VLN Community

Virtual Learning Network Community “ Supports the concept of classrooms without walls, where students have the flexibility to connect with their classes 24/7”

A shared history' - Key Events
Early 1990s The Correspondence School begins trialling telecommunications technology
1994 – Cantatech – audiographics classes
2000 - KAWM
2001 – OtagoNet, developing relationships with Tertiary & 3rd party educational organisations
2002 – initiation of Project Probe
2002 – establishment of VLN (within TCS)
2002 - MOE funding for VC bridge
2003 – eLearning schools clusters mushroom nationally
2004 – VLN moves to the MOE
2006 – further clusters join the VLN
2007 – further budget allocation for Cluster Leadership funding
2008 – Primary schools participate in the VLN
2010 - establishment of the 'VLN Community'
greater focus on blended learning, widening & diverse partnerships
2011/16 - UFB rollout / managed national network ??

VLN Community – Organisation

Common Characteristics of eLearning Clusters
'Self- organising' nature of development, driven from the 'grass roots',
Ad hoc funding has come from unsustainable sources (small & emerging clusters more vulnerable),
Community Trusts
ICTPD
Collaborative Innovations Funding
EHSAS (Extending High Standards Across Schools)
eLCLF (eLearning Cluster Leadership Funding),
Staffing – most follow contributed staffing 'reciprocal' model,
Similar goals & issues,
National support from the MoE VLN services.

VLN Secondary Schools 2002 12 schools sharing classes VLN Statistics 2010 Schools:268 Teachers:170 Classes:258 Enrolments:1526 (inl.Primary ) VLN Enrolments - A pattern of Growth

VLN – Key Statistics March 2011
Video Conferencing: 16234 sessions, 5463 hours
Adobe Web Conferencing: 163 meeting rooms, 73 hours.
Asynchronous access:
20 MoE hosted Moodle sites
total 5145 unique visitors
approx 6000 hours total
WestNet 800; EduCo 2783; WelCom 3,800 registered users
OtagoNet 2000+ Google Apps users

4 P’s of Learning Online
P articipation in:
P rojects (Virtual fieldtrips, collaborative learning, connecting with authors)
P rogrammes (NCEA, tertiary courses, Y 7 & 8 Languages, expert tuition)
P rofessional Learning (online PD, working with experts)

Projects
Digital conversations
Connecting with experts
Virtual field trips
Scholarship Mentoring

Cluster based
National collaborations
VPLD
Professional Learning Opportunities

Participating in an online learning community requires commitment to a common vision and understanding:
Moving away from traditional timetable based approach,
24/7 learning,
Completion of work rather than attendance,
Flexibility to suit different learning styles,
Willingness to share resources (people and $).
Significant Shift in Thinking Cluster or Group of Schools

97% of Schools to Access UFB by 2016
Opportunity for schools to connect and collaborate via online learning communities.
What does this mean for –
Teaching in (and outside) the classroom?
Professional learning?
School administration?
Home school relationships?
Student-led learning?

Benefits of Online Learning Communities
Maximises teaching resource and expertise,
Wider choice of curriculum subjects,
Flexibility - can personalise learning to suit individual learning styles and interests,
Greater access to subject matter experts,
More opportunity for learning outside the classroom and practical experiences eg virtual field trips,
More opportunity for peer to peer mentoring and collaboration,
Increased access to relevant and current learning resources,
Greater professional learning opportunities for staff,
Specialist staff retention.

Students:
Multiple entry points
How to work together
‘ Blended’ learning (teacher-led) The expert
Teacher
or teachers
Availability
How to facilitate
Whānau and community Learning collection Tertiary organisations Other organisations Te Papa Crown Ag research

‘ Blended’ learning - student-led Students create their own learning environment Invite the expert Invite other students “ I am in control of my learning” Invite whānau Invite the teacher Learning collection

VLNS Collaborative Learning Tools
Video/audio conferencing
‘ course’ booking/scheduling system
Elgg group collaboration
Elgg Teacher and student led learning
Moodle (a learning management system or LMS),
Mahara (ePortfolio service)
LAMS
Tandberg Content Server (video streaming)
Adobe Connect web conferencing.

VLN site
1. VLN Communities:
Supports online Communities of Practice (closed or open )
More than 141 groups currently active.
To register : www.vln.school.nz/pg/groups/world/

VLN site
2. Learning Exchange
http://pol.vln.school.nz/search
Coordinates all programmes and projects offered over VLN.
Around 300 programmes offered each year including NCEA, primary languages, Te Papa, Tertiary etc

LAMS Kura Project

http://www.v7.breezeserver.co.nz/p13736586/ LAMS Kura Project

ELLINZ
ELLINZ (ESOL) pilot demonstrates how students can help other students develop English language skills in a virtual environment.

ELLINZ
Supporting environments

VLN – Primary http://tiny.cc/vlnprimary

Adobe Connect

Virtual Professional Learning Development http://vpd.vln.school.nz/

LCO handbook
Resource for schools in online learning communities to enable effective online collaboration for teaching and learning
Based on ten years of knowledge and experience of VLN cluster schools
A work in progress
Available online at:
http ://www.vln.school.nz/lcohandbook/

Challenges
Technical barriers including bandwidth
Changing work patterns for eTeachers (career pathways)
Shared staffing and resources
Need for onsite student support
Sustainability, growth & development (scalability & costs)
Changing models of education - doing things differently!

Future Focus
What is our future focus as an organisation?
Where do we see ourselves in 5 years time?
Articulating a vision for student outcomes?
How do we work in partnership with the MoE to achieve that? Joint co-ordinated policy and planning?

VLN Community

by Rachel Roberts

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