Web Conferences

Web conferences with schools are hosted live from the field by the LEARNZ Teacher and are coordinated by the LEARNZ Office. More about web conferences.

• Web conference activity for students: Students can work on this activity while they listen to live or recorded web conferences - Word (25k) | PDF (167k) | Google Doc. Activity notes could be shared to help put together a class web conference summary.
• Create a web conference summary. Making a class summary of a web conference is a great way of reviewing the information your students heard. Feel free to create your own template or use the webconference summary sheet - Word (29k) | PDF (114k) | Google doc. We'd love to share your ideas so please send your class summary to shelley.hersey@core-ed.org.

To book as a speaking school, email Shelley the LEARNZ Teacher shelley.hersey@core-ed.org.

Questions from Kingsford Primary School

1. We saw a steam train on YouTube and wondered where the coal comes from for steam trains?
2. Why are trains so loud when they pass by?
3. How do trains work?
4. Where do our (NZ) trains go?
5. How important is it to be visible? Could wearing brighter colours and high-vis vests prevent more accidents from happening?
6. Is it okay to stand inside the train while it is in motion, or should you always be seated?
7. Are the trains all electric, or are some still diesel powered?
8. How many rail accidents happen annually, and what are the major causes of these accidents?

Extra questions from other NZ schools

1. How fast do our trains go? Mark Lorenzen (teacher)
2. How fuel effcient are trains? Thomson Twins
3. When did New Zealand have their first electric train? Monbit Iy House
4. Are the train tracks different sizes round the world? Thomson Twins
5. Are the locomotives built here or imported from overseas? Monbit Ivy House

Questions from Ranui School

1. Why did we change to electric trains?
2. In what ways are trains better than buses?
3. How can we keep ourselves safe around the Ranui train station?
4. How should our school make the most of having a train station across the road?
5. Why doesn’t the train go past Swanson?
6. What are some amazing facts about trains?

Extra questions from other NZ schools

1. Where was the train invented? Thomson Twins
2. How much coal does a steam train use in an hour? Monbit Ivy House
3. How many train stations are in Wellington? Monbit Ivy House
4. Will we get multiple story trains like Sydney? Thomson Twins

Questions from Paerata School

1. For the future, what do you think the chances are for the long distance passenger trains being able to travel faster throughout the length of the country so people can get to places faster within NZ? Do you think this would encourage more people to travel by train as opposed to planes? Resulting in less carbon emissions?
2. Who is in charge of operating the timetables for each town or city? How are these monitored and assessed to meet the needs of communities?
3. We live in a town called Pukekohe, and at the moment we feel the timetable options for people choosing to use trains as their mode of transport are not very user friendly because there are hardly any carparks and there is no direct link into the city, people have to get on and off different trains to get to where they need to go, and this can be quite confusing for some people. Do you think systems need to be simplified so more people feel confident to use trains? Or does there need to be several train lines within the same area to broaden options for people willing to use trains? Therefore encouraging people not to use their cars.
4. Do you think there will be an upgrade to train sizes to cater for the needs of our larger cities/communities, or for there to be a larger number of trains running on a more often?
5. In Australia they use ‘double decker’ trains. Is this an option for NZ?
6. Will NZ rail aim for all trains to become electric in the future to reduce carbon emissions?
7. Do you think, If the government can put more money into train transport, then there will be less cars on the road and the government will be able to spend less money on the roads and more on trains
8. For the future do you think the government wants more people to use the trains as their main source of transport and if so why is there such a limited number of services?
9. What is the proposed overview for transport in NZ for the future? Does our government have high priorities around sustainability for our environment?

More questions from NZ schools

1. What good news stories are there about rail in other countries? LEARNZ Office
2. What is the fastest train in the world? Thomson Twins
3. Why will the electric rail network increase the number of passengers as opposed to diesel powered trains? Paerata School
4. The last mile is a transport term where people use a mix of travel to end their journey eg walk to train, take train, last mile by electric scooter to school or work. What other options are there and what do you see happening in Wellington? eg you talked earlier about self-driving vehicles overseas. LEARNZ Office
5. Are there going to be new rails laid between cities or mainly upgrade current routes? Monbit Ivy House