vln elearning

““Don’t limit a child to your own Don’t limit a child to your own learning, for she was born in a learning, for she was born in a different time”different time”

Industrial to InformationalIndustrial to Informational

“In the industrial age we went to school… in the information age school comes to us”

What is the VLN?What is the VLN?

www.virtuallearning.school.nz

What is an online Learning What is an online Learning Community?Community?

Why might schools form one?

Connecting Learners through Video Connecting Learners through Video ConferencingConferencing

Student-Teacher face-to-face contact enables the

distance to dissolve

Adobe ConnectAdobe Connect

NZ VC in Education – Key StagesNZ VC in Education – Key Stages

Early 1990s The Correspondence School begins trialling telecommunications technology

1994 – Cantatech – audiographics classes 2000 - KAWM 2001 – OtagoNet 2002 – initiation of Project Probe 2002 – establishment of VLN (within TCS) 2002 - MOE funding for VC bridge 2003 – eLearning schools clusters mushroom nationally 2004 – TCS drops VLN – picked up by MOE 2006 – expansion of VLN 2007 – further budget allocation for Cluster Leadership

funding (VLN)

Common Characteristics of eLearning Common Characteristics of eLearning VC ClustersVC Clusters

Ad Hoc nature of development (grass roots) Funding has come from sources that are not sustainable

◦ Community Trusts◦ ICTPD◦ Collaborative Innovations Funding◦ EHSAS (Extending High Standards Across Schools)

Learning/Teaching model similar Staffing – most follow contributed staffing model Similar goals & issues National support from the VLN

Common Goals & OutcomesCommon Goals & OutcomesMore choice & opportunity for senior students

in subject selectionStudent retentionHigher level of support than is possible through

the Correspondence SchoolTeachers – able to teach in their areas of

specialityIncrease confidence & capability in elearningIncreased collaboration between schools

Common IssuesCommon IssuesLogistics of a shared timetableTechnical barriers (particularly in the earlier

years)High workload for eTeachersStaffingNeed for onsite student supportOpportunities for face to face Sustainability

Success FactorsSuccess FactorsLeadershipVisionCluster cultureStaffingSupport

VEN Report on ELearning Communities

eLCLFeLCLF

eLearning Cluster Leadership FundingeLearning Cluster Leadership Funding

Birth of the ePrincipal!!!???Birth of the ePrincipal!!!???

Mahi TahiMahi Tahi

What is, and who are, the What is, and who are, the ePrincipals?ePrincipals?

• Southern Regional Health School

• OtagoNet

• WELCom

• Cantatech

• Volcanics

• TaraNet

• CoroNet

• AorakiNet

• Cantatech

• Baylink

Cluster WebsitesCluster Websites

Formal and informal discussion

areas

Spaces catering for different interests Tools for managing

participation

Online Learning Environments

Online Learning Environments

Spaces catering for different interests

Tools for managingparticipation

http://moodle.minedu.govt.nz/taranet/

Digital ConversationsDigital Conversations

Teacher PD Opportunities

Common IssuesCommon Issues

Logistics of a shared timetableTechnical barriers (particularly in the earlier

years)High workload for eTeachersStaffingNeed for onsite student supportOpportunities for face to face Sustainability

Looking to the FutureLooking to the Future• Opportunities provided by implementation of

the New Curriculum• ICT strategic framework• Convergence• What will the VLN look like? – Self sustaining in

terms of governance and finance?• Development of a National Education Network• National plan for specialist music tuition.• How will School + impact the education

landscape?• Adult and Community Education opportunities• Satellite schooling provision [proposal in

development for WestNet - in practice through Westmount]

ConclusionConclusionParadigm Shift – is this achievable for

education? Challenges

◦Infrastructural constraints.◦Financial constraints◦Time constraints◦Competitive model promoted over collaborative

model.◦Teacher training

AcknowledgementsAcknowledgementsThanks to the following people whose input and prior work formed part of this presentation:

◦ Conor Bolton◦ Rachel Roberts◦ Derek Wenmoth◦ Eddie Reisch◦ Chris Allott McPhee

◦ Learning Communities Online: A support handbook for cluster schools.Guidelines for schools developing or joining online learning communities. Provides a summary of the changing face of online learning for schools & overview of an elearning environment “The Barrel”. This is a draft document under consultation through the VLN website.

◦www.virtuallearning.school.nz

ICT Strategic Framework for ICT Strategic Framework for Education - MOEEducation - MOE

Focus Work underway

Connectivity: Improving access

•Providing access to online resources across agencies (Education Sector Authentication and Authorisation (ESAA))

•Scoping what would be needed for a National Education Network to support regional initiatives

Content: Sharing Resources

Making media-rich learning resources available online:•The Hive project •Learning Federation objects•Education Sector Federated SearchDeveloping a digital archive of resources for teaching, learning, research and administration (National Digital Heritage Archive).

Confidence & Capability: Increasing information literacy skills and competencies

•ICT Professional Development Clusters•The Digital Technologies Framework (Year 11-13)•Multi Literacies and key competencies working group

Trends – Convergence Trends – Convergence (Derek Wenmoth)(Derek Wenmoth)