Remote Education and Conferencing Tool (REACT)

Distance Education and flexible learning programs have been a long established feature in education service delivery in the NT with services being delivered through:

• Katherine School of the Air, (Primary to Middle years Curriculum)
• Alice Springs School of the Air, (Primary years)
• Northern Territory Open Education Centre (Senior Years - Yr 10 - 12)

In 2006 the Department of Education and Training (DET) committed to delivering interactive learning via satellite and using Remote Education and Conferencing Tool (REACT). This began with the launch of the new Interactive Distance Learning (IDL) Studio at Katherine School of the Air on Thursday 9 March 2006.

One of the key initiatives of the Northern Territory Distance Learning Service (NTDLS) is to develop and trial models of sustainable virtual schooling for schools wishing to be providers of distance learning and learning by distance. This initiative is to provide students access to specialist teachers, specialist subjects and subject content via leadning edge communication technologies.

• 2008: Darwin High School establishes a Japanese Virtual Classroom and an Asian Language focus
• 2009: Centralilan Senior Secondary School establishes a Virtual Classroom with an English rich and Literacy focus
• 2010: Establishment of Mathematics, Science and Technologies virtual delivery.

REACT is the software used by DET to deliver real time learning activities to remote students. It is designed to provide superior audio and video interaction and collaborative tools effectively over a satellite network.

REACT is used by the NTDLS to deliver lessons to 110 remote homesteads and 30 regional and remote schools. It is also available at the 4 Regional Training Centres (RTC).

REACT Capabilities Powerpoint - pdf [3.37mb]

NT Music School provide supplementary instrument lessons to senior students at Katherine High School from Northern Territory School of Music in Darwin.

VET Multimedia - NTOEC delivering lesson to year 12 Students in Ramingining.

REACT is used by the Distance Ed schools in a variety of ways:

• Instructional learning - how to use those new maths calculators
• A professional development workshop for ASSOA home tudors "Fraction Action" about how to support your students from transition to year 6 with Fractions
• Modelling a painting activity - ASSOA teacher, students and parents painting together
• friday KSA morning assembly - Middle Schools singing the national anthem
• Special events such as Camp Quality puppet show

For more information, visit the Interactive Distance Learning, Northern Territory  Schools website here.