You can contact LEARNZ, part of CORE Education, at:
Postal Address:
PO Box 13 678,
Christchurch 8141,
New Zealand
Testimonials
Antarctica
The students were highly motivated throughout this field trip. A fantastic resource that can be used easily within any classroom setting to support classroom programmes around skills and attitudes we are fostering with our children.
Kiri Waghorn from Cornwall Park District School
This is an effective and engaging part of my literacy programme. My Pasifika students, in particular, are much more engaged with a Learnz field trip than other academic activities. Especially relevant in meeting the vision of the NZ Curriculum.
John Brunton from Marshall Laing School
You do a great job of preparing and motivating us to engage with the topic. Well structured for all students. Even low achieving readers well engaged. Covered science, values, aspirations and career information.
Martin Dodge from Balclutha School
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
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
For my Year 4 class enjoyed the learning experience. The virtual field trip raised their awareness of how special and unique Antarctica is and made them think about being the guardians of the area.
Jacqueline Barrett from Westbrook School
Fantastic links to the science curriculum AOs - lots of learning due high interest and combination of videos and great background information. Learnz is real world and happening at the moment. Where else can you get this sort of access to scientists and researchers?
Christopher Wratt from Hanmer Springs School
The idea of virtually going to Antarctic created such a buzz and a HUGE level of engagement. It's great the way LEARNZ leaders connect with students - they present everything in such an accessible way but have high expectations that students can and will be able to understand fairly sophisticated concepts.
Christine Hailes from North Street School
My students have a different view of the world we live in after this field trip. My students love the field trips.
Martie Andrew from Awakeri School
Students became very curious with lots of wonderings about Antarctica and they decided that science is really cool. The field trip made for fun learning and helped us use the i-pads and laptops more effectively for independent research.
Paula O'Neill from New River Primary
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
The LEARNZ virtual journey to Antarctica was great because EOTC is not possible in Antarctica for a school classroom to do for real. The opportunity to hear real scientists talk to the LEARNZ representative, Shelley Hersy, was very valuable and also helped us form some of our science goals.
Dianne Morgan from Matakana School
It motivated my top reading group. It was well organised, informative and something different to use as a reading tool/experience.
Heather Mangan from St Joseph's School (Upper Hutt)
The students particularly enjoyed the videos and the quizzes. They also commented on how much they liked how the diaries were written as if they were there. This LEARNZ Antarctica trip fitted in well with the Nature of Science aspects of questioning and using vocabulary that we were focussing on.
Lauren Milnes from Ngatimoti School
It has been one of the best units I have taught in my 16 years of teaching - I would recommend it to anyone. I do think that it has been particularly successful in my classroom because we signed up for the extras such as the ambassador and the audio conferencing - that's what really made it come alive for me and the children in my class.
Samantha Edwards from Kenakena School
My curriculum focus was supported fully by the LEARNZ Antarctica programme and two NIWA scientists visiting the class in person helped no end to endorse what we had learned. Some students were able to really drive their own learning, while having the two levels for reading enabled some of my less able readers to participate more fully.
Valerie Moratti from Havelock North Intermediate
Catered to the needs of all students. Tasks were easily differentiated for all curriculum levels. Great opportunity for students to make connections with the wider community.
Christina Fortes from Hay Park School
The field trip supported the development of Key Competencies, and provided up-to-date information relevant to Education for Sustainability.
Ruth Guy from Lincoln High School
Caves Critters and Karst
Seeing people passionate about their interest is so encouraging for kids. We were focusing on fossils and limestone of North Otago, so it was useful comparing with Waitomo.
Jennifer Kitchin from Weston School
This field trip tied in nicely with our Science topic this term. Students were highly engaged throughout the field trip and are highly passionate about using LEARNZ in the classroom.
Marcia Ferguson from Rosebank School (Balclutha)
Fantastic - we were going to Waitomo on our field trip, and the timing and content could NOT have been better. Greatly improved audioconferences - the backchannel improved engagement, and the kids were highly interested in hearing their questions asked over the Internet, and the immediate responses.
David Hanah from Knighton Normal School
Airport
The audioconferences put our students in contact with other NZ kids - connects them to their peers. Students were fascinated by the videos of behind the scenes at the airport.
Jennifer Kitchin from Weston School
I had a careers focus with my Year 7&8 class and I could not have chosen a more effective venue than an airport. The LEARNZ experience cannot be matched for engagement and student enthusiasm.
Graham Elsmore from Christian Renewal School
The students and me learnt a lot more about an airport, what careers are available and how so many people are involved with the running of an international airport. It gave students who have travelled the opportunity to share their personal experiences with their peers, which made it even more realistic.
Teresa Hutchins from St Mary's School (Hastings)
Easy to use loads of resources, visual and device friendly, mascot was great connector. My students enjoyed the 4 language options as this included every student except my Kiribati one. Being able to put questions to experts in the live audio conference as well as in the back channel chat was great.
Jane Speers from Flaxmere Primary School