There are some activities that our state education departments were never really ment to move into.<br><br>At one stage a bright spark probably had the idea that if every school had a photocopier, kids would never read to buy a book in a library. Teachers could just run off blackline masters. The same could be said for film loops, 16 mm projectors and other bits of technology that are rolled out into schools. There is a point where the state can provide support and a point where it must step back and let go.<br>
<br>With the wisdom of hindsight, can laugh at the rush to install copiers and projectors. Whilst we applaud the work by groups such as the state film library, there comes a time when other groups can handle this better and we can let go of central state control or organisation.<br>
<br>This is already happening around us. I just helped another staff member connect to a wireless network that leaps around our school network. Organisations such as NSW and NASA are outsourcing email to external groups like Google Gmail. I agree that the millions we now spend on a satewide Ultranet would very probably be wasted over the next millenium as ICT goals move towards cloud and portable based computing where users have a very personal stake in how it should be used.<br>
<br>If I can quote a good friend (his entire article is worth reading)<br><br>"The problem is that we do not create productive contexts for learning
in which the needs of each child are met as their talent, interest,
curiosity, and passion are amplified. The last thing we need is another
sweeping top-down reform."<br> <a href="http://www.good.is/?p=11450">http://www.good.is/?p=11450</a><br><br>Regards Roland<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">2009/3/2 <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:stephen@melbpc.org.au">stephen@melbpc.org.au</a>></span><br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;"><div id=":23k" class="ArwC7c ckChnd">(snip)<br>They would be better putting the money into creating moodle blocks to do<br>
the extras that they want, and teacher education in the use of ICT's.<br>
60.5 million is a damn lot of money that could be much better used in a<br>
1000 different ways. But instead we will end up with something that is<br>
probably irrelevant to our needs, a resource hog, etc etc.<br>
<br>
Why isn't the government looking at Open Source software?? Or are the<br>
kickbacks too much of an enticement??</div></blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><br>-- <br>Roland Gesthuizen - ICT Coordinator - Westall Secondary College<br><a href="http://www.westallsc.vic.edu.au">http://www.westallsc.vic.edu.au</a><br>
<br>"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed it is the only thing that ever has." --Margaret Mead<br>