The Scottish Executive has contracted an IT supplier to develop a national education intranet, it was announced on 21 September 2005.
Scheduled to go live in 2007, the network is expected to offer the 800,000 pupils and teachers a range of learning and teaching resources from their computers at school or at home. Education minister Peter Peacock awarded RM a five year £37.5m contract to build what it believes to be the first intranet of its kind in the world.
Teachers will be able to use aspects of technology such as video clips and high quality graphics to enrich lessons. While the network will allow every pupil and teacher to communicate and share ideas and resources electronically.
Peacock, said: "In schools across Scotland I have seen first hand how technology is transforming learning and teaching. I am determined to see that continue which means we must maintain our investment in technology as it advances and presents new and exciting opportunities.
"The schools intranet is the final piece in the Scottish Schools Digital Network. Behind the scenes, we have been quietly putting in place the necessary infrastructure – a large scale broadband network linking all 32 local councils and a content delivery network providing access to rich media such as video and audio clips – and now we are ready to take the next step which will revolutionise the way teachers teach and learners learn.
"Linking every school, every teacher and every pupil via a single intranet accessible from any computer means learning will no longer end at the school gate. Pupils will be able to do more meaningful work at home and parents will be able to take a much more active role in their children's learning."
Quelle: KableNET, 22.09.2005
