The primary goal of the GLOBAL CLASSROOM PROJECT is to provide all Victorian school communities with the ability to utilise the vast educational opportunities of the Internet for the benefit of all young Victorians.

Its primary goal was to assist in incorporating the benefits of global telecommunications technology in to everyday teaching and learning.

Above all else, it is an honest and concerted attempt to assist in the preparation of Victorian students to understand and effectively participate in the world around them. To be better equiped to live in a world of rapid change. An attempt to allow Victorian teachers the chance to discover the impacts this technology will have on the learning and teaching environments.

Bill Coppinger 1994

Educators from across the GLOBE sent messages of goodwill to all involved in the project.

Victorian teachers and students will benefit from the Global perspective they gained by working closely with the members of the International Education and Resource Network. I*EARN (International) consisted of many voluntary school communities in 30 countries around the globe; many working to empower young people to make a meaningful difference in the world.

The project was divided in to Two (2) STAGES and Four (4) PHASES.

Stage 1 - 1995 (Phase 1 and 2)

Stage 1 was very much an attempt to create, what the project co-ordinators liked to call a "sandpit for teachers and school communities". In essence an environment that encouraged experimentation and change, yet with a serious support and documentation project in place to record and measure "the footprints" left by the PHASE 1 and PHASE 2 schools.

In 1995, the Global Classroom project began with 24 Phase One Schools. Phase one schools were considered to be "early adopters" and willing to assist others in the use and application of telecommunications and theme based projects.

In the second half of 1995, the Global Classroom project equiped a further 76 Phase Two Schools to participate in the first stage of the project.

Stage 2 - 1996 (Phase 3 and 4)

By late in 1995, the results of the Stage 1 project were overwhelmingly clear. The teachers, students and school communities involved in the first two phases indicated overwhelming support for the concept and it was clear that the model we had embarked on for Victorian teachers was indeed valued by them.

A report, entitled "FOOTPRINTS" written and edited by Bill Coppinger and Andrew Hocking documents in just over 90 pages, the findings of the 12 month Stage One.

By March of 1996, the process of advertising and selecting an additional 200 (in total) PHASE 3 and PHASE 4 schools was underway. This will total 300 Schools that will be involved in the Two Stages of the Global Classroom project.

During June July and August of 1996 an additional 100-150 schools will be added to the PHASE 4 of the project. All of these Phase 3 and Phase 4 schools will be receiving additional training through the Statewide Internet Trainer Network.

In 1997, Andrew Hocking, one of the original Global Classroom Project co-ordinators, took a position with the Department of School Education to develop and expand the Global Classroom concept throughout Victoria.

Click here to follow the developments of the on-going Global Classroom Project.

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