Otokonoko

“The point of New Basics was to apply knowledge rather than simply acquire it.”

Well that seems a very good idea, and I think it should be extended to every grade in every school.

There are universities that advertise their research (eg http://newsroom.uts.edu.au/themes/technology-and-design)

However it is not often much, and there is minimal coming from secondary schools and primary schools.

Perhaps with some of the $14 billion handed over to schools for computers, they could develop a website that lists the things that have been developed by students in the high schools and primary schools.

It might even make the students more interested in their school work, with evidence now showing that one of the main reasons why students are dropping out of university is boredom.

Learning for the sake of learning without producing anything, and then importing everything has now produced boredom.

Julian Cribb wrote 24 June 2011:

>Welcome to 2050 ... new Terra Australis ... biggest export, far and away, is knowledge ... climate adaptation ... energy... sustainable, healthy food ...

An excellent article, which reminds me a little of my own "Canberra 2020: World Information Capital", written in 1993 for an ACT Government study: http://www.tomw.net.au/1993/cnbfut.html

Education is already a major export industry for Australia. This is currently done by students coming to Australia (mostly from China and India) to attend our universities and vocational institutions. However, I now teach more students online than face-to-face at the Australian National University, which given them the option to do the course without leaving home: http://www.tomw.net.au/technology/it/graduate_education/

The idea of energy being Australia's second largest export is an interesting one. This is, in effect, the case now, but the export is dirty coal, and cleaner natural gas. Rather than a cable, I suggest that Australia could instead export energy virtually, by being a site for renewable powered data centres (IT causes about 7% of carbon emissions currently and the figure is increasing). Australia could also export synthetic zero net emission fuel, using the current pipe and tanker infrastructure.

Another major export could be governance. Australia is a world leader in the use of IT for running everything from a town council to the whole country. An example is "Planning Alerts" a service which advises citizens of planning applications in their area and allows them to make a submission online: http://www.planningalerts.org.au

"That said, I have absolutely no problem with our students using, for example, the MS Office package on their computers."
Hi Oto., why?
Openoffice software is compatible with microsoft products, and is free. Being open source, students can not only use the software, but they are free to adapt, modify and improve the software. Likewise the Linux operating system.
How much money does Australia waste on Microsoft products, when open source software and operating systems are not only free, but generally more stable and secure?
IT students could be making useful contributions to the open source (free world) community as they learn, in much the same fashion as your "new basics" program, which I agree, should have been developed further.
In effect, our education system (particularly in TAFE colleges) is not much better than Bonaparte's system of digging holes and filling them in again.

Julian - many thanks. This is typically visionary. What worries me is the continuing brain drain and failure of public sector investment in R&D. Queensland and Victoria have done a little in biotechnology and will be rewarded but these efforts are tiny in a global context. China, in the next 5 year plan, intends to spend a thumping 2.2% of GDP on R&D. Here is the golden opportunity for your vision to start to unfold in the knowledge export economy. I hope you have sent this to our political leaders Julian. Would it be asking too much for them to realise that this is a story worth supporting, and that the electorate might actually get it despite the fact it isn't about the short term and the hip pocket?

Congratulations Julian on a bold attempt at a vision that has some sense of internal integrity; due to your many years no doubt as broad ranging journalist. We are very much in need of construction of a vision that is truly forward looking and strategic.

That we have the current capacity to get there is questionable. I fear too much of government policy is Tactical rather than strategic, pursuit of short term political or economic advantage. And how long have we clung to obsolete habits such as self sufficient auto manufacturing, investing superfunds offshore in dodgy financial institutions and their derivative products; Or pursuing the pipedream that Australia can be a food basket for the world with one of the worlds oldest landscapes and soils in the face of global warming. By most soil measures, the current trajectory is downwards, a decline masked by production only sustained by ever increasing: inputs of energy and landscape wear.

Self sufficiency with food will be the best we can ever do, sustainably; but only providing we make a quantum leap in social capital that is education. The complexity of sustainable ecosystems requires a very broad and deep understanding not only of bioproduction technology by also the philosophical and spiritual depth to frame enterprise within a sustainable value system; such as that suggested by permaculture.

When will we learn that the driving force in learning, is not coercion but the joy of discovery and unfolding of the joy of what it means to be human. This all means investing as a society in the personal development and life skills of youth, young families and early development so that this can happen, Only government can facilitate this but every step must measured in the quality of experience of every learning individual, not abstract in statistical and intellectual measures only coincidentally connected to learning.

I’ve just received another flyer for a conference. This time for IWB’s in education.

Of course all hardware and software at the conference is imported, mostly from the US.

And not surprisingly, there will be a number of guest speakers at the conference, also from the US.

By the year 2020, I would predict a complete sell-out of Australian education to US companies and some companies in Asia.

By the year 2030, most of the utility services once owned by the Australia public will be sold off, and the vast majority of Australian industry will be foreign owned.

By the year 2040, well who cares anyway.