Overview
One of the key goals of the Digital Education Revolution (DER) is to ensure that learning through the use of innovative learning technologies is given a strong foundation in all schools.
The Online Curriculum Resources and Digital Architecture Initiative (the Initiative) of the DER aims to facilitate sustainable change in the use of learning technologies by supporting schools’ access to and engagement in quality teaching and learning environments through the effective integration of digital teaching and learning resources and infrastructure.
The Australian Government has committed $32.6 million in the 2008 Budget, to work toward this objective with state and territory school authorities and Catholic and independent school sectors, building on existing work. The funds will be used to:
- support the development of high-quality digital resources that are aligned with and support the online delivery of the national curriculum.
- develop initiatives to support interoperable ICT systems and digital architectures that enable schools users to discover, access and share collaborative education materials and information across ICT systems.
- support the development of policies, protocols, infrastructure and standards required to enable schools to safely and seamlessly communicate, collaborate and access and use digital resources across school, system and jurisdictional boundaries.
The Initiative will provide support for other key areas of national reform, including the implementation of the National Curriculum (and national assessment and reporting agendas) and arrangements for the delivery of eLearning. This will be achieved through high levels of collaboration and coordination with school jurisdictions and sectors.
The Australian Government is working with the Australian Information and Communications Technology in Education Committee (AICTEC) to implement the DER. Two representative, expert advisory groups, the National Interoperability and Digital Architecture Advisory Group (NIDAAG) and the Intellectual Property and Privacy in Technology Advisory Group (IPPTAG) provide policy and strategic advice to AICTEC.
All projects and activities funded under the Initiative will need to comply with the Online Curriculum Resources and Digital Architecture Initiative Funding Principles.
The Funding Principles aim to support outcomes through targeting funds to projects and activities that are nationally coordinated and informed by a robust evidence base. Under the Funding Principles, proposals can only be considered when they have the support of a national policy entity with cross-jurisdictional and schools sector representation, to ensure that projects and activities support the broader reform context.
- Online Curriculum Resources and Digital Architecture Initiative Funding Principles
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There are a significant number of planned and current projects and activities under the Initiative, including the key projects and activities outlined below.
Digital Architecture and Interoperability Initiatives
The National Interoperability and Digital Architecture Advisory Group (NIDAAG) has agreed upon the following priorities for interoperability:
- 21st Century Teaching and Learning
- Content Management
- Interoperability of Systems and Data
- Identity and Access Management
- Shared Use of Infrastructures.
In addition to the projects below, the Department proposes to seek proposals for pilots of proofs of concept relating to the digital architecture component of the program and to support NIDAAG’s priorities for interoperability. It is intended that proposals be informed by the evidence base provided by the three projects currently underway. NIDAAG has commissioned work on an Interoperability Audit and Assessment and the recommendations from this report will inform the priorities for funding further projects into the future.
Interoperability Audit and Assessment and Interoperability Roadmap Project
The Department, on behalf of NIDAAG, has commissioned a project to update the 2007 report: Interoperability Standards Across the Australian Education and Training Sector conducted by Croger Associates Pty Ltd. Stage one of the project will involve an Interoperability Audit and Assessment that will identify nationally significant 'ICT-in-education' implementations and opportunities that may be addressed under the DER. Stage two will involve the development of an Interoperability Road Map which will recommend a way forward to support implementation of a national enabling ICT infrastructure. A report for stage one of the project will be finalised in late 2009.
Systems Interoperability Framework Australia
The Australian Government is providing funding to support a collaborative project lead by the Victorian Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD), for the establishment of interoperability capabilities within the Australian schools sector based on the Systems Interoperability Framework (SIF). The first stage of the project is due for completion late in 2009.
Technical Standards for Digital Education Project
The Australian Government is providing funding to the University of Southern Queensland (USQ) for the development of Technical Standards for Digital Education project. The project, undertaken by the USQ Link Affiliates team, aims to support the DER through the provision of guidance and information on ICT standards, to enhance the ability of schools systems to interoperate. The project is due for completion in mid 2010.
Curriculum Resources and Copyright Initiatives
The following projects are being progressed to build an evidence base and support the development of national systems. They are aligned with, and support the delivery of the online national curriculum.
Review of online curriculum resources
A first stage of the review was completed in May 2009 to review online curriculum resources in the key learning areas of English, mathematics, the sciences, history, languages and geography. The project found that there are 20,072 online curriculum resources available nationally. It found that access to these resources could be improved by more consistent metadata and technical standards. The review provides information on the variety of systems of delivery, technical platforms and exchange points for acquiring and providing curriculum resources to Australian schools.
A second stage of the review is underway to map online curriculum resources in the key learning area of the Arts and resources available to specific student groups, including indigenous students, distance education students, at-risk students and students whose first language is not English. A report on the second stage of the review is due in mid 2010.
Education Copyright Matrix
An Education Copyright Matrix is being developed as a practical tool to support teachers, schools and school authorities in implementing better practice copyright arrangements. The Department is undertaking this project with an advisory group of the Australian Information and Communications Technology in Education Committee (AICTEC). A report will be published late in 2009.
The Le@rning Federation (TLF) Transition Year 2009-10
The Australian Government is funding the Curriculum Corporation to maintain The Le@rning Federation’s base service for the 2009-10 Transition Year to contribute to a sustainable national digital curriculum resource supply for schools. The Le@rning Federation is a joint project of the Australian, New Zealand and state and territory governments.