Addressing the Challenges

	Post Trip Follow-Up COSN VIP Delegation to Australia, 2004: ICT in Education The CoSN VIP Delegation to Australia Understanding the Australian Education System: An Overview Addressing the Challenges Establishing a Supportive Public Policy Framework Innovative Examples, Models and Leaders A Vision for the Future Trip Background and Reports Agenda Trip Blog Delegation Members Background Materials Sponsor Background Information

Providing the Infrastructure Necessary to Support e-Learning

In contrast to the US, there is no subsidy for Internet connectivity to schools in Australia. Instead Internet access is metered with schools charged for downloads based on usage and the size of the data transported, thus constraining ICT applications.

Both speed and cost of Internet connectivity are issues in Australian education, particularly in remote areas. The national government does underwrite a high speed research network (similar to Internet2 in U.S.), but that network is not available to K-12 schools, although pilot studies with schools are currently underway. Each State and Territory has a network with the education departments maintaining these networks and controlling authorization of use.

The Australian Government national broadband strategy is addressing these issues. As part of the high bandwidth incentive scheme subsidies are provided to carriers and potential customers can register; once a threshold is reached a carrier can go in and develop a service. The national broadband advisor works with state and regional advisors to aggregate demand, encouraging communities to come together and build infrastructure.

Strengthening Human Capacity and Providing Professional Development

Video Clip of Kay Nolte

Australia is moving ahead with its efforts to strengthen the capacity of teachers to utilize technology and is beginning to look at ways in which administrators can also be helped.

Video Clip of Kurt Steinhaus

The main vehicle for delivering federally funded teacher professional development is the National Institute for Quality Teaching and School Leadership established in 2003. Its focus is on school leadership, professional teaching standards, teacher and school leader professional learning, and quality assurance and research. The National Institute will complement and support programs already being provided for teachers and leaders at the State and Territory level.

Transforming Education for the Knowledge Era (MP4)

The Technology School of the Future in South Australia is an innovative example of the way in which Australia is helping the education community to improve teaching and learning through the more effective use of technology. Established in 1989, the Technology School of the Future (TSoF) is the largest provider of hands-on teacher training in school use of computers in Australia. In addition to providing training to teachers at schools, TSOF also supports exemplary projects on the use of ICT and offers the opportunity for teachers to take short sabbaticals. During our visit, the delegation witness compelling demonstrations of six years working with robots to investigate gravity and a multimedia presentation on preserving the Arabanna language.

I have been struck by a number of the shared comments, concerns, and beliefs of my colleagues. I have found that each "aha" moment leads to more questions, rather than definitive answers. Our collective passion and collective knowledge for and about educational technology sometimes separates us or isolates us from our fellow educators ... How can we better position education technology as a key factor in curriculum, school improvement, and learning outcomes?

Sheila Talamo
Assistant Superintendent, Office of Quality Educators
Louisiana Department of Education

Providing Compelling Online Content: Open Source

Australia is a leader in the open source movement as a mechanism for providing online educational content that is widely available and meets the highest standards of educational excellence.

Open Source
The Australian Education Sector is embracing Open Source Software (OS) in a way that is historically unprecedented. Backed by its social mandate, OS is viewed as a means to assess and support the creation of “education and learning friendly” solutions. Specifically, education systems are using OS to experiment in the creation of new tools, thus reducing the cost, risk and dependence on commercial solutions.

The open source movement is still in the very beginning stages in the US, but in Australia it is enjoying more traction. OS has been embraced with a high degree of enthusiasm in South Australia, among other states, providing educators with greater choice and the freedom to create specific resources designed to meet their local needs. “In Australia it is very expensive to doing things individually by school and there is a tradition of collaboration. For this reason the Open Source movement is taking off in Australia.”

• myinternet Overview by Dan Ingvarson, Founder of myinternet (PPT)

The delegation had the opportunity to learn first hand about the Open Source movement in Australia at an Interactive Forum hosted by myinternet. Through the utilization of open source technology, myinternet offers software solutions to schools and educational institutions.

“Open source is a solution, not a technology.” Schools need affordable and appropriate technology and the ability to make choices. Open source provides these benefits to schools, but the challenge is still in putting all the pieces together.

However, there is a tension between the various education systems in the approach to both Open Source code and commercially available products. A key question occupying the minds of ICT Professionals is the long term sustainability of OSS solutions both technically and in the day-to-day support of the software. Some have opted for the reliability of a completely supported system/application and funded the project accordingly. In contrast, other education systems have opted for a cheaper solution and build in their own support. A seminal paper prepared for discussion by States and Territories is available at education au's papers and publications section.

• Domain Names, Search and Open Source Strategy (PPT)

The Australian Education Sector is embracing Open Source Software (OS) in a way that is historically unprecedented. Backed by its social mandate, OS is viewed as a means to assess and support the creation of "education and learning friendly" solutions. Specifically, education systems are using OS to experiment in the creation of new tools, thus reducing the cost, risk and dependence on commercial solutions.

Traditionally risk associated with the development of bespoke applications has been viewed by educationalists and school administrators as unacceptably high, particularly in light of thin school budgets. However, OS has been embraced with a high degree of enthusiasm in South Australia, among other states, providing educators with greater choice and the freedom to create specific resources designed to meet their local needs.

Heath Cooper
International Channels Manager
myinternet, ltd
and Carl Thompson, Vice President, International
PLATO Learning