Connected Classrooms

1. Connected Classrooms Aidan Dalgliesh Director, Business Relationship Management & Communication Information Technology Directorate NSW Department of Education & Training NSW Public Schools – Leading the Way www.det.nsw.edu.au

2. On announcing the $158 million Connected Classrooms initiative for NSW public schools, Premier Morris Iemma promised to give NSW public school students access to the most advanced classroom technology available. This presentation looks the detail of that announcement and introduces the program that will seek to deliver that technology.

3. Agenda • The Connected Classrooms Announcement • A look at the finer details of the election announcement; what does it really mean? • The Connected Classrooms Program • An overview of the planned approach to delivering on these expectations over the next four years…

4. Connected Classrooms Announcement $66 million to connect classrooms around the State by providing every public school with interactive whiteboards and videoconferencing facilities by 2011. $29 million to give all students their own online workspace where they can securely receive and post their homework at any time from anywhere and to retain their work in their own secure space, it will also allow parents to have online access to their children’s student reports $63 million to further increase bandwidth as well as the speed, security and reliability of the Education Department’s Wide Area Network and give public school students the online tools that will allow them to develop their research skills, expand their knowledge and work online with their peers, including enhancing the secure internet access, protecting students from inappropriate websites and online material.

5. $66 million to connect classrooms around the State by providing every public school with interactive whiteboards and videoconferencing facilities by 2011

6. Provide every NSW public school with interactive whiteboards and video conferencing facilities by 2011 to connect classrooms around the state at a cost of $66 million over four years. This will: Create direct video links to allow online field trips to places including the State Library, the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority and National Museum of Australia. Last year, primary students used the technology to participate in an underwater coral tutorial with a diver with a handheld camera; Beam university and industry experts into classrooms. Last year students were able to talk to children’s authors such as Morris Gleitzman and ask questions about writing and plot development; Give talented students in any subject in rural and regional areas the opportunity to attend their own online class with a specialist teacher in Sydney and allow gifted primary students to attend high school classes without leaving their own school; Allow a major expansion of the number of subjects able to be offered for HSC students; Broaden opportunities for participating in mock trials, debating, the Premier’s Spelling Bee and the Schools Spectacular; Link Indigenous and English as a Second Language (ESL) student communities at schools across NSW; and Provide access to early intervention services for parents and communities in remote NSW areas.

7. $29 million to give all students their own online workspace where they can securely receive and post their homework at any time from anywhere and to retain their work in their own secure space, it will also allow parents to have online access to their children’s student reports

8. Give students at NSW public schools the technology they need to be able to pursue their own learning plans and work online with others, at a cost $29 million over the next four years, including: Ensuring students can securely receive and post their homework online at any time from anywhere and to retain their work in their own secure space; Giving parents secure access to their kids’ reports, reminders about key dates such as exams, parent teacher nights and excursions and enabling electronic contact with their child’s teacher; Providing access to cutting edge technology that allows individual students, regardless of their location, to view demonstrations by experts, work on projects together or attend specialist lessons, all from their computer; Enhancing the secure internet access protecting students from accessing inappropriate material online, providing a secure environment for 1.3 million email accounts and keeping these systems at the forefront of technological developments; and Allowing access to online professional learning and curriculum materials for teachers.

9. $63 million to further increase bandwidth as well as the speed, security and reliability of the Education Department’s Wide Area Network and give public school students the online tools that will allow them to develop their research skills, expand their knowledge and work online with their peers, including enhancing the secure internet access, protecting students from inappropriate websites and online material

10. Increase the bandwidth and speed and improve the security and reliability of our Wide Area Network, at a cost of $63 million over four years, to support the delivery of these new initiatives and to respond to the enthusiastic use of internet based learning by schools through our secure internet browsing and email accounts. Improvedsecurity and access on the network will mean parents can look at their child’s assignments online. This will also enhance the use of existing online tools, such as the Homework Helper and the Teaching and Learning Exchange

11. Connected Classrooms • interactive whiteboards • video conferencing facilities • direct video links • online field trips • beaming [external] experts into classrooms • students in rural and regional areas attending online classes • linking schools across NSW • access for parents • access for remote NSW areas • students …technology …their own learning plans… work online • students can securely receive and post their homework online … any time … anywhere • their own secure space • parents secure access… reports, reminders enabling electronic contact with teachers; • secure internet access • protecting from inappropriate material • providing a secure environment • access to online professional learning and curriculum materials for teachers • increase bandwidth speed • improve security reliability • improved security access • parents can look at their child’s assignments online

12. We will build a trusted, collaborative learning community that leverages the Department’s size, diversity and excellence… …a community that is relevant, compelling and linked to educational outcomes and the Department’s teaching & learning strategy

13. Connected Classrooms Program Connected Classrooms Project LearningToolsProject NetworkBandwidthProject

14. Connected Classrooms Program Connected Classrooms Project • Interactive Whiteboards • Standardised Packages • not one size fits all • different scenarios, different bundles • compatibility with DET architecture • Statewide Contracts • Including supply, installation, support & maintenance • Technical ‘readiness’ assessment • 200 installed by June 2008 • Full Rollout by June 2011

15. Connected Classrooms Program Connected Classrooms Project • Video Conferencing Units • Standardised Packages • compatibility with DET architecture • Statewide Contracts • Including supply, installation, support & maintenance • Rolled out in conjunction with IWB • Managed Directory Service • Managed Booking Service • In-conference support

16. Connected Classrooms Program Connected Classrooms Project • Desktop Sharing • Standard Software (SOE) • compatibility with DET architecture • Integrated with DET Directory • Integrated Security • Search, discover and join via the DET Portal

17. Connected Classrooms Program Connected Classrooms Project • Professional Development • Rollout will be backed by a full program to support use of Connected Classroom ICT in Teaching & Learning • Online Resources to Support Professional Development e.g. Connected Learning Advisory Service (CLAS) • Program funding includes full time resources in support roles

18. Connected Classrooms Program LearningToolsProject • Portal Upgrade • The DET Portal will help realise the anywhere, anytime strategy • The DET Portal is the gateway to applications and services • New Portal • Active Content • Personalised content & layout • Personal space • Shared spaces

19. Connected Classrooms Program LearningToolsProject • Web 2.0 Technologies • Feedback from focus groups is that our users want everything… • wikis, blogs and vlogs, RSS feeds, desktop sharing, real time collaboration, conferencing, shared calendars, tagging, standard taxonomy etc. • Delivery Strategy • Base services on the authenticated environment – delivery via portal • Introduction of services driven by user take-up

20. Connected Classrooms Program LearningToolsProject • Teacher Resources • access to online professional learning and curriculum materials • Student Resources • securely receive and post their homework online • their own secure space [online] • Parent Resources • secure access to reports, reminders • electronic contact with teachers • look at their child’s assignments online

21. Connected Classrooms Program LearningToolsProject • Professional Development • Rollout will be backed by a full program to support use of Connected Classroom ICT in Teaching & Learning • Online Resources to Support Professional Development e.g. Connected Learning Advisory Service (CLAS) • Program funding includes full time resources in support roles

22. Connected Classrooms Program NetworkBandwidthProject • Bandwidth Upgrades • Bandwidth gets cheaper as demand increases • Strategy to migrate to scaleable services where possible • 2mb – 10mb; 10mb – 50mb • DET use of internet is exploding

24. Connected Classrooms Program NetworkBandwidthProject • Network Redesign • More devices • PCs, IWBs, Thin Clients • More services • Desktop sharing • Video Conferencing • Remote management & support

25. Current Network 10 Gigabit ethernet Various Services Location 1 Location 2

26. Proposed Core Network 10 Gigabit ethernet Gigabit ethernet HSM 1 HSM 8 HSM 2 WSM N HSM 7 HSM 3 WSM SL WSM U WSM U HSM 4 HSM 6 HSM 5

27. HSM 1 HSM 8 HSM 2 WSM N 10 Gigabit ethernet Gigabit ethernet Scalable fibre Failover DSL Proposed Edge Access Network Location 1 Location 2

28. Thank you