[Yr7-10it] The Learning Federation

[Costello, Rob R]

Bit revolutionary  :) 

While I'm sympathetic to what they're -trying- to do with the digital
learning objects ... 

... I'm not at all sure 

- that they really fit the needs of teachers / students etc

Eg : 
- many activities feel like they hem you in   - highly scripted, limited
choices, limited construction

- not sure whether the quality is there 

- not sure whether trying to make so many works - most activities in
itself tend to be limited 
	
- I wonder what the hit rate is for 'good' resources among all the work
that has been done 

I've looked at the resources a few times : 

Never seen or heard any secondary teacher outside of maths using any of
the objects - I'm sure a few people from the list will have? 

But I wonder if the civics / humanities simulations are very usable -
especially post primary?  I might be wrong - just haven't seen it 

The money seems pretty huge 

Comparisons might be odious, but I saw a trial of mathletics the other
day 

Somehow or other they've hit on a model that both kids and teachers
instinctively felt would work - don't know I've often had a full class
for 73 minutes, without even one year 8 kid getting sidetracked 

- it has a collaborative mode; allows kids to race against players from
around the world  

Also has a framework that ties it together - points and credits
accumulate from different activities - uses avatars etc  - something
about all that kids like 

Also has a tracking system that gives you feedback on your kids / class 

Allows lets you schedule homework activities 

Can be accessed from home 

Looks better to me.... focussed on one area... and does it really well 

Rob 

> -----Original Message-----
> From: yr7-10it-bounces at edulists.com.au [mailto:yr7-10it-
> bounces at edulists.com.au] On Behalf Of stephen at melbpc.org.au
> Sent: Saturday, 7 June 2008 12:58 AM
> To: oz-teachers at rite.ed.qut.edu.au
> Cc: yr7-10it at edulists.com.au; english at edulists.com.au;
> itapps at edulists.com.au
> Subject: [Yr7-10it] The Learning Federation
> 
> 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_an
d_
> 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.
> 
> 
> 
> Message sent using MelbPC WebMail Server
> 
> 
> 
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