Policy

=Policy for Service and Applications=

=**General Policy Ministry of Education E-Learning Support for Schools Policy**=

The Virtual Learning Network (VLN) is a national brokerage service that provides a wide level of support for students and teachers who are merging the virtual environments with the traditional learning environment. Factors such as isolation and limited curriculum options are overcome by the Ministry facilitating the establishment of online, networked learning environments through the use of video conferencing and other technologies. The networked community within the VLN includes: Schools, Tertiary Organisations, Community and Government Ministries and Agencies that make connections within their own groups and between each other. The VLN provides advice for building online teaching and learning communities which help facilitate a positive learning experience for those students studying in a blended environment. The VLN provides a wide range of technologies and tools which can be used to support and aid connections. These include:
 * Adobe Connect
 * Video Conference/Audio Bridge
 * LAMS - Learning Activities Management System
 * Moodle (Learning Management System)
 * Tandberg Content Server
 * Desktop Video Conferencing
 * TKI (Te Kete Ipurangi)
 * Digistore
 * Software for Learning (S4Learning)
 * Mahara
 * VLN network brokerage website

The above applications or services will have restrictions. Refer to the individual procedures for each application that follows. The server capacity for these services or applications will be limited.

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Accessibility
The accessibility to these services or applications is open to the following:

A) Clusters of schools contributing to the Virtual learning Network clusters (VLNc), clusters of schools involved in the Ministry ICTPD programme

B) Any third party individual/groups running an e-learning/online project on behalf of the ministry e-learning section at a national level: And

C) Any commercial providers offering a service or product to the New Zealand educational sector.

D) Ministry of Education personnel involved in either liaising with schools for training purposes or in working in an intra-team capacity.

The eligibility to access these services or software applications is outlined in the procedure documents attached to this policy. For some selected services or software there is a time or license restriction. These will be clearly identified in the procedure documentation

In terms of accessibility those covered in B and C above may incur a fee or cost to use the service or application (see the individual procedures)

This Policy and associated procedures comes into effect in January 2011 and is a pilot project for 2 years, ending in December 2013 (this covers all existing VLN members currently accessing and using the services and applications outlined above). Any new cluster joining the VLN and wishing to access the services and applications outline above will also have access and use for two years commencing from the time of their acceptance.

Any additional developments of the services provided by the e-learning unit MoE including interoperability will be made available to all clusters even should they be outside the 2 year period outlined above.