You can contact LEARNZ, part of CORE Education, at:
Postal Address:
PO Box 13 678,
Christchurch 8141,
New Zealand
All aspects outlined in the planning for this field trip were easy to connect to the NZ Curriculum documentation. The newsletters were informative and useful, but I also found what I needed in the online help. My students have already asked when our next LEARNZ trip will be.
Meaningful and relevant content for students, pitched at an appropriate level for our multi-age classroom. Having the opportunity to interact and ask questions in real time was appreciated and is valuable.
Fabulous trip; excellent daily videos that support teaching practice. The Māori aspect was particularly good with the lead up to our Matariki celebrations. Students loved taking part in the web conference, especially having their extra questions also answered.
In the web conferences, I find the guest speakers and hearing the other schools' questions makes our learning authentic and relateable.
Topic relevant to students (and whanau). Videos well paced and interesting. Background pages provide an authentic independent reading activity. All of the key competencies are addressed through the various activities.
Loved it! I have used LEARNZ field trips before but not with an ambassador, which just made it! This field trip was also incredibly empowering for our Maori and Pasifika learners!
Encourages thinking. Culturally responsive. Appropriate access to relevant and current topics for my Y10 Geo class.
I could quickly look at background and ideas and use those suitable for my Year 2 class. Great for English (use sources of information e.g. videos, to identify form and express ideas), Science (PEB - Astronomical Systems - Matariki) and Social Studies (How the past is important to people | How places are significant to people).
It fitted in exactly with what we are studying, and my students really responded well to hearing information from different people and in different ways. The web conferences were particularly empowering and transforming for my four dyslexic learners, as their questions were chosen as "best and deepest".
A very integrated topic - you could could explore a myriad of Principles, Values and Key Competencies within it. LEARNZ trips are great - I like to participate in at least 2 every year and I love that I learn alongside my students.
My students loved it - it sparked lots of independent learning and sharing learning with whānau about Matariki. We fully participated in the web conferences, both as a listening class and as a speaking class.
This coincided with our Inquiry and the class were fully engaged with the content. The learning is accessible, with differentiated activities that allow the class to learn at their own rate. All the key competencies, principles, values and different learning areas were covered. Promoted inclusion of Māori students, who were encouraged to show their knowledge and share their views.
This was a wonderful field trip which linked with our classroom learning. The kids particularly enjoyed watching the web conferences.
I have found the LEARNZ website an invaluable tool to support the learning needs of my class.
The website fitted perfectly with our current learning about Matariki and the field trip was very engaging. It helped encourage the students to be actively involved in various Matariki events in our area, as they felt confident sharing their newly acquired knowledge as well as asking questions.
We were studying Matariki as a whole school so this field trip was fantastic!
As this was about Matariki and Navigation, it was of interest to my Maori and Pasifika students and showed them that we valued their stories. Excellent opportunity for all my students to learn in areas that would otherwise be inaccessible and from people they can't access locally.
It was really appropriate as we learnt how to do a Bio Blitz in our own backyard - which we did! Helped us in the key Learning Area of Science - provided extra information, motivation and a wider NZ focus on the environment. Also added to the kete of useful add-ons to make my teaching better.
It was an appropriate level of challenge, and was fun and engaging at the same time. My students are buzzing after this experience. and are excited about the next LEARNZ field trip.
Stimulated students to look at environmental issues and biodiversity in our local area. From a teacher's perspective it was a simple way to get children engaged in learning using a digital tool.
Not only did my students enjoy this BioBlitz field trip, they were able to apply their learning to our local area. Having the ability to listen to the background pages being read to them is empowering for my lower ability readers. It means that they can still get the same information and complete the tasks.
The content was pitched perfectly for Year 7 & 8 tamariki. As part of our unit of inquiry based around ecosystems & biodiversity, there were strong curriculum links. The word bank helped build our te reo Māori too.
It linked in to our syndicate camp in the Tangihuas by Whangarei. It backed up our teaching points on why we need to monitor wildlife and trap introduced pets.
Helped my teaching practice, as this BioBlitz field trip was a helpful tool to differentiate my teaching. Students enjoy a different form of lesson delivery, too.
Great way to extend learners in science and mathematics. Adjustable for Years 1-6. Lots of Key Competencies.