[Offtopic] Applications invited for Microsoft Australia and Victorian Govern ment Excellence in Software Innovation Award

[Chase, AnneMarie A]

Applications invited for Microsoft Australia and Victorian Government Excellence
in Software Innovation Award



Summary

The Microsoft Australia and Victorian Government Excellence in Software
Innovation Award will provide recognition for students who have developed
innovative software using Microsoft Visual Studio .NET Professional. The student
and school will share in the $15,000 award. Students must be enrolled in a
secondary school. The closing date for applications is Friday, 19 September.



The Microsoft Australia and Victorian Government Excellence in Software
Innovation Award will provide recognition for students who have developed
innovative software using Microsoft Visual Studio .NET Professional. 

The Department of Education and Training (DE&T) has a strong commitment to
information and communications technologies (ICT) and innovation in Victorian
schools. 

For the second year, DE&T, in conjunction with the Department of Infrastructure
and Microsoft Australia, is offering a $15,000 award for excellence in software
innovation.

The successful student will receive $5,000 in cash and $2,500 worth of Microsoft
software. The successful school will receive $5,000 in cash and $2,500 worth of
Microsoft software. 

The $5,000 cash grant to schools must be used to purchase information technology
and support information technology related activities in the school.

Student software applications must be developed using Microsoft Visual Studio
.NET Professional.

Both the successful student and the school that the student attends will be
expected to participate in appropriate public relations opportunities with
Microsoft Australia and the Victorian Government.

Student software applications can either be those developed in the course of
completing school curriculum or out of personal interest.

Student applicants must be enrolled in a secondary school, but there is no age
restriction on student applicants.

To apply, students must:
*	ensure that the principal completes the school application form (see the
Internet address below)
*	be enrolled in a secondary school
*	complete the student application form (see the Internet address below)
*	provide a fully functioning software application created with Microsoft
Visual Studio .NET Professional
*	provide minimal user documentation for the software application
*	provide a software demonstration or walkthrough that demonstrates the
key features of the program. The most appropriate form for this is a PowerPoint
presentation with up to ten slides.

The student and school application forms are available on SOFWeb at:
http://www.sofweb.vic.edu.au/itcareer/ <http://www.sofweb.vic.edu.au/itcareer/>
under Student ICT Projects.

Selection criteria

The selection process will involve a panel of representatives from the
Department and its ICT project partners. 

The software application developed by the successful student applicant will be
assessed according to the following criteria:
*	be developed using Microsoft Visual Studio .NET Professional
*	demonstrate innovation by contributing to a software development
environment that aims to make information available any time, any place, on any
device
*	use appropriate software development techniques such as internal
documentation, formatting conventions, minimal user documentation and a software
demonstration or walkthrough of key features
*	be the intellectual property of the student.

Appropriate types of student applications would include:
*	communications utility
*	database interface 
*	knowledge management
*	file transfer and management.

Successful school applicants will be required to submit a proposal explaining
how the $5,000 and software will be used to develop IT and software skills in
the school.

Appropriate content for the school proposal in terms of developing IT and
software skills would include:
*	providing professional development for teachers
*	purchasing training texts, videos or software
*	developing programming courses to be offered in the school.

A maximum of two applications will be permitted per school. Your school may
nominate up to two applicants for consideration by the selection panel. 

No correspondence shall be conducted by the nominating schools/students with the
Department after applications close.

Three copies of the student and school applications should be faxed or mailed to
(please do not submit bound applications): 
Microsoft Australia and Victorian Government Excellence in Software Innovation
Award
C/- Anne-Marie Chase
Learning and Teaching Division
Department of Education and Training
GPO Box 4367
Melbourne 3001

Fax: 9637  2880

The software applications and software demonstration or walkthrough should be
emailed as attachments to ict.skills at edumail.vic.gov.au
<mailto:ict.skills at edumail.vic.gov.au>  ensuring that the subject line is '2003
Excellence in Software Innovation Award' and the student and school are
identified in the body of the message.

The closing date for applications is the close of business on Friday, 19
September 2003.

Further information may be obtained from Anne-Marie Chase on telephone 9637
2854.






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