11/4/03
The days of students on remote stations learning by two-way radio and correspondence will become a thing of the past next year, under a State Government telecommunications program worth more than $10million.
Education Minister Alan Carpenter today announced Optus had been chosen as the preferred supplier for specialised telecommunications services that will provide computers and constant Internet access to the State's 510 home-based remote students.
Mr Carpenter said installation of the technology in the homes of all children studying through the Department of Education and Training's five Schools of the Air and three Schools of Isolated and Distance Education - at no cost to families - would revolutionise their learning.
"This is effectively going to take these kids from the dark ages of two-way radio and correspondence learning into a 21st century virtual classroom," the Minister said.
"It will mean that instead of talking to teachers over a crackly radio line they share with the Royal Flying Doctor Service and waiting six weeks for assignments to come back in the mail, students will be able to learn on-line with their teachers and 'classmates' and receive instant feedback.
"This is the single biggest thing to happen to remote education since the two-way radio came into use decades ago."
The remote education contract is a major component of the State Government's $90million e2c - Education to Community - telecommunications program announced by the Premier in February 2002.
The first phase of the project has already seen the delivery of broadband Internet services to more than 430 schools and education offices across the State, increasing their access time up to 200-fold. The remaining sites are due to be connected by September 2003.
Member for Eyre John Bowler welcomed the announcement by the Minister, saying it would be a great boost to the education of the students in his vast electorate.
"Kalgoorlie School of the Air has 45 students from Kindergarten to Year Seven scattered across 750,000km2 on stations, in remote communities and just out bush," Mr Bowler said.
"All are remote and all students and their families will welcome the advances in technology after 40 years of relying on the HF radio."
The upgraded telecommunications system for remote students will involve the placement of satellite dishes at each student's home.
"The existing HF radio system is hampered by limited availability due to radio interference and the reception is so poor students and teachers struggle to understand each other," Mr Carpenter said.
"Although most students have email now, the remote schooling system still uses correspondence extensively meaning there can be a six-week turnaround in assignments being sent out, assessed and returned to students."
Mr Carpenter said the new system would allow Schools of the Air and Isolated and Distance Education to deliver:
- 20 simultaneous classes for up to 200 students;
- high-quality voice communications using stereo head-sets attached to the computer;
- digital content lessons such as 'e-courses' - interactive web-based lessons using streaming video and graphics files;
- Internet and personal e-mail access;
- collaborative learning including discussion forums, chat facilities and e-mail conference services; and
- document-sharing - lessons in which students and staff jointly work on a single document.
Subject to bandwidth availability, it will also allow the delivery of video streaming, video broadcast and potentially video conferencing to students and staff.
"Under the new system, students will have clear voice communication with their teachers and one another, access to information via the Internet and access to e-learning materials being developed at the Schools of Isolated and Distance Education in Leederville," Mr Carpenter said.
"The system will enable students to interact with their teachers and one another 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
"In time it is also planned to stream television lessons via live filming at the Leederville Interactive Television Centre.
"These lessons will include courses such as Languages Other Than English, which are otherwise almost impossible to deliver to remote students."
Mr Carpenter said trials of the new program were completed successfully at the Kalgoorlie School of the Air and two remote homesteads at Yindi and Cowarna Downs in the Goldfields District.
"After the success of the trials, the Department of Education and Training is expecting to commence equipment installation in Term Two (May) with some students able to access the improved services from June this year," he said.
It is expected the roll-out of the new technology will be completed towards the end of 2004.
Minister's office: 9213 6800
