities of information technology to help us better achieve our goals.

Phase 2 was managed through a joint venture between Curriculum Corporation and education.au limited. Curriculum Corporation was responsible for the market information, content procurement and quality assurance functions, and education.au limited was responsible for the information system brokering functions. Curriculum Corporation is responsible for managing the initiative from 2006-2009. Both Curriculum Corporation and education.au limited are not for profit companies owned by Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs (MCEETYA)3.

Funding for the Initiative for Phases 2 and 3 is based on a model where the Australian Government contributes 50% and the remainder is contributed by Australian State and Territory Governments on a pro-rata amount based on population. The New Zealand Government contribution reflects their population and the proportion of content relevant to their curriculum. The budgets for Phase 2 and 3 are in the vicinity of Au$74 million and Au$54 million, respectively.


Previous Page    Next Page
© 2001-2008 IMS Global Learning Consortium, Inc. All Rights Reserved.     Privacy Policy / Accessibility / Syndication