[Year 12 IT Apps] FW: Ultranet

Mark Kelly kel at mckinnonsc.vic.edu.au
Mon Aug 20 19:58:37 EST 2007


I dread to say this, since I am usually The Cynical One Lambasting The 
Establishment (TCOLTE), but...

Dare I suggest the motives of DE&T are less Machiavellian than you might 
fear?

Could they even have genuinely altruistic motives?

Yes, I was a part of the Ultranet trial, but that is not the reason I 
say this.

For DE&T to actively counteract any motive force in a pre-emptive and 
self-satisfying manner is to assume they have a motive for doing so... 
and when have they shown any signs of oppressing Moodlish installations 
in schools?

Could it be that they are in fact trying to satisfy a need in schools 
that some pioneers have already explored with Moodling, or equivalent?

I'm not getting paid for this, but I'm holding off pre-emptive criticism 
until I see the beast that's provided for me to ride.

Etc

Mark

Stephen Digby wrote:
> Yes.
> The current review of government school intranets is the first step in 
> the claw back of control of school IT.
> They are starting with requiring schools to document their networks and 
> redesign them under a single blueprint.
> Under the guise of security they will then shut down "unsupported" 
> external access tools like moodle.
> To justify the ridiculous expenditure on UltraNet, they will require all 
> schools to use it, thus making maintenance of other tools a costly 
> duplication rather than an alternative.
> Any deficiencies in the system will be met with either denial or more 
> wasted investment....
>  
> Hear this before ? 
>  
> Heard of "CASES" ?
>  
> ====================================================
> Stephen Digby, Learning Technology Manager
> mailto: admin at cheltsec.vic.edu.au <mailto:admin at cheltsec.vic.edu.au>
> Cheltenham Secondary College www.cheltsec.vic.edu.au 
> <http://www.cheltsec.vic.edu.au/>
> Ph: 613 955 55 955  Fx: 9555 8617 Mb: 0431-701-028
> ====================================================
> Too many of us look upon Americans as dollar chasers. This is a cruel 
> libel, even if it is reiterated thoughtlessly by the Americans 
> themselves. Albert Einstein
> 
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> *From:* itapps-bounces at edulists.com.au 
> [mailto:itapps-bounces at edulists.com.au] *On Behalf Of *Andrew Grimshaw
> *Sent:* Monday, 20 August 2007 3:27 PM
> *To:* Year 12 IT Applications Teachers' Mailing List
> *Subject:* Re: [Year 12 IT Apps] FW: Ultranet
> 
> Am i silly to assume that we will be able run our moodels as well as the 
> ultranet? - i cant think of any reason why we couldn't
>  
> andrew grimshaw
> colac college
> 
>     ----- Original Message -----
>     *From:* Roland Gesthuizen <mailto:rgesthuizen at gmail.com>
>     *Newsgroups:* local.it.itapps
>     *To:* Year 12 IT Applications Teachers' Mailing List
>     <mailto:itapps at edulists.com.au>
>     *Sent:* Monday, August 20, 2007 1:37 PM
>     *Subject:* Re: [Year 12 IT Apps] FW: Ultranet
> 
>     Hmm, they didn't answer the $M60 question asked.
> 
>     Oddly enough, they invited Laurie to download the tender. Cute :-)
> 
>     It would be an interesting to post a tender response.
> 
>     A survey is nice, but I wonder at the depth and level of
>     consultation with the subject associations and professional groups
>     already doing cool activities with tools such as Moodle. This is
>     about teaching and learning, not just worksheets, software and
>     bandwidth. For now, we we can only speculate at the deeper
>     educational pedagogy and research that underpins this centralist
>     model for networked service delivery. Anybody who can predict the
>     world beyond 2017 is a fool. I'm certainly not holding my breath.
> 
>     It is really great to see ALL the different learning tools we are
>     all using and engaged by the exciting things that are happening.
>     Only last week, a new teacher was posted here a swag of ideas from
>     MS Sharepoint users. Thats cool! There is a very real strength in
>     our current diversity of tools, teaching styles and innovative
>     solutions, many in spite of poor funding or administrative hurdles.
>     The VITTA annual conference is a celebration of these success
>     stories by a community of practicing educators.
> 
>     Should we be concerned about an all embracing, centralist model for
>     networked service delivery for Victorian state schools? I suppose we
>     could be proactive and engage with the tender process .. or keep on
>     doing the fun stuff that engages and teaches our students :-)
> 
>     Regards Roland
> 
>     On 20/08/07, *Laurie Savage* <sav at pvgc.vic.edu.au
>     <mailto:sav at pvgc.vic.edu.au>> wrote:
> 
>         I emailed the Ultranet people, here is their reply.
> 
>         Laurie
> 
>         -----Original Message-----
>         From: Quach, Tam T [mailto:quach.tam.t at edumail.vic.gov.au
>         <mailto:quach.tam.t at edumail.vic.gov.au>] On Behalf Of
>         Ultranet
>         Sent: Monday, 20 August 2007 9:28 AM
>         To: sav at pvgc.vic.edu.au <mailto:sav at pvgc.vic.edu.au>
>         Subject: RE: Ultranet
> 
>         Hi Laurie
> 
>         Thank you for your enquiry of 17 August 2007 regarding the
>         Ultranet.
> 
>         The Department of Education is aware that some schools are using
>         learning
>         management systems such as Moodle.  Please refer to section
>         8.1.20 of the
>         Request for Tender specifications below:
> 
>         8.1.20 Learning Management Systems
>         A few Victorian government schools have made investments in
>         third party
>         learning management solutions. Solutions include (but are not
>         limited to)
>         Edumate, My Classes, Scholaris, Studywiz, Moodle, Blackboard and
>         other
>         custom developed intranet solutions.  The solutions are
>         implemented within
>         schools' curriculum network environment. DoE is in the process
>         of conducting
>         an extensive survey of existing applications in use at schools
>         to assist in
>         formulating the data conversion and change management strategies.
> 
>         Learning management systems, however, are only one component of the
>         Ultranet.  The other components include:
> 
>         . Strategy
>         . Learning and Teaching Management
>         . Administration
>         . Collaboration
>         . Student Information
>         . Staff Information
>         . School Information
>         . Reporting
>         . Productivity Tools
>         . Architecture
>         . Security
>         . Standards
>         . Change Management
>         . Development and Implementation
>         . Service Hosting, Operational Support and Maintenance
> 
>         The Ultranet Request for Tender was released publicly on 1
>         August 2007.  You
>         can the Ultranet RFT from the Victorian Government Tenders web
>         site at
>         www.tenders.vic.gov.au <http://www.tenders.vic.gov.au>.  Search
>         for 'Ultranet'. You will need to register on
>         the site in order to download the document.
> 
>         I hope this answers your question.
> 
>         Regards
>         Tam Quach
> 
>         -----Original Message-----
>         From: Laurie Savage [mailto:sav at pvgc.vic.edu.au
>         <mailto:sav at pvgc.vic.edu.au>]
>         Sent: Friday, 17 August 2007 3:35 PM
>         To: Ultranet
>         Subject: Ultranet
> 
>         We are already using a colloborative, intuitive e-learning
>         system that is
>         under constant development and improvement. We use it for VELS
>         and VCE
>         cources. It is free, open source and can be tailored to local
>         needs. It is
>         written in PHP and uses a free backend database. It is called
>         Moodle. Does
>         the state need to spend $M60 to implement an untried alternative?
> 
>         Laurie Savage
>         ICT/Comm. Tech. Teacher,
>         Pascoe Vale Girls College
> 
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>         and not necessarily those of the Department of Education.
> 
> 
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> 
> 
> 
>     -- 
>     Roland Gesthuizen - ICT Coordinator - Westall Secondary College
>     http://www.westallsc.vic.edu.au
> 
>     "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens
>     can change the world; indeed it is the only thing that ever has."
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> *Important - *This email and any attachments may be confidential. If 
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> opening or using attachments check them for viruses and defects. 
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> negligence of the sender or not, resulting directly or indirectly from 
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-- 
Mark Kelly
Manager - Information Systems
McKinnon Secondary College
McKinnon Rd McKinnon 3204, Victoria, Australia
Direct line / Voicemail: 8520 9085
School Phone +613 8520 9000
School Fax +613 95789253
kel AT mckinnonsc.vic.edu.au

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