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About LORN

What is LORN?
What is the Repository owners Reference Group (RRG)?
How LORN has evolved
Where to now?

What is LORN?

LORN is an easy to use portal that allows teachers and trainers to access quality resources for the VET sector.

LORN consists of:
  • LORN project team, who maintain the website and provide access through web services to the learning material and other functionality available on LORN,
  • repository owner organisations that provide learning resources they are willing to share across the VET sector,
  • partner organisation, TVET Australia who provide licencing and e-transaction facilities, and
  • consumer access providers (CAPs) that use the LORN search within their organisation's website.
Initially developed through the LORN Business Activity of the Australian Flexible Learning Framework (the Framework), LORN is currently overseen by:
  • Education Services Australia (ESA), Australia's national agency for ICT in education, which manages the LORN project
  • the LORN repository owners' reference group, which provides advice and support to ongoing developments
  • the LORN steering committee, which is LORN's governance mechanism
  • the Flexible Learning Advisory Group (FLAG), which authorises LORN's strategic direction.

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Repository owners Reference Group (RRG)

The Repository Owners Reference Group (RRG) forms part of the collaboration process with Framework participants, vocational education and training (VET) and adult and community education (ACE) sector stakeholders to progress the objectives of the LORN business activity.

The RRG:

  • provide detailed advice on strategy, policy and management to education.au.
  • consult with their jurisdictions and/or VET and ACE sector networks with the aim of providing feedback to the RRG to inform current and future LORN developments.
  • assist in the communication of LORN developments.
Core Membership will consist of one representative from:
  • Each jurisdiction (8)
  • E-standards for Training (1)
  • Flexible Learning Toolboxes (1)
  • TVET Australia (1)
  • IMS (1)

Invited guests should include:

  • DEEWR representative (1)
  • Program Director, Leadership Program (1)
  • Program Manager, Leadership Program (1)
  • Steering Committee Member(s)
  • Other guests as appropriate to the agenda

Current members representing jursidictions:

  • Elizabeth McPherson, CIT - ACT
  • Dheeraj Chowdhury, DET CLI - NSW
  • Helen Rysavy, CDU - NT
  • Lee Webster, TAFE Qld - Qld
  • Steve Wold, TAFE SA - SA
  • Peter Higgs, Tasmania Polytechnic - Tas
  • Ken Gooding, TAFE VC - Vic
  • Tim McLachlan, WestOne Services - WA

Other members:

  • Owen O'Neill, E-standards for Training
  • Mark Gladman, Flexible Learning Toolboxes
  • Joshua Smith, TVET
  • Graham Eddy, DEEWR

The RRG is a valuable mechanism for providing advice and feedback, they also participate in testing, promotion and diseminating information about LORN within their jurisdictions and organisations.


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How LORN has evolved

In 2003, the Framework began developing structures and standards for managing access to quality electronic learning resources across Australia's VET sector. In 2004 the Framework established LORN to facilitate exchange of learning objects between states and territories, based on a model of trust, cooperation and interoperability. LORN currently enables the sharing and sale of learning resources that support flexible delivery across the VET sector. In 2009 E-transactions were added to LORN, allow resrouce providers to sell their learning material online.


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Where to now?

In the future LORN expects to:
  • increase the amount of learning resources available by increasing the number of collections
  • provide access to a range of learning material types including non-downloadable learning material eg CD, DVD, Books
  • provide membership options for organisational membership through authentication
  • up to date website with relevant content and help for users
  • allow users to provide content reviews.

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