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Rationale
To support professional associations' activities, their curriculum projects and the work of coordinators, there is a need for professional associations to develop online content that supports teachers, learners and people using telecommunications projects to illustrate exemplary practice. This content may take a number of forms and be available through multiple media. Some content is static, simply available for teachers to read/ listen to/view, while other is dynamic made up of or from events and activities to do with others. Occasional such dialogue and these events are recorded adding an extra dimension to the content collection. This model for online content is important because it will help the current managers of curriculum projects and content sites consider new ideas for developing and maintaining collection of content. Textbooks in the sky are poor models to present to Australian teachers.

Teachers enthusiastically seek online content in any form. They understand the web enables them to connect with such information and they seek accurate and relevant information that they will use in the creation of learning experiences for their students. Teachers may be attracted to telecommunications curriculum projects because of the support materials that complement project activity. Quick connection to "just what they need" is important for busy teachers. Further, teachers need to be able to add their own content to a community collection and the community supporting a project values tested-and-tried classroom materials. This model illustrates that professional associations online content and their contributions to telecommunications projects will be developed as community-centred resources and likely to enable exchange and collation of ideas.

Online content needs to cater for a range of users, from beginners to those early adopters who have moved onto the next generation of activity and content forms. The dynamic nature of this model suits many types of people and represents a professional development model which suits busy teachers at all levels of professional and IT experience. This is precisely the work of professional associations.

The Online Professional Content model provides associations with a list of online content to collect, build and share and provides a strategy for organising the content. It is an activity to which all associations are committed and involves drawing together the important collections of content and adding value to the collections through expert commentary within the web spaces of each association. Novice teachers can peer through this window to gain an understanding of the ideas behind the ideas, and over time multiple views might be developed. In this model, associations will also provide a lens over the work of other associations and projects. They will add expert commentary though web spaces and communities, thus enriching the cross-curricula view teachers see.

Definitions of online content
The Education response to the NOIE framework for an information Economy uses the following definition for Online Content in education.

Digital materials and tools that are designed to foster, generate and assess learning and thus have an inherent teaching or teaching support function.

This definition of on line curriculum content includes:

• discrete units of content coupled with learning activities;
• sequenced material to support a course;
• interactive activities designed to generate information, develop comprehension analysis and application of what is being learned;
• functions which facilitate access to other learning resources, including site links and communication with experts, other teachers and students;
• assessment tools;
• information management, learning management and resource discovery tools: and
• capabilities for teachers and students to adapt and interact with what is provided, and to create and circulate their own material.

DETYA 1999

This definition helps describe what might be collated in this model but does not describe how it might be developed. The following might complement the definition above.

Online content consists of:

• Web-based information including text, images, sound and video
• Online events and activities conducted when people engage in dialogue
• Streamed data through web pages to consumers of information - that collected by remote video and audio, and remote sensors.
• Recordings of online events and streamed data
• Tools to manipulate remote devices
• Programs which enable users to interact with information, models and simulations
• Online tools which support information management and resource development

These definitions provide an excellent basis on which to develop and organise online content to support professional development and classroom experiences.

Principles underpinning this model
The target community in professional associations consists of first-time users of online activities and events, experienced users of online activities and managers of online activities. Thus online content must extend experienced users as well as cater for novice users.

Using online content is a professional development activity. Teachers will use these models for online content as exemplars to copy in their web and event development and for the experiences they provide to students.

The context and pedagogical information around a resource constitutes its value. The "teacher-talk" which accompanies resources, makes them useful. These can be recorded or made available if online content is designed appropriately.

User contributions help a collection of content become valued by its community. A community's resource needs community contributions. Tools and strategies can enable people to add their ideas. This may be the most time consuming and complex element of a collections' design.

Maintenance of online content is the most expensive component of online content collections. In developing online content, maintenance issues need to be designed in, and if possible, decentralised to enable multiple community groups and members to participate in maintenance programs. Further, use of online tools and database-driven sites may reduce maintenance loads. This will be essential in curriculum project and professional associations content, which will be developed and maintained by volunteers.

Not all users of web sites and online events are able to participate through all their senses. Online content must take account of disabled users.

Providing an audience for online content is essential. Attention must be given to metadata when developing sites and events.

Professional association content
This model describes how professional associations may be able to contribute to how teachers use online content and participate in online activities. This model complements the telecommunications curriculum project models described in this collection of models. Associations will want to develop their own projects plus contribute to projects hosted by other associations and groups while developing online content. In doing so, they will be able to help their members and communities identify online content which fits their KLA needs.

KLA Curriculum information
Associations would develop content about curriculum ideas from their KLA, that are not related to learning technology approaches. Each KLA is well positioned to create their own models for identifying and communicating ideas within the principles described above.

Learning technology information
Information for teachers about using learning technology, online curriculum activities and telecommunications projects in the KLA. This might include:

• strategies for teachers to gain skills
• access to recordings about exemplary practice
• ideas for using EdNA
• how to develop skills, knowledge and understanding to enable them to continue developing independently.

Collections of online projects and ideas suitable for use the KLA
Curriculum projects available with advice on how to participate in them from their KLA perspective, along with specific KLA resources for these projects.

Collections of online events and activities which exemplify how to help students and teachers develop networks of people to complement classroom experiences in the KLA.

The specific KLA lens on curriculum projects available throughout the Natcom suite.

Testimonials from teachers who have participated in or manage telecommunications projects suitable for the KLA.

Links to teacher-built resources that support the associations understanding of telecommunications curriculum project use.

Natcom events for the KLA
Specific KLA activities being hosted in the range of umbrella projects being managed in the Natcom suite. This includes descriptions of the umbrella curriculum projects of specific interest to association members and episodes of activities within projects of interest to members.

Modelling good practice
Working with some leading teachers and recording their practice for others to use as professional development resources. This might involve tracking a teacher as they participate in a project, recording events for distribution through the web, interviewing the teacher, helping them publish resources and illustrate student work. The association provides a lens on the classroom practice of good teachers.

Developing and modelling how schools can make use of KLA association content, online tools and resources. The association might help some schools do this and then record how the schools progressed. In particular how intranet and Internet content in schools took advantage of KLA association services is important to foster and record.

Professional development information
Information about online communities to join, online events calendar and sources of professional information which help teachers learn.

Industry and community mentors for teachers so they gain an understanding of the impact of the industry on their KLA.

Online professional development events
Online courses and workshops hosted by an association or number of Natcom associations.

Mentor programs might be hosted by the KLA.

Supporting other associations
Providing the KLA lens over work of other associations, particularly curriculum projects managed by other associations.

Online tools for information management
Development and sharing of online tools to help volunteers and project managers participate in projects.

Tools and information which schools and member can place on local intranets and Internet collections which help teachers and students take advantage of professional associations events and online content.