BBC applies for Digital Curriculum service
The
BBC has submitted an application to the Secretary of State for Culture,
Media and Sport seeking approval for its proposed Digital Curriculum,
a new public service comprising interactive online learning materials
in support of the school curriculum.
The
Government has published the BBC's application for consultation.
If
consent is given, it would allow the BBC to play a significant role
in the development and introduction of the world’s first comprehensive
"Curriculum Online" service, announced by the Department
for Education and Skills in December last year.
The
BBC wishes to supply an online service that would harness the power
of interactivity and provide a range of compelling multi-media content.
The
proposed service would be available at school, at home or in the
community, accessed by the internet.
It
would offer a mixture of core, non-core and minority subjects and
would be adapted to the different curricula of England, Scotland,
Wales and Northern Ireland.
The
BBC's proposed service would be a further development of the high
quality educational materials which the BBC has provided to schools
and pupils since the 1920s.
It
would encourage the uptake of e-learning, with the aim of providing
teachers, children, and parents with a valuable resource which would
help to raise educational achievement.
The
BBC is also committed to making a substantial part of its investment
in providing materials in curricular variations in Scotland, Wales
and Northern Ireland, and minority subjects, including materials
for those with special educational needs.
The
BBC carried out a public consultation exercise on its plans in the
autumn of 2000 which revealed widespread support for its proposal.
The
Corporation has also engaged in extensive consultation with the
industry whilst developing its proposals and, if consent is given,
intends to spend 50% of its total outlay on Digital Curriculum materials
commissioning content from external suppliers – stimulating
the wider marketplace and helping to grow both demand and supply.
The
BBC will shortly provide further clarification of how it would ensure
that it would make a distinctive and complementary contribution
to the marketplace.
The
Secretary of State will consider the request for approval in line
with her Department's published guidelines, which will involve a
period of further consultation with interested parties.
The
BBC's proposals are available for viewing on the Department's website
– www.culture.gov.uk/creative/index.html
The
BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites
Notes
to Editors
Consultation
on new BBC services
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