You can contact LEARNZ, part of CORE Education, at:
Postal Address:
PO Box 13 678,
Christchurch 8141,
New Zealand
Testimonials
Opera
The students learned so much more than I thought - they were engaged when seeing students their own age asking deep questions. We are looking at creating our own movies and seeing the interviews with cast and crew helped to focus their ideas and find realistic goals.
Sharon Riley from Ruapotaka School
We used this as an ignition to our art and drama unit. Added depth to children's learning and they enjoyed the interactive experience. The pre and post assessment showed a lot was learned during the field trip and some children asked their parents if they could go to a performance
Julie O'Neill from Opawa School
Our KC for Term 3 was Using Language, Symbols and Texts. This trip offered the opportunity to see a completely different view of the ways people communicate though opera. We were also able to integrate the trip with our Arts programme. One of the best virtual field trips we have been involved with.
Graham Elsmore from Christian Renewal School
Students were engaged, motivated and excited to be taking part, and learnt a great deal from this field trip as it encouraged them to work towards excellence. Participating meant they engaged with the curriculum in English, The Arts (Music, Visual Arts, Dance and Drama), Technology, and with many of the Key Competencies.
Shelley Barbour from St Albans School
This field trip tied in perfectly for our school focus this term, as we are putting on our own school production so it was great for the students to learn about the variety of roles involved. Helped develop deeper understandings about the Arts, particularly with Understanding Drama in Context (UC) and Communicating and Interpreting (CI).
Rachel O'Connell from Clutha Valley School
Every time I have used a LEARNZ field trip with my class, the students have absolutely relished the chance to explore something outside of their realm of experience. We are focussing on the performing arts (Music, Dance, Drama) in class/school - this field trip helped to expose them to the combination of these arts areas, and all the efforts that go into putting on a show of this type and size.
Maria Galbraith from Summerland Primary School
Inspired and developed an appreciation for this field of the arts to a group of children from a variety of backgrounds, who all all said they enjoyed it and looked at opera differently now. Marvellous student opportunities - also developed and extended the knowledge of some students for whom music is a personal skill.
Johanne Wicks from Otari School
This term's topic is wearable arts, so the field trip was a perfect immersion into the world of performance and costuming. It was useful for increasing interest in the world and performing arts, and I was able to use the information and interactive questions as an effective reading activity, which I then used as a prompt for writing.
Sherilyn Hall from Dyer Street School
This Opera field trip turned out to be a really neat and enjoyable experience for my tauira (students). There was a lot of interest and comment about the careers and qualifications each member held. Major links to The Arts but also to Technology (creating/designing costumes, props, sets) and Health/P.E (rehearsals, nutrition, rest, decision making, looking after each other, relating to others, taking responsibility).
Ngawahine Apanui from Te Waha O Rerekohu Area School
The children really enjoyed this unit, as there was lots of awesome information relevant to them putting on our school production next term. I will use LEARNZ again because I love the field trips!
Gemma Forde from St Theresa's School Invercargill
Fitted in nicely to the curriculum (The Arts) - I found the unit plan really helpful and a time saver. The background information gave a great range of information all in the one place.
Sandra Chapman from Cashmere Primary School
Fantastic for my year 5/6 class. They learned so many skills and it was great to apply them to a real-life purpose, putting questions to experts in the audioconference. The field trip was a very effective learning experience for my class, which was added to by attending the dress rehearsal.
Samantha Edwards from Kenakena School
Used this for my music unit this term. It was exciting for the kids. Great opportunities to participate and contribute to each other's learning. The learners used what they discovered in many ways.
Rosalinda Waters from St Patrick's School Greymouth
It was an opportunity for students to experience something they may not have ever been able to, had it not been for this field trip.
Whitney Hansen from Hoon Hay School
Fantastic use of The Arts in the NZ curriculum and all key competencies. Highly engaging for all students.
Karen Edwards from Brightwater School
We were doing an inquiry into plays and performance and it was a great hook for the kids. It was good background for our topic and was good to hear from actual experts.
Ryan Jackson from Kenakena School
It was really successful and appealed to both boys and girls, who embraced the whole opera idea. Students' KCs developed well and the use of devices proved really successful. Great resource: cross-curricular, useful for literacy, and Maori keyword translations were appreciated.
Francis Ganderton from Cashmere Primary School
LEARNZ is a fun way to learn, that exposes students to things that are happening nationally and globally. It is real life learning. Lots of fun and high interest videos. Students could relate to the (performers') need to practise, and rest too, which links nicely to lots of classroom learning areas.
Caroline Arnold from Lepperton School
Our values at our school include Creativity, so this was a great link to the curriculum as well as seeing the production elements of performance. The performance technology students got to see elements of performance for something we can't teach at school.
Juanita McLellan from Kuranui College
I used it with a learning group within my class and it supported their understanding very well. The flexibility in the level of involvement was great. We joined last minute based on an emerging interest/need within the group and it engaged them wonderfully. Great use of eLearning.
Megan McLellan from Kokatahi-Kowhitirangi School
Well-integrated, interactive, inquiry based. Encouraged thinking, questioning, and valuing other cultures. A visually impaired student commented: "I could listen for myself, I didn't have to use a reader".
Kathryn Watson from Levin East School
We were able to link this field trip with our school learning about performance, and our "showcase" which will be at the end of this term. The content was accessible to all students, with them able to listen to the information if they were unable to read it. Students were particularly engaged when taking part in the audioconference and asking questions, live.
Shelley Galloway from St Albans School
This trip led to our kids being more excited than ever about putting on our own show! Thanks for the encouragement! It's great to see Learnz embracing the Arts like this - you broaden our appreciation of what is around us.
Jennifer Kitchin from Weston School
In terms of the students' topic specific language, and all talking about things in the same context, it was fantastic. It also spread into the community and the children were sharing what they learnt with their parents.
Katherine Smeaton from Waimata School
It's great to have SOLO linked to the lessons. Children are able to work on this independently and show responsibility for their learning.
Hilary Seymour from Roydvale School