[English] The Learning Federation

[stephen at melbpc.org.au]

Hi all,

Trying to be as fair as possible, on an important issue.

What are people's thoughts regarding The Le at rning Federation?
  
  http://www.thelearningfederation.edu.au

The group was set up in 2001, by all Ed Ministers for, "developing and 
procuring online curriculum content specifically for Australian and New 
Zealand curricula, and delivering it for free distribution to schools .. 
The Initiative has delivered a valuable national asset that will directly 
support the national curriculum and assessment agenda for decades to come."


Hmm .. sounds good. But, their funding runs out next year, by which time I 
believe they were meant to be self-funding. But on their website they have 
a plan for considerably more *government* funding.

Ok, so, a fair question is, what has been achieved? Are they worth it? The
answer to this question is crucial, because with a national curriculum, 
the Learning Federation products may well be mandatory for we teachers (?)

According to my reading of their website they have received  $123 million
over the previous seven years. And, in terms of achievements, they write:

> By 31 December 2007 the project:
>
> • published over 6300 items of digital content ..


Hm, so .. that's $123 million .. divided by 6300 curriculum items.

That's close to $20,000 for each single (eg, Flash) TLF curriculum item. 


> • developed a content repository to facilitate content development 


Hm .. ok, a website .. 


> • maintained extensive consultation networks and collaborative processes 


Hm .. how many colleagues reading this have been 'extensively' consulted?


> • developed national standards and specifications ..


Hm .. there are already many standards eg, Dublin Core. We need another?


> • and systems to manage licensing and intellectual property for content.


Hm .. so the companies etc paid to produce items sign a release document.


Now, in March, the group put together a document "Sustaining supply of 
content for the digital education revolution. This paper details the 
sustainability of the Ministers' Le at rning Federation initiative beyond 
2009 to provide content for the digital education revolution." In here
they put forward a number of options to the government for more funding.
These range from $5 million a year, for not very much at all, to over $16 
million a year for presumably much of the same. 

http://www.thelearningfederation.edu.au/for_jurisdictions/feasibility_and_p
lanning_reports/phase_three.html

Colleagues. Now would be a great time to let people know your opinions.

Our money, and profession, will be vitally involved  Is this good enough?

Speak up now, or it will assuredly be more of the same. Is it good enough?

Cheers people
Stephen Loosley
Member, Victorian
Institute of Teaching. 



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