Premier Sponsor

Ministry of Education Tertiary (e)Learning

The MoE of Education (MoE) is proud to be sponsoring eFest once again. eFest 2006 - ‘’Moving Learning’ is focusing on meeting the challenge of creating a society where access to learning is ubiquitous, skills are transferable, and technologies are both interoperable and portable. It is therefore pertinent for the MoE to be sponsoring such an event given its vision of accessible, relevant and high quality learning opportunities for all New Zealanders.

The MoE’s e-Learning team (now comprising the Schools and Tertiary teams), in collaboration with the Early Childhood Education team and representatives of the tertiary sector, are contributing to this vision through the projects and initiatives outlined below.  This is in addition to ongoing work with the Tertiary Education Commission around their e-Learning Collaborative Development Fund (eCDF).  For more information on these and other e-Learning initiatives and projects not listed here please contact the e-Learning team at: feedback.elearn@minedu.govt.nz. 

ICT Strategic Framework for Education
The New Zealand ICT Strategic Framework for Education (Strategic Framework) is the mechanism with which ICT investment is strategically planned and coordinated across the education sector agencies and the National Library. It is aligned with, and supports, the government’s goals and education priorities as well as the e-Government and National Digital Strategies and the international e-Framework for Education and Research.

The Strategic Framework sets year 2010 targets for Connectivity, Content and Confidence and Capability components and across the Learning and Teaching, Research and Administration and Support dimensions of education.  Supporting the Strategic Framework are annual workplans which identify the key ICT projects and initiatives which will help achieve these targets. The Strategic Framework has established a collaborative approach to ICT investment in order to improve learner achievement in an innovative education sector, fully connected and supported by the smart use of ICT.

Connectivity and the Adoption of the International e-Framework for Education and Research
An action area of the Interim Tertiary e-Learning Framework is the “adoption of relevant technical and design standards for e-Learning developments”. Connectivity is also a key component of the ICT Strategic Framework for Education. To further the work in connectivity, two related initiatives have been undertaken by the MoE and other agencies in 2006. 

The first is the establishment of the Education Sector ICT Connectivity (Officials) Sub-Committee. The group is made up of representatives from education sector agencies, the State Services Commission, New Zealand Trade and Enterprise and the Ministry of Research, Science and Technology. One of the initial focuses of this group is New Zealand’s involvement in the development of the International e-Framework for Education and Research. This initiative explores more flexible approaches to the technical infrastructures for e-Learning, e-Research and e-Administration. The development of such a service-oriented technical framework, based on open standards, will help maximise the flexibility, interoperability and cost-effectiveness of IT systems.

Secondly, the Ministry of Education (on behalf of New Zealand’s Education Sector ICT Standing Committee and Ministry of Research, Science and Technology) has now reached ‘partner’ status with the e-Framework - a significant achievement for New Zealand’s international connectivity developments. We now join other e-Framework partners such as the Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC) in the U.K and the Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST) in Australia.

In April 2006, the Ministry of Education also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with JISC which will see close cooperation between the two organisations around development of the e-Framework and the exploration of other potential areas for collaboration.

A formal agreement between New Zealand and DEST is also moving forward and New Zealand representatives are meeting with IMS Global in the U.S.A to further develop international ICT Standards.

Development of a New Zealand Education Sector e-Learning Strategic Framework
An integrated e-Learning Strategic Framework, encompassing early childhood, schools and tertiary, is being developed to provide a cohesive approach to e-Learning. The development of this Strategic Framework will support the sector as it moves to meet the greater diversity of student needs, increase the flexibility of provision and meet the demand for high quality resources and service provision across New Zealand’s education sector.

Implementation of the Interim Tertiary e-Learning Framework
The MoE e-Learning team, in partnership with members of the Tertiary e-Learning Reference Group, other e-Learning stakeholders and government agencies, are developing an Action Plan for the Interim Tertiary e-Learning Framework. This plan will include details on how the Interim Tertiary e-Learning Framework is to be implemented by both Tertiary Education Organisations and government agencies.  It will include objectives, success measures, timeframes and responsibilities. The Action Plan will be aligned with the next Tertiary Education Strategy, the ICT Strategic Framework for Education, and the outcomes of the review of the eCDF.

The Virtual Learning Brokerage Service
The Virtual Learning Network (VLN) increases the opportunities available to distance learners by facilitating the establishment of online, networked learning environments through the use of video conferencing and other technologies.  The VLN provides a video conferencing brokerage service for schools and tertiary education organisations across New Zealand and gives advice for building virtual connections in teaching and learning. Visit www.virtuallearning.school.nz for more information.

Effective Practice with e-Learning Guidelines
These guidelines have been developed jointly by the MoE and Massey University.  The objective of the guidelines is to support practitioners who are considering adopting or who have already adopted e-Learning as a means to enhance the quality of learning and teaching at their institutions.  The guidelines have been created by merging an existing set of e-CDF created guidelines by Massey with MoE collected case studies.  The guidelines are hosted on an interactive ‘wiki’ type environment where practitioners can (amongst other things) obtain information and add case studies of their own if they wish to.  The guidelines are now available either directly at http://elg.massey.ac.nz/index.php?title=Main_Page or at the MoE’s e-Learning portal (www.elearn.govt.nz) or STEO site (http://cms.steo.govt.nz). 

Tertiary e-Learning Research Fund
The Interim Tertiary e-Learning Framework (2003/04) included among its recommendations the need for robust research on e-Learning in the tertiary education sector in New Zealand. The Tertiary e-Learning Research Fund (TeLRF) was established in 2004 and is an on-going contestable fund for sector-based research into the current context and future impact of e-Learning in New Zealand.  Research findings are also being used to inform a scenario planning exercise, to provide the New Zealand tertiary education sector with pictures of the future, against which they can measure their own e-Learning capability and decide the future direction of e-Learning for their institution. 

The RFP for the latest (2006/2007) round of the TeLRF was released to the sector at the end of June this year.  Applications close on Friday 1 September. Further information can be obtained at www.elearn.govt.nz or http://cms.steo.govt.nz.  Alternatively you can email the team at elearning.research@minedu.govt.nz.

This information is correct as at 21 July 2006. For updates please visit www.elearn.govt.nz or email feedback.elearn@minedu.govt.nz.

Contact:
Peter Guiney
Ministry of Education e-Learning Team
Phone: 04 463 7557
Email:  peter.guiney@minedu.govt.nz