You can contact LEARNZ, part of CORE Education, at:
Postal Address:
PO Box 13 678,
Christchurch 8141,
New Zealand
Testimonials
Virtual Great Walker
Engagement levels were awesome during our field trip. A GREAT FIELD TRIP! Lots of discussion, questioning, making connections. We linked some of our camp planning to the field trip, especially in terms of preparing for our hike and looking at the species of plants and creatures in our camping environment. Allows another teacher (the LEARNZ Teacher) to be in the room! Lessons are easy to plan from the field trip.
Tinaka Pawa from Oturu School
My students loved Rudd and his enthusiasm for the great outdoors and flora and fauna. We have been doing individual inquiries on the Great Walks and used this one as a model to show students what is out there and what they could do. It integrated english, science, visual arts, health and physical education.
Teresa Hutchins from St Mary's School Hastings
We are learning about Living things so this field trip connected in with our science unit. As part of the Great Walks unit we are also trying to walk as much as we can this term which connects with the Key Competency of participation and contribution. Students found it very engaging and enjoyed being able to go on the LEARNZ website at home as well. One student and their family is now going to go and walk the Routeburn Track next school holidays.
Te Ireland from Karoro School
Interesting and inspiring for my year 4 students, LEARNZ quizzed and challenged my children to be deeper thinkers. The field trip was something 'real' the children could learn about and it linked to all KCs and the principles of the NZC. Great for all learner needs.
Nichole Bichan from Rosebank School Balclutha
I integrated this field trip into my Literacy programme, with links to Health and PE, which is our overall focus this term. The Key Competencies are integrated into everything we do, Shelley did a great job at modelling many of these, Managing Self, Participating and Contributing, and Thinking for example. Great to have the "Listen" feature, which really helped my ESOL children. My class absolutely loved going on the Great Walk Trip. They learnt so much and it provoked many conversations, including the water cycle! I particularly thought this one was great for boys - what sphagnum moss was used for in the war, Ruud was a bit gross!!! The boys were hooked.
Louise Parker from Twyford School
Relates well to developing thinking and analysis skills, applying information and evaluating conservation issues. Students used the information as a basis to do further research on NZ Great Walks.
Gavin Kidd from Ellesmere College
It helped to put our school values and KC's in a real learning experience - one which the students could discuss. It also allows my class to have access to experts.
Sarah Laugeson from Lynton Downs School
Students said about the live audioconferences: "We got to talk to real people who are actually there" and "We get to ask questions and they actually listened to us". This field trip enabled my students of different academic abilities to all access the same information in a number of different ways, which led to great discussion and debate about aspects of physical activity and conservation.
Shelley Galloway from St Albans School
Our Inquiry is called "Waipahihi Kakariki". We are a pilot school involved in Kids Greening Taupo so it was very appropriate to our Inquiry. We are wanting to plant natives to bring back native birds into our area so this field trip supported it well.
Beth Willis from Waipahihi School
It was a great support for the Virtual Great Walkers competition, that we have entered in. Lots of helpful information that covered all areas. Valuable resource.
Stacey Hockey from Gisborne Home School
This field trip ... encouraged students to develop Future Focused thinking - how the way we interact with our environment now, impacts on the future.
Marcia Ferguson from Rosebank School Balclutha
It was very engaging for all students and they learnt a lot. It was also easy to integrate across the curriculum. Very effective to encourage fitness and knowledge of other New Zealand Great Walks.
Bridget Patrick from Rosebank School Balclutha
Great for extension group. Broad range of materials for reading and writing.
Rhys Clark from Rahotu School
For the Year 7/8 class I was working with, the field trip tied in perfectly with their camp (Borland Lodge). It worked well using the background pages as build up prior to camp, then using the audio-conferences the week following the camp.
Marcia Ferguson from Rosebank School Balclutha
Giving the students the option of listening to the background pages is fantastic! It takes away the fear of trying to read something that is 'too hard'. It also develops a familiarity with the LEARNZ teacher.
Marcia Ferguson from Rosebank School Balclutha
It was an excellent insight into exploring a new area that not a lot of children had visited before. The children came up with a lot of great questions, especially around saving native birds and the effect of a beach mast this year.
Jeffrey Burrow from Warrington School
Antarctica
This field trip supported our science and geography topics. We found the videos very informative. It was great to listen to scientists and the artist giving us a glimpse of what living and working in Antarctica is really like.
Brenda Town from Town Family Home School
This was so engaging for our class. This is a great way to bring science alive in the classroom and it led to so many discussions.
Amie-Lee Mills from Te Akau ki Papamoa Primary School
We used the Inquiry method to study Antarctica and we loved it! Shelley's videos created lots for discussion. Brilliant!
Allison Cotter from Newtown School
My class of all boys love the LEARNZ background readings and activities; their non-fiction reading levels have all improved. They like the fact that they can work at their level and at their own pace. They all love science and anything (like LEARNZ) that helps develop their understanding of how our world works.
Angela Moeke from St Patrick's Catholic School Taupo
Excellent presentation and a great learning experience for the students. Students really enjoyed a different approach to learning and it was good that the weaker readers were able to participate.
Susan Dane from Elm Park School
It was a great way to learn about people places and animals without actually being there.
Jennifer Barrow from Karoro School
LEARNZ is a great way to study a topic using a medium that is accessible to all, even my low vision student and those with poor reading skills. The Antarctica field trip supported the science and social studies areas of the curriculum and much more, such as the key competencies.
Carolyn Thelning from Weston School
It was in line with our learning focus for this year of being a fully digital classroom. Online help was all good.
Jennifer Barrow from Kaniere School
Great for Nature of Science. Also enviroscience topics. The kids were really interested - we found all the science fascinating and it was delivered in a way that made it understandable for the class. Also just the glimpse into life in the Antarctic.
Deirdre Hutton from Holy Family School Wanaka