What’s a good idea?

How do you know if your idea is suitable for Teach us a Lesson? We’re trying to keep things as open as possible at this early stage, but here are a few pointers as to the sort of thing we are looking for.

The outcome of this Competition will be at least one prototype informal learning directory site or service that will:

• Allow for anyone to easily upload data and for data to be shared simply where appropriate
• Allow moderation of content – how can someone ensure that only valid, legal and non-inflammatory  information is uploaded
• Address issues of sustainability – how could this be efficiently and effectively hosted in the long term; what are the operating and  developing costs; what are the management issues (including data management)
• Address issues of simple uploading, of once-only uploading and of how out-of date information will be managed
• Encourage local, regional or national levels of use and management

In describing your idea, we ask you to:

• Ensure that everything is presented very clearly so that a non-technical panel can understand easily your idea and judge the intended impact on improving the delivery of informal adult learning
• Ensure that we know very clearly which organisation/partnership you represent and how we can contact you
• Make use of open source software wherever possible, and to use copyleft licenses to publish your work

There are some things we are trying to avoid:

• Using proprietary products which will not permit open sharing or which run counter to Government policy on open standards
• Whilst we welcome ideas and suggestions from profit-making organisations, we cannot permit charging for all or part of the tool, application or service, including requiring the use of charged-for third party applications
• We also cannot fund any prototype projects that aren’t based in England

All ideas are moderated before they hit the site. So if you aren’t sure, whether your contribution is relevant, you are advised to submit it anyway, and we’ll let you know if you’re way of the mark.

If you have any questions, do contact us.