You can contact LEARNZ, part of CORE Education, at:
Postal Address:
PO Box 13 678,
Christchurch 8141,
New Zealand
Testimonials
Wetland Biodiversity
Very purposeful learning. Supported our bi-cultural focus. Supported different learning styles. Found it very easy to incorporate into our long term plan and to integrate across learning areas.
Amanda Ferguson from Wakanui School
It is an amazing opportunity for the students to able to experience natural NZ. As this is our first virtual field trip we are busy exploring and familiarising ourselves with the website and using it as a warm up for Kauri (the next field trip).
Leane Barry from Glen Innes School
Students have learned so much and they have become overnight advocates for wetlands. The LEARNZ programme really enhanced the pronunciation of Maori place names, values and importance of early Maori traditions to our lives today.
Joanne Phillips from Te Mata School Havelock North
Real life visuals and information were very specific and had a greater impact on my students and myself then scrolling through unlimited amounts of information via search engines. It supported my students learning with in-depth knowledge on worldwide topics from within New Zealand. Learnz caters for all learning needs. Totally appropriate.
Nick Sakaria from Finlayson Park School
The children were fascinated by the virtual field trip videos. They learnt a lot of new ideas and words and talked about it for days. The field trip was effective as it showed our students that other people did what we do.
Frances Grover from Te Mahia School
I particularly used the field trip in a Science context and looking at work scientists do (science capabilities). Videos had lots of content that was appropriate to use to discuss what scientists do. Community and participation as well as ecological sustainability were principles that were supported by the wet land field trip. We had a discussion about the drought as our overarching topic this year is water.
Britta Martin from Otari School
The field trip supported all of the Key Competencies, attitudes and values of the NZ Curriculum, and our own school Curriculum.
Lorraine Southey from Pirinoa School
Comprehensive resources in a local context. My Year 10 student gains: posting a question to an expert, literacy from background reading.
Andrew Corney from Tauranga Boys College
Watching the students get excited about their role (we were a speaking school, which was a breeze) and then watching them make connections in their learning, has been a real highlight. They built connections with the area the trip took us to and linked it to our local community and loved connecting what they were reading and hearing with specific people.
Cheryl Dunick from Spring Creek School
Many of my students found the Māori Tikanga section the most interesting. I also liked that the learning was rewindable and allowed for student agency. The opportunity to experience a virtual field trip really excited the children and motivated them to want to find out more, as it provided a meaningful and authentic learning context that included SOLO and built on our own 'Freshwater Frolicking' field trip to The Groynes.
Anna Wright from Templeton School
Science is an area we are trying to strengthen and this was a perfect opportunity to put the students in a real life context or study. The students were really engaged in the topic. I am looking forward to sharing with my students both the Antarctic and ANZAC Memorial Park trips. Both are topics we were already studying.
Christie Harwood from Our Lady of Victories
Fitted in very well with our Term School focus of Kaitiaki and Science focus of Living World. Preparing for the audio conference extended our students thinking and created a whole new level of class discussions and understanding.
Richard Kerr from Avondale Intermediate
Students appreciate information from different, up to date sources and they can work at their pace. Allowed for differentiated learning. Good photos.
Beverley Warner from Waimate High School
Students felt they learned a lot. The LEARNZ trip was used to introduce our inquiry and then provided a good follow up. We also visited a local wetlands and planted trees. The key competencies of Thinking, and Participating and Contributing were well covered. The field trip integrated well with Science, Social Science, Art and English. There was also a good emphasis on ecological sustainability and community engagement.
Kathleen Rutherford from Sacred Heart School Dunedin
We were studying a local waterway and were able to compare the bio-diversity between our waterway in the Far North with a fresh waterway in the South Island. The students were motivated to research their topic, find out more about their own community and particularly enjoy the audio conference and following their ambassador.
Diane Henderson from Ohaeawai School
Provides an interactive online learning website that is safe and relevant to the student's needs and interests, in regards to protecting NZ's wildlife and environment. Māori dictionary and glossary is provided and the relevance to the past use of wetlands to Māori shows respect for their ancestors and the future of NZ.
Sandra Harnett from Rangiora Borough School
We used it as part of immersion for starting off on our journey of restoring a Wetland. It prompted questions, wonderings and enhanced their interest. Being able to send along an Ambassador was fantastic as it helped the younger members of our Wetlands group relate to what was happening.
Jillian Hodgson from Shotover Primary School
Our Inquiry was Sustainability this term and students really got into the field trip. It was a spectacular way for students to practice the Key competencies and meet people online they would otherwise have no access to.
Karen Blatchford from Tai Tapu School
It is such a great resource as all the background research has been completed for teachers and we can rely on it as being factual with the experts involved. Having a face to experts is really important for children. Videos were also most useful for a Y2 & 3 class. We are using it as a context for our Inquiry and this topic complimented our topic as it was local to our school.
Susan Furndorfler from Methven School
Another valuable and appropriate topic from the LEARNZ team, as we knew very little beforehand about wetlands and their importance. LEARNZ is an excellent education tool.
Tracey Thomson from The Clan in a Caravan Homeschool
I feel it covered all areas of the key competencies - I used it to foster new learning relationships within our class, and it was an excellent tool to draw out my innovative thinkers. Due to the video nature of this field trip, the students were very engaged.
Kathryn Rayson from Brooklyn School Motueka
It is appropriate for anyone!! We had every level in our primary school- year 0-6 participating this year. It was amazing! We will use LEARNZ again because of the ignition that happens for the kids. Motivational, fun, a way for kids to take their learning home. Loved the quick responses I got from your team when I did participate in the online help.
Jennifer Wiedel from Methven School
We used the field trip as an alternative programme for our advanced readers. The students who undertook this field trip were engaged and interested in the content. We were able to select background information and activities that were suitable, yet challenging enough for our students. The use of video, with the ability to replay and revisit parts to gain a greater understanding, was helpful. They had very little knowledge prior to the 'trip', but demonstrated a great understanding afterwards.
Megan Croll from Beachlands School
The trips are well planned and resourced - especially with the use of field experts, and provide a wealth of material students can use to aid their studies. The multi-level pitch of these field trips makes them suitable for a range of ability levels, and they can be self-paced.
Robyn Gillies from Roncalli College
Students valued the inclusion of speakers who related the land and resources to an earlier style of living on the land by Maori, in pre-European times.
Maree O'Leary from Whangaparaoa College