With a focus on the Internet there are therefore two primary opportunities that can translate into services: information and communications. EdNA Online is thus focused on the aggregation of information resources which support education and training in Australia as well as the facilitation of networking opportunities through interactive services.

The funding of EdNA Online in 1998-1999 and 1999-2000 was divided into:

During early 1999, representatives of all Australian education systems and sectors embarked upon preparing for a Monitoring and User Evaluation Project with the aim of gathering relevant information about EdNA Online. A broad strategy was developed which uses a variety of data gathering instruments to gauge user behaviours, perceptions and feedback about EdNA Online.

Information about why potential users did not use EdNA Online would also be sought. An overview paper discussing the aims of, and approach towards, undertaking such monitoring and user evaluation.

Education.Au Limited then gained funding from DETYA to conduct the Monitoring and User Evaluation Project for EdNA Online, according to the following project objectives:

a) improve EdNA Online through the gathering and analysis of user and potential user data in accordance with sector requirements;

b) identify key current user groups and key groups who do not yet use EdNA Online but can be served by EdNA in the next two years:

c) establish routine systems of gathering data from users of EdNA Online, and utilising this data for system improvement.

1. The EdNA Online Website operating to facilitate sector users accessing relevant material no more than three layers from the front page.

2. Prototyping and development of integration of the current 'drill-down' Browse and limited Search pathways currently available on EdNA Online.

3. A report on what constitutes good educational practice in relation to Websites for learners under eight and how this might be applied to EdNA Online.

4. A costed proposal for providing an appropriate pathway for children under eight on EdNA Online.

Online Australia Year 1999 is a major Commonwealth awareness raising initiative aimed at engaging all Australians in expanding Australia's online presence. August was identified as Education Month. The Australian education and training community has been playing a key part in getting Australia online - particularly through the EdNA initiative. To support Education Month, EdNA Online will be hosting a series of events and activities from July through to December within the education and training sector.

EdNA marked education month in Online Australia Year with an online discussion forum about the use of the Internet in Education. Using both real time dialogue and email discussion modes the discussion forum focussed on three main questions:

* Online Learning - cosmetic or radical change?
* Is the internet building bridges or creating divides?
* Learning with the internet - easy for young people and hard for older people?

The discussion threads were lead by dynamic educators and special guests from all education sectors who shared their online learning experiences and lead a round table discussion exploring the effective use of online learning in education and training. The discussion forum ran from 25 -31 August and saw 600 participants register from all sectors of the education community.

Throughout the month of August the EdNA Online front page became a pavilion highlighting what the education and training communities are doing to help Australians succeed online. The purpose was to present lots of examples of what the education sector is doing to contribute in this way to Australia's future. The content was divided into three categories:

** Enterprising Partnerships
** Delivering Education & Training Online
** Investing in Infrastructure

This was a great opportunity for states and territories to showcase their local initiatives on the front page of EdNA.

In mid September the EdNA Online Australia Web Site will be launched and will showcase the online work of students across all sectors and systems of the education and training community. The web site will offer viewers the opportunity to vote on their favourite sites as well as a providing a weekly critics' choice feature.

1. Install operational tools on EdNA Online that automatically harvest sites with EdNA compliant metadata; and,

2. Install operational tools on EdNA Online that automatically harvest sites from databases whose owners have a service agreement with Education.Au Limited.

1.A project to develop and use a high quality presentation about EdNA Online. The product is designed to be used throughout all sectors and States and Territories by EdNA stakeholders. The project also aims to use a presentation within one training and development program as a pilot. The aim is to provide a tool that will be used by stakeholders to promote EdNA Online and to make it more widely understood.

2. To develop a website for Online Australia Day 1998. The website should promote EdNA Online and the work of the EdNA community in getting Australia Online.

The Resources area of the webiste contains two sets of annotated primary teaching resources organised in Key Learning Areas. One set includes resources published and available on the Internet and the other set includes traditionally published materials. The Communications area of the site contains a variety of online communication options including: a noticeboard for teachers to post notes about local, state or national events or items of interest; asynchronous threaded discussion open to all primary teacher on any curriulum topic; a synchronous discussion or chat room for same time meetings; a mailist for fast disemmination of information; and an events calendar to record and advertise local, state and national primary teaching events.

The projects direct beneficiaries were the 8 Key learning area associations who participated. The process of participation engaged these associations in a professional development and reflection process which is helping to provide direction for online activities and professional development programs within associations. Further, the expertise of individuals in the associations is spilling over into their workplaces, roles and projects. The associations have been able to develop a plan for some cross curriculum and multiple-curriculum telecommunications project activities. The designs for these projects are robust and sophisticated forward-thinking ideas about the next generation of telecommunications curriculum projects in Australia.

Systemic and other education groups who design and manage telecommunications curriculum project and support online activity can directly benefit from the designs identifies by the KLA association. These designs constitute what associations predict will help reachers develop in their skills and experience at using ICT for curriculum and professional purposes.

The original intention was to distil best practice methodologies, drawing on the expertise of colleagues. It soon became apparent that technological and skill barriers stood in the way of progress for many of those who attended, and many had their first experience of the internet in these workshops.

To address the changing focus of the sessions, a revised format was designed in which more emphasis was given to developing online skills. Once foundation skills were established, the discussion turned to an examination of possible classroom activities involving digital resources.

These ideas, shaped by the workshop discussion were subsequently documented in "Online ACE - Sharing Good Practice" which is due to be published shortly. The draft version is presently in use as a curriculum document in the 10-week "Online Ace" professional development program offered by Duke Street Community Centre in Melbourne.