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Core propositions and principles

This document is a companion to the Rationales for Natcom 3 and should be read in conjunction with this master document.

The following core propositions and principles underpin the rationales for design of the project models from which individual projects and a collection of projects might emerge.

The project models are based on strong identifiable models for Australian telecommunications curriculum project design, explicit curriculum rationales, learning theories and professional development models that suit Australian circumstances..

Telecommunications curriculum projects are a form of online content in their own right and further, they generate other forms of online context as the community of participants and stakeholders contribute ideas, conversations, resources and classroom practice. They provide information for teachers and students, and generate information and knowledge that can be captured and distributed by online environments. They provide activities f or students and teachers to do online. They provide access to online tools that are not available elsewhere and which are explicitly changing how people use information technology in all aspects of the community.

Telecommunications curriculum projects must enable students to achieve meaningful and legitimate curriculum outcomes, and be both familiar and attractive to teachers while also encouraging teachers to extend their current practice while taking risks within supportive online and face-to-face teacher communities.

Telecommunications curriculum projects are a way of developing more sophisticated and widely adopted use of existing resources and projects funded with public and other moneys. Two issues are significant. Firstly, connectivity empowers teachers to creatively explore ideas about how to embed resources into online activity. Secondly, connectivity and online community are often the missing component in the myriad of national initiatives which may be implemented in isolated ways in individual classrooms or resigned to the bookshelf. Using these significant resources as key elements within projects not only prevents redevelopment of content materials but enables materials to have new life.

The audience for the models developed in Natcom 3 are the systems, curriculum developers, professional associations and independent groups who develop online content and activities for teachers to use. The audience of telecommunications curriculum projects generated from these models, are teachers in schools. These models may help teachers design online activities. The primary audience though is those groups who intend to develop sophisticated projects for large and small groups of teachers who will use them with their classes.

The models illustrate how to integrate professional development, curriculum development and telecommunications curriculum project designs into classrooms that are learning places for teachers, students, parents and the community.

Telecommunications projects should provide a creative environment to draw out the leaders and expertise which already resides within the community of Australian teachers, in the belief that these leaders can not only support their peers but lead in the development of the next generation of online content and find new ways to help teachers be involved. The early adopters must not be forgotten in IT educational initiatives in this country.

Australian education is at a pivotal point in contributing to the national information economy goals. It is important now, to set the tone for linking activity in schools to national information economy directions and to help teachers develop ways of participating, so students become powerful resources in Australia's future. These projects must point to the next generation of thinking, as well as scaffold non IT-using teachers to make use of the ideas.

These core propositions and principles are integrated into the project designs and their descriptions. They provide a rationale explaining why the Natcom team have selected emphases and focussed on common project structures.