8th February 2010: Global-Leap Videoconferencing in the Classroom Teachers' Association is a schools’ content provider that has arranged and funded more than 10,000 VC sessions for UK schools over the last 10 years 

8 February 2010. Ten years ago Mike Griffith, then a teacher and now an independent education consultant, founded Global-Leap. Global-Leap has arranged, hosted, funded and supported upwards of 10,000 VC lessons over the last 10 years for schools in the UK and other countries. Congratulations Mike.

Global-Leap has now become Global-Leap Videoconferencing in the Classroom Teachers' Association (G-LVCTA) a not for profit organisation) that offers its members a wide range of VC Content, teacher support, and classroom to classroom collaborations.

Schools who are members pay £445 plus VAT per annum. In its very early days Global Leap won support from PictureTel and then later on the UK Government. But since 2006 it has been self funding.
 
For schools that are members of G-LVCTA, there are over 300  scheduled videoconferences available each school term, and members can choose from a menu of over 200 options, and  bespoke VC activities are often available by arrangement. There is an almost full take up by our school members of the regular G-LVCTA  scheduled activities each week.

Some UK content providers (mainly national museums or galleries) that G-LVCTA supports have access to funding for their VC programmes via their own education budgets. Because these sessions are funded they can can be booked by subscribing schools at no additional charge. Other GLVCTA providers may choose to  make a nominal charge to schools towards their connectivity, preparation and time costs for individual sessions.
 
Mike’s hard work has brought to thousands of children exciiiiting outside visitis, wonderful freelance presenters and invited guests, with creativity and imagination, patience and determination. He thanks them for working with him to extend and deliver the G-LVCTA videooconferencing Content programmes.
 
Unfortunately, it is still the lack of consistent quality of connectivity provision in many regions of the UK that continues to create problems and frustrations for users in UK schools.
 
G-LVCTA now averages 2000 VC activities and collaborations a year. It is a great and unique success story. Global-Leap has arranged, hosted, funded and supported upwards of 10,000 VC lessons over the last 10 years.
 
G-LVCTA is a content provider in a form tailored to schools needs. G-LVCTA is not a bridging service. G-LVCTA does not provide connectivity solutions.
 
G-LVCTA is a "not for profit" organisation, using UK school members annual subscriptions to develop, fund, host and support Videoconferencing Content and to provide support for the members of the Teachers Association.
 
For more information visit www.global-leap.org or e-mal mikeg@global-leap.org

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