Approval
for Digital Curriculum puts the BBC at the heart of online learning
The BBC today
welcomed the decision by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media
and Sport, to approve proposals for the BBC's Digital Curriculum,
a new public service which will provide interactive learning materials
via the internet to support the school curriculum.
The
consent allows the BBC to play a significant role, as part of a
public/private partnership, in the development and introduction
of the world's first comprehensive 'Curriculum Online' service launched
by the Department for Education and Skills in 2002.
BBC Director-General
Greg Dyke said: "This is an important step forward in the BBC's
education strategy. The opportunity to make a difference to learning
in this country lies deep at the heart of the BBC's Reithian remit
and over the past three years we have placed learning firmly at
the heart of the BBC, across TV, radio and online.
"Just after
I joined the BBC three years ago I outlined the BBC's vision for
education. By harnessing the power of digital media I hoped we could
offer everyone, at each stage of their life, the opportunity to
flourish through learning. This approval means we can start work
on developing the service to make this a reality.
"The combination
of our unique educational tradition, our expertise and creativity
in digital technology and our ability to reach large numbers of
people puts the BBC at the centre of online learning.
"In approving
our plan for the Digital Curriculum, the Secretary of State has
set tough conditions but ones which we think are workable. They
will enable the BBC to build partnerships across the industry to
launch a service which will make school curriculum content compelling
and exciting for children across the nation."
The
new BBC service will use the power of interactivity to provide a
range of compelling multi-media content. Students will be offered
a mix of digital learning resources – including video, flash
animations, interactive games, printable worksheets, text pages
and illustrations – providing a variety of ways to learn.
These
will be offered within a 'Virtual Learning Environment' which will
provide the space online where students can interact with the resources,
giving them flexibility to navigate through the service in the way
best suited to their style of learning.
It
will also allow teachers to personalise and manage the service.
The
£150 million service will be built up over a five-year period
and will cover subjects from across the curriculum at all levels,
including minority subjects and materials for those with special
educational needs.
A substantial
part of the investment will go towards providing materials for the
different curricula in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and
materials in the Welsh language.
The
BBC has guaranteed to commission 50% of the content from commercial
suppliers and the Government's electronic learning credits, boosted
by the further substantial amount announced today, will also help
grow the wider market and encourage demand and supply.
Michael Stevenson,
BBC Joint Director Factual and Learning, who has steered the development
proposal approved today said: "This launches the BBC's education
services into the digital world of the 21st century and heralds
an exciting new future. Over time the new interactive resources
from both the BBC and the commercial sector will make a decisive
impact on teaching and learning across the United Kingdom."
The
BBC's service will be available via the internet at school, at home
or in the community (for example at community centres, libraries
or internet cafes), or for whole class teaching using an interactive
whiteboard.
Users
with a simple narrowband connection will be able to access around
70% of the materials and to download the more sophisticated elements
for storage and use offline, while users with broadband links will
be able to use the entire service in real time online.
The
service is a further development of the high quality educational
materials which the BBC has provided to schools and pupils since
the 1920s.
It
will encourage the uptake of e-learning, with the aim of providing
teachers, children, and parents with a valuable resource which should
help to raise educational achievement.
Notes
to Editors
DCMS
press release - Tessa
Jowell gives approval to BBC Digital Curriculum
Department
for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS)
T he
BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites
RM
plc and others v. the BBC - application for judicial review - statement
by the BBC (14.10.02)
BBC
applies for Digital Curriculum service (24.05.02)
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