Northern Territory Open Education Centre

2020 update =

This now seems to be called Northern Territory School of Distance Education

Its web site is https://www.ntsde.nt.edu.au/

Original entry

The Northern Territory Open Education Centre (NTOEC) is a distance learning school catering for students in years 10 - 12 located in Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.

It was established by the Northern Territory Department of Education in 1980 as the Northern Territory Secondary Correspondence School to provide secondary and/or professional education for students in isolated and remote locations throughout the Northern Territory of Australia. In 1998 the name changed to Northern Territory Open Education Centre.

Today they provide a fully accredited Year 10 to 12 program as well as an increasing level of vocational training to a wide range of school aged and adult students using distance education and open learning strategies. They are one of the best in the country, a succinct example of a virtual school initiative in Australia.

The School's motto is “Education Wherever You Are.”

The NTOEC's website is https://www.ntsde.nt.edu.au/ (was www.ntoec.nt.edu.au/site/)

More Details

Some 80 full and part time staff are employed.

NTOEC make the use of Interactive Distance Learning (IDL) which involves the use of computers and satellite and/or internet connection to communicate using two way audio and video. NTOEC have multiple IDL studios and broadcast regular lessons. IDL enables the NTOEC teacher to provide audio and visual contact and to share computer applications. IDL transmission of lessons is used extensively for delivery to Community Schools and for a large number of Senior Secondary courses.

Specially prepared materials, print-based, online or a combination of these, are the basis for all courses, with students completing regular assignments which they return to their teachers for assistance and assessment.

Personal contact between students and teachers is a standard part of the service NTOEC provides with weekly lessons via phone/teleconference or video conferencing. NTOEC has a free call phone line to assist students with phone contact. Many students also use facsimile machines and e-mail to contact their teachers. There is an increasing number of online courses and units available on Moodle. The school also conducts a number of Residential Schools and workshops and teachers visit isolated students at home or at their remote school during the year.

NTOEC enrolls students who are studying Senior Secondary subjects (Years 10, 11 & 12). NTOEC students come from a range of backgrounds including:

• students living in isolated areas without access to a Senior Secondary School
• students travelling (Australia or International)
• adults wishing to upgrade their Senior Secondary education
• students who have medical, social or behavioural conditions which prevent attendance at a local school
• students who are in jail or a remand centre
• students attending urban NT or SA Senior Secondary Schools who enrol for one or two subjects with NTOEC because they cannot access these subjects at their own school (dual enrolment and/or Holiday School) - see http://www.ntoec.nt.edu.au/site/contents/index.php?f=Enrolments&p=Dual%20Enrolment#
• Senior Secondary students attending remote community schools (dual Community enrolment)
• students enrolled with the Alice Outcomes and Alternative Education Programs
• Senior Secondary students who attend an Area School (Jabiru, Batchelor, Alyangula) (dual Area School enrolment)

NTOEC delivers Year 10, Stage 1 (Year 11) and Stage 2 (Year 12) NT Board of Studies approved courses which lead students to gaining their NT Certificate of Education and Training (NTCET).

NTOEC works in partnership with the Alternative Education Program (AEP), targeted at students aged from 10-17 years who have either disengaged from school or who are at risk of disengagement, to provide access to Years 10 to 12 programs as required.

With regard to special needs education, NTOEC also aims to provide the support and modified educational requirements for students who have a clear learning deficit.

References

• Web site https://www.ntsde.nt.edu.au/
• Enrolment Eligibility Document "Northern Territory Open Education Centre - eligibility to enrol" (PDF)
• Policy Document "Northern Territory Open Education Centre - students based in other schools" (PDF)
• Northern Territory Moodle portal, http://ourcourses.ntschools.net/

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