BBC Jam
Encyclopedia
BBC Jam was an online educational service launched by the BBC
in January 2006, and suspended on 20 March 2007. The service was available free across the United Kingdom
offering multi-media educational resources. Jam was the BBC's provision for the Digital Curriculum, an initiative launched by the British Government to provide computer-based learning in UK schools, and had a budget of £150 million. The service was shut down due to a legal challenge concerning fair trading by the BBC.
The service was required to support users with disability by incorporating accessibility
features such as audible text, subtitles on videos etc. There were also subjects which were translated into Welsh
, Scottish Gaelic
and Irish
.
In consultation with BECTA
, the Government's educational technology department, the service was allowed to cover no more than 50% of the learning outcomes that are amendable to ICT
.
, in response to complaints made to the European Commission by a number of commercial producers of interactive educational products who felt that the BBC was exceeding its public service remit
by offering free content to schools which could be provided commercially. This resulted in departmental restructuring and a number of job losses in the BBC. The Trust requested that the BBC management prepare a fresh proposal, including how the BBC should deliver its Charter
obligation — promoting formal education and learning, whilst meeting the online needs of school age children.
The new proposal was subjected to a full Public Value Test by the Trust and a market impact assessment by Ofcom
, the United Kingdom's telecoms regulator.
In February 2008 it was announced that the BBC's digital curriculum project would finally be closed.
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
in January 2006, and suspended on 20 March 2007. The service was available free across the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
offering multi-media educational resources. Jam was the BBC's provision for the Digital Curriculum, an initiative launched by the British Government to provide computer-based learning in UK schools, and had a budget of £150 million. The service was shut down due to a legal challenge concerning fair trading by the BBC.
Content
The content of the service was connected with the National Curriculum for schools in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. It covered school subjects such as maths, science, literacy, geography, business studies and languages, and was designed to provide free, independent computer-based learning for school children.The service was required to support users with disability by incorporating accessibility
Web accessibility
Web accessibility refers to the inclusive practice of making websites usable by people of all abilities and disabilities. When sites are correctly designed, developed and edited, all users can have equal access to information and functionality...
features such as audible text, subtitles on videos etc. There were also subjects which were translated into Welsh
Welsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
, Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic language
Scottish Gaelic is a Celtic language native to Scotland. A member of the Goidelic branch of the Celtic languages, Scottish Gaelic, like Modern Irish and Manx, developed out of Middle Irish, and thus descends ultimately from Primitive Irish....
and Irish
Irish language
Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...
.
Prior to launch
BBC jam was commissioned in 2003 by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, and designed:-- to stimulate, support and reflect the diversity of the UK
- to innovate continually and to promote technological and pedagogical experimentation
- to be distinctive from, and complementary to, services provided by the commercial sector
In consultation with BECTA
Becta
Becta was a non-departmental public body ] funded by the Department for Children, Schools and Families, in the UK It was a charity and a company limited by guarantee. In the post-election spending review in May 2010, it was announced that Becta was to be abolished...
, the Government's educational technology department, the service was allowed to cover no more than 50% of the learning outcomes that are amendable to ICT
Information and communication technologies
Information and communications technology or information and communication technology, usually abbreviated as ICT, is often used as an extended synonym for information technology , but is usually a more general term that stresses the role of unified communications and the integration of...
.
Closure
The service was suspended on 20 March 2007 at the request of the BBC TrustBBC Trust
The BBC Trust is the governing body of the British Broadcasting Corporation. It is operationally independent of BBC management and external bodies, and aims to act in the best interests of licence fee payers....
, in response to complaints made to the European Commission by a number of commercial producers of interactive educational products who felt that the BBC was exceeding its public service remit
Anti-competitive practices
Anti-competitive practices are business or government practices that prevent or reduce competition in a market .- Anti-competitive practices :These can include:...
by offering free content to schools which could be provided commercially. This resulted in departmental restructuring and a number of job losses in the BBC. The Trust requested that the BBC management prepare a fresh proposal, including how the BBC should deliver its Charter
BBC Charter
The BBC Charter established the BBC . An accompanying Agreement recognises its editorial independence and sets out its public obligations in detail....
obligation — promoting formal education and learning, whilst meeting the online needs of school age children.
The new proposal was subjected to a full Public Value Test by the Trust and a market impact assessment by Ofcom
Ofcom
Ofcom is the government-approved regulatory authority for the broadcasting and telecommunications industries in the United Kingdom. Ofcom was initially established by the Office of Communications Act 2002. It received its full authority from the Communications Act 2003...
, the United Kingdom's telecoms regulator.
In February 2008 it was announced that the BBC's digital curriculum project would finally be closed.