ITP Techblog

It started with a hiss and a roar but it sounds very much as though Network 4 Learning's experiment in online collaboration - Pond - has dried up.

When N4L was fist launched its remit was to provide schools with access to the newly emerging Ultra Fast Broadband (UFB) service, make sure the schools were up to speed with the management of a shared network and to build and provide support for Pond - a place where teachers could share information and resources and which ultimately would become the home of content for teachers, students and parents to engage with.

However, N4L CEO Larrie Moore has told Reseller News reporter Rob O'Neill that the crown company's focus is moving away providing the service, following a reduction in usage by teachers and students.

"The reason why it's not heavily featured within our annual report is because, basically, we're focusing now on the priorities as we understand them," Moore is quoted as saying.

"So in terms of Pond, it was an early part of N4L, but it has died away over time."

Pond launched in 2014 with a trial group of 500 teachers, all primed and ready to use the resource to store and share content. The idea was that in late 2014 the service would be opened up to 65,000 teachers around the country for operational use.

However, users have been slow to take up the opportunity and for many it seemed the online collaboration model was a step too far, given many schools were only just getting online in a serious way at the time.

Moore told Reseller News that the organisation would now focus more fully on the managed network service it provides to schools. Pond would still remain available for those that do use it, but it is unlikely N4L will spend much time or effort on upgrading the service in the years ahead.