April 2011

Marg McLeod

Acting Group Manager, Schooling Implementation

• Online world now integral to students’ lives

• Increasing evidence that learning in online environments can significantly enhance engagement + lift achievement.

• Particularly effective for students who don’t respond to traditional teaching methods.

• Students can create, collaborate and learn - anytime, anywhere and from anyone.

• In other words – learning without limits

Why UFB in schools?

Where are we now? • Vast majority of schools are now on broadband

• Speeds range between 0.5-5Mbps – increasingly inadequate for many online services to work properly

• Currently < 200 New Zealand schools have bandwidth required for streaming video, web conferencing, apps such as Google Earth

• Next generation of applications require high speed, symmetrical (i.e. fast in both directions) internet connections

Barriers

• Fragmented ICT approach has resulted in a variety of network architectures – a challenge to connect

• Schools purchase individually – limits opportunity to centralise procurement and reduce cost

• Digital divide issue nationally – is now access to the internet, not access to computers

• Limited opportunities for remote support/provision of off-site support

The Government’s commitment

• 97% NZ schools (99.7% of students) will have access to ultra-fast broadband (capable of 100megabits/second) by 2016

• 3% remote schools will have access to fast broadband (up to10Mbps) by other means e.g.satellite or point-to-point wireless

• $1.5 billion investment overall

• $150 million investment signalled to prepare schools for the rollout

How?

Ministry of Economic Development responsible for Government policy on fibre rollout

Urban areas = Ultra Fast Broadband Initiative

• Crown Fibre Holdings (CFH) set up to manage the $1.35 billion ‘Ultra Fast Broadband (UFB) Initiative’.

• Two regional providers selected so far; Northpower (Whangarei) and WEL Networks (Hamilton, Tauranga, Whanganui, Tokoroa, Hawera and New Plymouth

How?

Rural areas = Rural Broadband Initiative

• Separate $300 million Rural Broadband Initiative (RBI) overseen directly by MED

• MED currently negotiating with Telecom/Vodafone

• Negotiations expected to be completed April 2011.

How will rollout happen?

Depends on outcome of UFB/RBI procurement processes and subsequent order in which successful providers choose to connect schools.

Ultra-fast Broadband in Schools programme

Aim:

To enable schools to realise the potential of UFB to improve outcomes for students

Vision: Learning without limits

Learning anywhere, anytime, from anyone, through access to ubiquitous digital networks, appropriate ICT tools and the skills and knowledge to use these effectively.

How will UFB improve education outcomes?Equity

• Reduced barriers of distance and travel costs eg virtual field trips

• Enabling sharing of scarce resources eg Māori medium teachersEngagement

• Students using familar (‘leisure’) technology to create and learn eg Skype, gaming, virtual worlds

• Particularly effective for previously disengaged students or students with special needs

Teaching

• 24/7 remote access to students’ work

• Opportunities for virtual professional development (already happening)Systems

• Better data collection, enabling evidence-based policies

• Ability to identify needs and target support

What are we doing?

• Information and support for schools pre, during and post connection to fibre

• Investigating viability of dedicated education network

• Building capability

• Provision of hardware and software

• Upgrading network infrastructure

Other relevant Ministry initiatives•TELA – laptop scheme for principals and teachers•TKI and online services •Digistore /Digi Advisors•Student Management System support •e-asTTle •Virtual Learning Network •Software licensing contracts •eportfolio trial •Online moderation using Mahara •ENROL(IT resourcing)• and more….

Preparing schools for the rollout

• Ongoing sector engagement programme including ‘Learning without limits’ seminar series held last year to update sector on progress with UFB/RBI

• Meeting for first UFB schools in Whangarei held in March (deployment commencing mid-2011)

• Feedback sought on information pack provided to each school prior to connection

• Dedicated staff to assist and advise schools throughout process

ICT Professional Development

• $11.2 million invested annually

• Current 3 yr ‘cluster’ based model in place since 1999

• 65% of schools have participated (15% at any one time)

• Now transitioning to new regionally delivered model to better support the needs of all schools

• Current clusters will be phased out by 2012– 2011 74 ICT PD clusters (588 schools)– 2012 55 clusters ( 501 schools)

What do we mean by a NEN?

• Dedicated network for education use only

• High speed access to education/admin-related content and services

• Hosted and “cloud” apps (eg Google Apps)

• Many examples globally – eg. nen.gov.uk or CalREN in USA

A NEN for NZ schools?

• Request for Information for ‘Managed Network and Managed Services’ released last year

• Currently evaluating responses

• Business case due e/o May

• Recommendations to Cabinet June/July

• Next stage, if approved = Request for Proposal

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NEN trial extension

• Investigating issues and opportunities for schools in accessing online content and services over a dedicated network

• Findings will inform implementation of a Managed Network for Schools if this goes ahead

• Original 2008 trial with 23 schools

• Currently being extended to 102 schools

• KAREN research network = backbone of trial NEN

How do we improve outcomes for learners?

How the world’s most improved school systems keep getting better

www.mckinsey.com

“Collective collaborative capacity”

Margaret.mcleod@minedu.govt.nz