What is the Virtual Learning Network?
The Virtual Learning Network (VLN) is a web-based brokerage service established in 2002 to facilitate the sharing of information about courses provided by education organisations using video conferencing facilities. Since its beginnings in 2002, the service has expanded its initial focus on schools to now include tertiary education organisations, and be in a position to include early childhood centres, private training establishments, businesses and other government agencies.
Background
For many of the smaller, rural secondary schools in New Zealand, the challenge of providing a sufficiently broad range of curriculum options for students at the senior level of the school cannot be met within existing, local resources. Since 1994 an increasing number of schools across the country have worked together to establish clusters linked by audio or video conference networks, allowing a teacher in one school to teach a ‘class’ comprising students in one or several of the other schools in the cluster.
Towards the end of 2002 the Ministry of Education supported the establishment of a ‘brokerage’ service for those clusters of schools linked by video conferencing. Demand also came from schools for the coordination of support for schools using video conferencing, and the desire of schools in these clusters to know what offerings were available in the wider context.
From the beginning of 2005, emphasis has been given to involving tertiary education organisations on the network, with the primary focus being the addition of courses provided by the tertiary institution intended for school students. Already, three major tertiary education organisations have become a part of the VLN.
The Virtual Learning Network is about more than simply providing a technical service. It involves socialising the vision of what may be achieved through a fully functioning brokerage service, the provision of pedagogical and technical advice and guidance, and making contributions to the development of a coordinated and strategic approach to the provision of support and services.
The VLN Team
The Virtual Learning Network brokerage service is part of the Ministry of Education’s Tertiary (e)Learning team, although maintains strong connections with the Schools and Early Childhood Education teams. Chris Allott-McPhee (CAM) and Eddie Reisch provide the coordination and technical support for the Virtual Learning Network. The key roles of the VLN team are:
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Brokerage – of classes, programmes and events, professional development and expertise,
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Advice and guidance (pedagogical and technical)
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Coordination and scheduling,
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Liaison - with key stakeholders, technical and programme providers
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Support - for the member organisations of the Virtual Learning Network, their principals/CEOs, staff and students.
For further information, visit the VLN site: http://www.virtuallearning.school.nz/ or contact the Virtual Learning Network team, email CAM or Eddie:
chris.allottmcphee@minedu.govt.nz [no spam] or eddie.reisch@minedu.govt.nz [no spam].
Or phone CAM: 04 463 8486 or Eddie: 04 463 7052.