[LINK] Broadband for a Broad Land

stephen at melbpc.org.au stephen at melbpc.org.au
Tue Dec 28 17:24:40 AEDT 2010


Tom writes,

> > A parliamentary inquiry into the NBN has invited submissions ...
> 
> I started writing a submission for the NBN Inquiry: 
> <http://blog.tomw.net.au/2010/12/broadband-for-broad-land.html>.
>
> In the case of education there will be investments needed to take 
> advantage of broadband ..


Tom, i fully agree that Internet training for teachers and school staff
will *always* be helpful. Especially training BY practising school staff
FOR practising school staff (in 34 years of teaching, i have VERY rarely
experienced even adequate professional development from outside 'experts'
with little or no classroom experience of young children) will be welcome.

However, i don't think this can be tied-in with the NBN. To my knowledge,
Vic and NSW schools already do have fairly speedy broadband, and, this is 
almost entirely seperate from the local NBN arrangements. I did read that 
the NBN MIGHT be used to 'augment' existing State fibre arrangements for 
schools, but, it's very possible that to respond to any such NBN inquiry, 
with suggestions for assisting schools, would be seen as NBN-irrelevant.

So while i strongly agree with more professional development for teachers
I'm not at all sure an NBN inquiry is an appropriate avenue for suggesting
such professional development. Thus, may one suggest that you investigate
the current plans for Australian school-NBN links, before you do include
school PD suggestions to this NBN inquiry? It may save embarrasment later?

As noted however, i am sure all Aussie teachers would welcome more net PD!

Cheers Tom
Stephen Loosley
Member, Victorian
Institute of Teaching



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