Past eFellows reports

Leanne Greep

Ko Wangapeka te awa
Ko Takaka te maunga
Ko Ngati Pakeha me Italiano te iwi
Ko Tangata Tiriti ahau
No Waimeha ahau
Ko Leanne toku ingoa.

Kia Ora, I am a Resource Teacher of Learning and Behaviour with the Nelson Bays Cluster. This year Resource Teachers of Learning and Behaviour are embarking on embedding a new co-joint MOE and RTLB framework titled He Pikorua (a twist). This framework has seven Practice Principles; Whakawhanaungatanga, Kohikohi, Ata whakaaro, Tatai, Whakamahi, Whai whakaaro and Mana motuhake. He Pikorua in action provides a flexible approach for responding to the needs of mokopuna, whānau, educators, teams and communities.

My passion lies in unpacking He Pikorua with our RTLB team and unleashing the authentic potential of these principles which guide our values in the work we do. As practitioners working at the coalface with teachers we are privileged to have the opportunity to make a difference to teachers practice and children's learning and ongoing development. He Pikorua gives us the opportunity to embed Bicultural ways of working drawing on the research that shows how we can practice authentically in Aotearoa. As Te Tiriti partners, we are obligated to work in ways that recognise partnership, power sharing and participation of Tangata whenua and He Pikorua provides practitioners with a waka to work in ways that are unique to our context in Aotearoa.

Report: Bringing to life He Pikorua - Leanne Greep

Sarah Lassen

Tēnā koutou,
Ko Aoraki te maunga.
Ko Waitaki te awa.
Ko Te-Ika-a-Rakaihautu te moana.
Ko Tākitimu te waka.
Ko Kāi Tahu te iwi.
Ko Kāi-te-Ruahikihiki te hāpu.
Ko Taumutu te rohe.
Ko Ngāti Moki te marae.
Ko Sarah Lassen taku ingoa.

Whiria te tāngata.

I am 2iC of English and hold a within school CoL role at Ashburton College where we are currently working on curriculum change. The increased use of cross-curricular teaching and learning is something that excites me and this, along with my passionate advocacy for the success of ākonga Māori, has led me to my action research project. I am inquiring into how, in an English Medium school, we can create significant academic gains for ākonga Māori. To do this, I have created a core class with a whānau environment based around cross-curricular learning through authentic learning experiences in which te ao Māori is embedded in the learning.

Report: Te ao Māori enhancing learner identity - Sarah Lassen

Rashida Longley

My Indian parents became refugees from Uganda shortly before I was born. Landing in England, I grew up with a sense of not belonging. Feeling culturally different - not only to my peers, but also my parents and extended family - resulted in me feeling a sense of isolation, disconnectedness and voicelessness.

I am now the Head of Science at Albany Senior High School in Auckland and my passion in education lies in ensuring equitable outcomes for all students. In recent years my focus has been to have courses that are authentic and connect to the real world by linking science learning to current societal issues. Inclusive education is my top priority, which means enabling all learners to achieve success.

As we grow into a diverse multicultural country, I would like to develop practices that foster a sense of belonging by being responsive to the many cultures represented in our schools, whilst still honouring the bicultural status of NZ and being true to the Treaty of Waitangi.

Report: Belonging in Aotearoa - Rashida Longley

Kirsty Macfarlane

Ko Columbus te Waka
Ko Mangere te maunga
Ko Waitematā te moana
Ko Kirsty toku ingoa

Kia ora, I am a teacher of Y2 students at Nga Iwi Primary in Mangere, Tāmaki Makaurau.
I’m passionate about both pedagogy and social justice, as well as working towards an equitable society.

My project aims to investigate how Live Reporting can be used to challenge the ways that educational systems function to reproduce primarily Pākeha knowledge.

I will explore how platforms like Seesaw can foster Ako, leading to power-sharing relationships between teacher and whānau. By prioritising this type of relational connection, diverse knowledge(s) can be upheld within the classroom.

Report: Reports are for parents to tell them who has been naughty or good - Kirsty MacFarlane

Claire Wigley

Ko Taranaki te Maunga
Ko Waiwhakaiho te Awa
Ko Puketapu te kura
Ko Claire tōku ingoa

Kia ora my name is Claire and I am the Design Technology teacher at Puketapu School in beautiful New Plymouth, Taranaki.

I am an import to Taranaki, moving here after 10 years living overseas in both Canada and England. I am the only Design Tech teacher within my school, running a brand new program; previously ākonga travelled to another school to attend Design Technology lessons.

I have the flexibility to have a tailored approach to teaching, driven by ākonga feedback and interests, which is what has helped shape my inquiry for the e-Fellowship.

Report: Weaving together a sense of belonging - Claire Wigley

Anna-Marie Keighley

Tēnā koutou katoa.
Ko Taranaki te maunga.
Ko Tongapōrutu te awa.
Ko Anna-Marie Keighley ahau.

As a passionate leader of learning I am fortunate to be one of the foundation staff at Rototuna Senior High School. Here I have the opportunity to work collaboratively as a Kaihautū to support the delivery of our advisory curriculum. As part of my role I am curious about how to best develop opportunities to empower ākonga to lead. This has sparked my inquiry into the development of a leadership framework that caters for a more diverse range of learners that could foster further opportunities for our ākonga to engage across our kura. With the opportunity to establish tuakana - teina relationships between our Senior and Junior high, I am also interested in what other opportunities exist for leadership from a te ao Māori perspective. Through this I hope to break down barriers to empower all ākonga to see leadership as more than just for a selected few, and that everyone is a leader!

Report: My contribution matters! Developing ākonga leadership potential (PDF, 1.36MB)

Duncan Trickey

Kia ora tātou.
Ko Criffel te Maunga.
Ko Nith te awa.
Ko Celt te iwi.
Ko MacGregor te Hapū.
Ko Duncan ahau.

I am an immigrant to New Zealand with me and my wife (a Kiwi) arriving in 2008. I am a Social studies and Economics teacher at Otago Girls’ High School. I have for a long time been interested in strategic gaming and often play board games with my family. Over the last few years, I have integrated gaming into my Vocational Pathways course as I looked to build interpersonal skills in the class. With the growth of eSports globally I wondered to myself what this would mean for our ākonga? I also started to think about the under-representation of many of our students at Otago Girls’ in eSports and how eSports could be included in integrated curriculum design to support engagement and achievement for students marginalised by a traditional curriculum.

Report: eSports - Transcending the Gender Gap (PDF, 2.06MB)

Hamish Barclay

Tēnā koutou katoa.
Ko Kapukataumahaka toku maunga.
Ko Taieri toku awa.
No Ōtepoti ahau.
Ko Hato Tamati toku kura.

Kia ora, my name is Hamish Barclay and I am an Assistant Principal at St Thomas of Canterbury College in Christchurch.

Over the last 5-7 Years I have been exploring boy’s education in the middle years (7-10) and ways to make school engaging for a group who are often disenfranchised from learning. As a result of this our kura has moved from traditional learning structures to a fully integrated learning approach.

During the process of change we ran an inquiry as part of the Teacher Led Innovation Fund (TLIF) which delved deeper into the student’s attitudes towards all aspects of their learning. Students responses, particularly Māori and Pasifika attitudes towards STEM education made me think about ways that we can further develop these programmes to engage students in Math and Science. As part of this scholarship I want to explore ways that as a kura we can develop authentic experiences for Māori and Pasifika learners in STEM education in partnership with whānau and community.

Karen Nicholls

Tēnā koutou, kō Karen Nicholls ahau.

I grew up in Papakura, spent many years in West Auckland, and have made my home in Matamata for the last 11 years. I have a wonderful husband and four teenage children. I am a leader of learning at Matamata Intermediate, with responsibilities in curriculum, staff PLD and mentoring.

My area of interest is in building teacher capability in selecting, exploring and analysing multimodal texts in the social sciences. Media surrounds us, and there is a need for critical questioning to identify and discuss whose voices are being represented, omitted or distorted. The form and function of multimodal texts, including social media, contribute to creating and perpetuating narratives and teachers need to be active in selecting a range of texts to develop critical literacy in themselves.

My aim during the efellowship is to identify critical questions and a kit of tools and strategies for teachers and students to select and use multimodal texts that will enable and empower critical discussion. My hope is that through this we can model, practice and develop as staff, and then with students, not only the academic process of critical questioning, but the human process of maintaining and building relationships as we challenge our own narratives about the world and our place in it.

Report: Exploring Identity and Power Through Participation (PDF, 1.50MB)

Kit Haines

Ko Waipa tōku waka.
Ko Te Wao Nui o Tiriwa tōku pae maunga.
Ko Manutewhau tōku awa.
Ko Waitemata tōku moana.
Ko Ngāti Pākehā tōku iwi.
Ko Kit tōku ingoa.
Kei Titirangi tōku kāinga.

Kia ora. My name is Kit and I have the privilege of working with the amazing young men of Kelston Boys’ High School in West Auckland. Currently Head of the English Department, my work passions include digital technology, collaborative learning and culturally responsive practice.

I’m inquiring into how we can amplify marginalised voices in education. The question I’m asking is: how can we promote agency through the use of podcasts?

I believe that our tamariki have a voice and it’s our role as educators to help them find a platform to express themselves. Podcasts offer a medium to hear the diversity among our students and place them at the centre of learning. My project explores using podcasts as diverse assessment opportunities throughout the year to enable students both as innovators and creators.

Report: Amplifying the Voices of our Tamariki (PDF, 1.94MB)

Nathan Walsh

Tēnā koutou.
Ko Aoraki tōku Maunga Whakaruru.
Ko Hokitika tōku awa Whakaora.
ko Ngāti Pākehā tōku iwi.
Ko Hagley tōku kura.
Ko Nathan Walsh tōku ingoa.

I am the Leader of e-Learning at Hagley College in Christchurch. In this role I am focused on how e-learning can support best practice teaching and learning. In 2020 I am teaching a new Year 13 NCEA level 3 course called Impact Project. Impact Project enables students to pursue their passions while attaining Achievement Standards within the same Generic Technology domain. I am interested in empowering staff to collaborate across different areas of the curriculum, and to examine how project-based learning can result in deeper learning within a traditional school timetable.

Report: Passion Projects: new learning at a traditional school (PDF, 958KB)

Patty Barbosa

Tēnā koutou, kō Patty Barbosa ahau.

I am from Brazil and have been fortunate to have experienced teaching in different countries, learning from various cultures and educational systems. I am very privileged to work at Summerland Primary School, in Auckland where I work with passionate teachers, students and leaders.

As a teacher, I see my job as a student collaborator who allows motivating learning experiences through an influential and responsive learning environment, where children explore and learn through play. I am very interested in looking at the learning evidence and strategies children develop while engaging in play and the curriculum learning areas. I am also interested in implementing data collection and assessments to support a rich, responsive and genuine learning in a play environment.

Report: Play-based Learning and assessment: Considerations on how to marry the two in a working relationship (PDF, 1.98MB)

Kelsi Ana Robinson

Ko Pukemaire toku maunga
Ko Kaituna toku awa
Ko Te Arawa toku waka
Ko Te Arawa toku iwi
Ko Ngati Whakaue toku hapu
Ko Whakaue toku marae
No Maketū ahau
Kei Taneatua toku kainga inaianei
Ko Kelsi toku ingoa
No reira tena koutou tena koutou tena tatau katoa.

I am a mother of four, have a loving husband and am born and bred Maketū. I am the head kaiako at Maketū EduCare with a passion to raise resilient, strong minded confident tamariki who know who they are and where they come from!

My inquiry question is: How can tamariki grow their learning through local pakiwaitara and then share them in various ways with whānau, community and globally?. This patai is elevated from our tamariki interests. Daily they are telling pakiwaitara so why not actively help this interest to come alive for them in various ways.

Marie Hibbs

Ko Rangutūmau te maunga.
Ko Ruamahanga te awa.
Ko Takitimu te waka.
Ko Ngati Kahungungu te iwi.
Ko Te Hika a Papauma te hapū.
Ko Tamihana rāua ko Pōtangaroa ōku whānau.
Ko Marie Hibbs taku ingoa.
Tēnā tātou katoa.

I am a Resource Teacher of Learning and Behaviour based at Te Huinga Raukura ki Manurewa – RTLB Cluster 12. I have the privilege and honour to work within Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Manurewa, Te Wharekura o Manurewa and Te Kura Akonga o Manurewa as well as within Rumaki and Reo Rua units in other schools in Manurewa.

In collaboration with Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Manurewa this inquiry will focus on how the principles of ethnomathematics further develop connections with whānau through a Pangarau website called Te Aurere i te Moana – Navigating the Ocean of Numbers. It is hoped that through the website and other resources developed for home use we can engage learners and their whānau, as well as other members of the community in addressing student strengths, needs, interests and aspirations.

Parehuia Eparaima

Tu ake Panekire, taku maunga korero,
ki te taha whakarunga o te rohe
Kei raro rā, ko te moana, nā Haumapuhia i waihanga,
Ki a kii ake ai, ngā uri whakaheke
Waikaremoana, Whanaunga Kore…
Ko au tētahi o aua uri whakaheke
Ko Parehuia Hiria Eparaima.

Our Exciting Project: Nga Whakapapa o Nga Awa. Pātere written by local kaumatua Koro Wainui (Buddy) Smith, and also our opportunity to engage in an inquiry process as a kura and whānau.

The desire is to provide our students, our parents, our kaumātua with the skills and resources to become the researchers, the innovative creators of presentations, the narrators of their history, their identity.

Laura McKenzie

Ko Toirere tōku maunga
Ko Mamaru tōku waka
Ko Whangaroa tōku moana
Ko Kahukuraariki tōku whare
Ko Waitaruke tōku marae
Ko Ngāti Kahu ki Whangaroa tōku iwi
Ko Ngāti Roha tōku hapū
Ko Laura McKenzie ahau.

Tēnā koutou. My name is Laura Mckenzie and I am the HoD English at Birkenhead College. I aim to investigate how a co-design approach could help enhance the mana of our People of Colour (PoC) pupils and achieve equitable outcomes for students. I would like to see how co-design could decolonise the process of unit planning. I envision units which are then curated by pupils and their whānau on digital platforms.

Report: Enhancing Mana Through Co-design (PDF 2MB)

Monika Limmer

Tēnā koutou, kō Monika Limmer ahau.

I am originally from Germany, and my family and I moved to New Zealand 13 years ago. I am the ICT Specialist Teacher at Allenvale School in Christchurch.

I am interested in using Augmented and Virtual Reality (VR/AR) in a Special Ed context. Learners with special educational needs can't always access the world the same way their mainstream peers can. Immersive technologies have the potential to deliver authentic learning opportunities in a more accessible way, allowing tamariki to learn by experiencing and interacting.

During my eFellowship, I will research tools and strategies for a meaningful (and affordable) use of these technologies in the classroom, and ways for students to be creators and independent explorers rather than only consumers/users.

Twitter: @monikalimmer

Report: A World of Experience - using immersive technologies in the SpecialEd Classroom (PDF, 1.44MB)

Rob Stevenson and Bethan Kohunui

Tēnā koutou katoa,
Ko Mātaatua te Waka.
Ko Pūtauaki me Kaputerangi ngā Maunga.
Ko Te Oriini te Awa.
Ko Ngāti Awa te Iwi.
Ko Ngai Taiwhakaea ll te Hapu.
Ko Te Paroa te marae.
Ko Taiwhakea te Tipuna Whare.
Ko Toanatini te Wharekai.
Ko Bethan Kohunui ahau.

Kia ora, I am Bethan Kohunui, and I am Rob Stevenson, and we work at Apanui School in Whakatane.

I (Bethan) have a passion to find ways of learning through inquiry and to continue learning for myself. I’m also a year 5/6 teacher at Apanui School, in a collaborative space. I've worked as a bilingual teacher and bring these skills to my mainstream practice.

My (Rob) passion is for inquiry learning and partnering with students to develop capabilities for powerful learning. Currently teaching year 5/6 at Apanui school, I am also the e-learning and digital technology leader.

We are excited to be creating a new culture as we work towards becoming a ‘Maker’ kura. Through this inquiry and eFellowship we will blend our strengths and expertise to produce significant change for learners as we create a Makerspace in our school and share it across our Kahui Ako. This will be an environment where all students and teachers will be able to experience the maker process by taking part in learning that has a focus on creativity, curiosity, collaboration and innovation.

Twitter - Bethan: @WhaeaBee

Report: A makerspace where learners love to learn in Aotearoa (PDF, 2.08MB)

Bevan Holloway

My name is Bevan Holloway and I am HoD English at Wellington Girls College. At the start of this year I wondered - is there a biological age when kids stop playing? And then I wondered, if play is nature’s way of making humans learn, shouldn’t my students be free to play, and through that play learn about English? So, the focus of my fellowship is to look at the application of learning through play principles in a secondary context. I want to see the degree to which it can facilitate powerful learning, how a teacher’s role changes, the impact on student dispositions and how learning through play changes the nature of NCEA assessment.

Twitter: @TeacherHolloway

Report: Living in a small data world - play in secondary school (PDF, 2.41MB)

Julia Bevin

Kia ora tatou,
Ko Julia ahau.
Ko Waikanae te awa
Ko Bevin te maunga
Ko Kāpiti te motu.
Ko ahau te tumuaki o te kura o Paekākāriki.

Mount Bevin, is in Antarctica so that may confuse some of you. My father was the Surveyor General of New Zealand for many years and on his retirement he was honoured with the naming of an icy peak!

My big question for 2018 is: How can we use the inquiry learning process to support the implementation of project based learning that has meaning for our students?

I am especially interested in looking at how mathematical inquiries can developed to be cross-curricula and project based. This question stems from my interest in mathematics learning and the research being done both here in New Zealand and internationally in the area of mathematical inquiries. I also have a passion for holistic, project based learning where learning happens because of engagement with rich, real life ‘problems’ or projects not because of a set of prescribed achievement outcomes in a long term plan.

Report: Knowing math as doing math - how well can we teach mathematics skills and knowledge through Project Based Learning? (PDF, 1.62MB)

Jacqueline Yoder

Tēnā koutou, kō Jacqueline Yoder ahau.

I am very privileged to be Head of the English Learning Area and leader of GATE/Enrichment at Linwood College in Christchurch. In these roles, I am extremely passionate about leading learning that is agentic, authentic, culturally responsive and innovative. I am very interested in exploring how to challenge traditional paradigms around identifying and enriching GATE learners using a socio-cultural view of learning. Integral to this inquiry will be respectful, responsive collaboration with whānau, iwi, community and our two Kāhui Ako.

Jerome Cargill

I am a Media Studies and Drama teacher working at Newlands College in Wellington. I am a Year Level Dean and leader in the school of many initiatives promoting diversity and inclusion for our students of minority genders and sexualities. I am interested in how education’s traditional and binary views of sexuality and gender are being challenged by our young people. Youth expressing diverse and fluid identities is increasingly common. How can we transform our practices to meet the learning needs of our sexuality and gender diverse students and create inclusive cultures for all akonga?

Twitter: @chicargill
Blog: Cargill's Classroom

Report: Creating safe spaces — Triggering the shift for sexuality and gender-inclusive classrooms (PDF, 921KB)

Heather Greaves

I am Deputy Principal at Oturu School. I would like to use the opportunity of having a complete school rebuild to investigate the connections between our school's curriculum (Oturutanga) and personalised learning. I intend to use design thinking and maker movement research to develop the design, setup and opportunities for deep learning in the new library/learning centre. My goal is to enhance learners’ empowerment throughout the whole school.

Twitter: @HeatherGreaves3

Whare Isaac - Sharland

Ko Tāwhiuau te maunga
Ko Rangitaiki te awa
Ko Rangipō te wehenga o te tuna
Ko Ngāti Manawa te Iwi
Ko Tangiharuru te tangata
Ko Whare Isaac-Sharland tōku ingoa.

Mōkori anō a mihi kia rere, ki tēnā waka, ki tēnā kaupapa e noho ana i raro i te haumaru o te mātauranga, tēnā tātou katoa!

I teach at Te Kura Kaupapa Māori ō Tamaki Nui ā Rua. Kapa haka is a powerful medium of Māori identity, culture and pride. I believe it to be a catalyst for change, and seek to better understand the many benefits of kapa haka for students and teachers alike. Transformative behaviors occur when students learn kapa haka, greatly contributing toward student engagement. I will investigate how this engagement can be used as a tool to assist with learning competencies such as metacognitive processes, self understanding, and learner autonomy.

Craig McDonald

Tena koutou, ko Craig McDonald-Brown ahau.

Originally from Auckland, I now live with my family in Papamoa in the sunny Bay of Plenty. I am fortunate to be both a Year 5-6 Whanau Leader and an e-Learning Leader at Tahatai Coast School. I am interested in how global collaboration and connection can develop learners' appreciation of cultural diversity in meaningful ways, and enable a compassionate response to those in need? Making global connections can result in inspiring, authentic, meaningful learning, breaking beyond our own context to the world beyond. This is what I want teaching and learning to look like!

Twitter: @craigmcd

Heemi McDonald

Ko Taranaki te maunga.
Ko Waitara te awa.
Ko Ngāti Mutunga te iwi.
Ko Owae te marae.
Ko Heemi McDonald ahau.

I am a leader of learning at Hobsonville Point Secondary School in Auckland. In order to begin to construct learning narratives that better reflect the learning journey, data must no longer be relegated to the realm of experts. I am interested in exploring how data narratives can incorporate the elements of Karakia, Waiata and Whakapapa so that data shifts from being something created about students to a place where students and their whānau are active contributors.

Twitter: @tintinskywalker

David Schaumann

Kia ora, I'm David Schaumann, Head of English at John McGlashan College in Dunedin, Facilitator of the Secondary English online community, through English Online and Director of Flipped Classroom Education Solutions Limited. I've been teaching Secondary English for 18 Years, both in New Zealand, and in the United Kingdom.

I'm passionate about the values and skills that my curriculum area can develop, and in the pursuit of innovative ways of doing this more effectively. Thus, my inquiry is seeking to 'Re-write the DNA of NCEA English' focusing on exploring the impact on engagement and achievement of flexible, learner-orientated and personalised programmes.

Twitter: @David_Schamann

Report: Rewriting the values motivating New Zealand students to succeed in the NCEA (PDF, 611KB)

Myles Webb

I am Deputy Principal and a classroom teacher at Auroa Primary School in South Taranaki. I am an extremely passionate educator who tries to embrace technology in the classroom as much as possible.

I am always looking at opportunities for engagement and, as part of my inquiry, I would like to look into using robots and computational thinking to increase levels of engagement in the classroom, particularly for students who are in special education funding schemes (Ongoing Resourcing Scheme - ORS). I am excited about the possibilities and the opportunities that the eFellowship will bring to myself and my teaching.

Twitter: @NZWaikato

Bronwyn Te Koeti

Kia ora koutou,
Ko Aoraki te mauka ariki
Ko Tūtoko te mauka tipuna
Ko Uruao te waka
Ko Rākaihautū te takata
Ko Makaawhio te awa
Ko Kāti Māhaki te hapū
Ko Kāi Tahu rāua ko Kāti Mamoe kā iwi

My name is Bronwyn Te Koeti. I have been a primary school teacher for twenty five years and for the past five years I have been the Head Kaiako in Ngā Rūuma Rumaki Reo here at Hokitika Primary School on the beautiful Tai o Poutini.

This inquiry initially emerged from the need to engage the tēina (junior students) into Pāngarau (Numeracy). As the inquiry progressed there was a need to create a student-led focus that would enable this project fit with the variable and forever changing needs of the tamariki that also linked to their Graduate Profile.

Therefore my current inquiry will be to investigate how and what e-learning tools could be incorporated into a Junior Pāngarau program for Māori Medium that could be utilized by not only the tamariki but whānau as well as a means of communication with the aim of creating contextual narratives.

Caroline Bush

Kia ora. My name is Caroline Bush (on twitter as @CaroBush). Currently, I am one of two Associate Leaders Of Learning at the brand new Ormiston Primary in Auckland. I have taught at all levels of primary butI have a particular interest in NE/Year 1 learners. I am currently based in an Innovative Learning Environment (ILE) with Provisional Registered Teacher (PRT) and 37 NE/Y1s. My inquiry question to research during this efellowship is — How might we leverage play based learning for migrant Year One learners, in order to increase their oral language, utilising the power of digital-technologies and tools to enhance and evidence the process? I am excited about all the opportunities this e-fellowship will bring and am looking forward to a year of #Oresome learning.

Connect with Caroline on Twitter: @CaroBush

Christine Alford

I am an early childhood teacher working at Mairtown Kindergarten in Whangārei. Earlier professional learning has furthered my interest in wishing to investigate the relationships and connections between literacy, the use of materials and the arts. My focus is how materials and the arts are used to promote story telling in young children and whether this can become integral to enhancing literacy learning.

Research paper: Where do Stories Live? Building Oral Language Through Storytelling in an Early Years Context

Hugo Zanker

I am interested in how my classroom music students can increase access to the Arts and networking spaces outside the local community using technology, and minimising the complications that arise when running a Music class in a rural context. I hope to expand the horizons of my class, bringing the world to my classroom, and encourage students to explore genres absent from the local scene that they identify with and may excel at.

Research paper: Building a Music Scene in a Mountain Hamlet

Justin Hickey

I am passionate about preparing young students to be the best they can be and to help them develop the skills necessary to be positive contributors to their rapidly evolving community.

This passion has led me to look at modern learning practices and how they can be designed to affect the attitudes that learners bring from their outside community into their learning environment. I want to explore how modern learning practices can be designed to replicate the core values needed to participate and contribute in a healthy and positively functioning community?

Connect with Justin on Twitter: @JustinHickey3

Research paper: What can we learn about community from our students?

Shirlene Murphy

Ko Shirlene Murphy tōku ingoa.

Ko Aupouri tōku iwi.
I am interested in investigating and developing the idea of ‘everyday practice’ being viewed by teachers as an opportunity for professional learning. I would like to see Tuakana-Teina relationships promoted within teams so all teachers (not just formal leaders) have opportunities to contribute to the learning and development of others.

Research paper: Transforming everyday 'chatter' into professional learning opportunities

Vivita Rabo

I’m a teacher of deaf for Kelston Deaf Education Centre (KDEC) at Mission Heights Junior College Provision in Auckland. I’m interested in developing the e-learning culture of deaf education for KDEC, to explore e-learning platforms to support teaching and learning, and create that much needed 'space' for deaf students, their families, teachers of the deaf, and mainstream teachers to collaborate, share, network: building effective deaf communities of practice.

Connect with Vivita – Twitter: @vrabo1

Camilla Brotherton

I am interested in how teachers, learners and whānau go about rethinking the traditional mindset of who is in control of learning, and how personalised learning can provoke learner agency for students and teachers. Teachers may espouse that we share control with learners and are rethinking our roles, but in reality, what does this genuine collaboration look like?

Connect with Camilla – Twitter: @CamiBrotherton

Stephanie Kitto

I’m interested in exploring ways that technology can spark curiosity, questioning and thinking skills in the early years of schooling; skills that are at the heart of developing life long learners. I am particularly interesting in exploring how technology can reach beyond the four walls of the classroom, in order to spark children’s natural curiosity.

Connect with Stephanie – Twitter: @StephKitto1

Mel Wiersma

I will be exploring what personalised and modern learning approaches work best together, to support Maori and Pasifika students to become engaged and empowered lifelong learners. This inquiry came from reflecting on my experiences in different schools which led me to wonder what combinations would work best for Māori and Pasifika students specifically.

Connect with Mel

• @Twitter: @WiersmaMel
• Weebly: The Learning Teacher

Steve Mouldey

I am Specialised Learning Leader at Hobsonville Point Secondary School but probably better known as @GeoMouldey on twitter. My inquiry is going to investigate the effectiveness of design thinking for student learning and what e-tools may possibly amplify that learning for students. I see what seem to be great benefits for students when we use Design Thinking but what to find out if this is really the situation.

Connect with Steve – Twitter: @GeoMouldey

Richard Wells

I’m the Head of Technology at Orewa College, I’m iPadWells online and I blog at iPad4schools.org. My inquiry will challenge the unconnected teacher. It feels like an education revolution is taking place online and the majority of teachers are out of the loop. I will look at the impact of connecting teachers with their profession online and it’s impact on classroom activity and student outcomes.

Connect with Richard

• Twitter: @iPadWells
• Website: iPad 4 Schools

Philippa Nicoll Antipas

I’m interested in exploring how we might use modern learning environments to amplify design thinking practices.This sparks my interest because I’m passionate about the rich potentialities design thinking offers and I want to learn more about how we can best enhance this mindset in our students.

Connect with Philippa on Twitter: @AKeenReader

The CORE Education eFellowship is based on a strong belief that action research can drive innovative practice. The annual programme, run since 2004, supports up to ten teachers from early years, primary, and/or secondary sectors to be released from the classroom to conduct an inquiry with academic support and mentoring. Over 80 educators are now part of the ever-growing network of eFellows. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the programme.

Ben Britton

Ben is a teacher of Mathematics and Computing at Wellington High School.

As a very passionate early adopter, he was involved in the 1:1 computers pilot program at Wellington High and has been teaching in a 1:1 environment for four years now. During this time he has adapted his teaching approach as the types of devices students bring has changed.

Two years ago, he built a kitset 3D printer to explore how it might be possible to use it in school. Now he has introduced this technology to Wellington High, and he has been continually amazed at what students are capable of creating with them. He believes that 3D printers will make a huge impact on the world that our students are growing up in.

He has been actively involved in the Wellington Loop, a group of schools who collaborate on e-learning initiatives and share expertise.

At home he has a baby boy and a three year old who likes "daddy’s robot" (a 3D printer) because it makes toys for her.

Connect with Ben on Twitter: @mrbenbritton

Blog: Better in 3D

Thingiverse (What can be done with a 3D printer): mrbenbritton

Tim Gander

Tim is Assistant Head of PE and Health at Gisborne Boys High school. He enjoys the day-to-day challenge of teaching a wide range of abilities and ages in a variety of settings.

He is aware that effective teaching is not only about the use of technology, but also how the technology supports teaching, learning, and building relationships. He is passionate about engaging students and whānau in a collaborative learning journey, and believes that the integration of technology and adapted pedagogies enable a greater depth of learning, understanding, and encouragement.

Tim is a Google Apps for Education certified trainer and facilitates professional learning with teachers through his blog, PLN and face-to-face. In 2013 he fully immersed three senior NCEA classes in Google Apps and found the experience to be positive for all, originally flipping the classroom to overcome resource issues, then utilising Chromebooks to maximise learning opportunities. He is in the final selection for the Interface magazine “Innovative use of ICT Award” with his Google Drive and Social Responsibility project.

Connect with Tim on Twitter: @NZTeachnology
Blog: NZTeachnology
Other website: Futurelearning

Vicki Hagenaars

Previously part of the Senior Management Team at Wanganui Intermediate School, from the beginning of 2014, Vicki will be joining Wanganui Girls College as Director of E-learning combined with Teacher of Mathematics. She will be part of the Middle Management structure with responsibility for developing the e-learning culture in the school. Vicki is looking forward to the challenges that a secondary school will bring - taking her right out of her comfort zone!

Vicki has developed, and continues to develop, her own classroom practice through keeping up with current thinking and models involving quality digital learning. This has been a journey over the last 10-15 years, which continues even now, as she believes it is essential to place the needs of the student ahead of her own. Her leadership roles have involved converting her learning into practice that will work in her classroom as well as for her colleagues.

As an active member of the Virtual Professional Learning Development community she has been provided with a forward thinking community in which to participate and develop. Her online colleagues continue to assist with the innovation, perseverance, and collaboration needed to move forward. She is also a member of the Greater Wanganui Education Network committee. This is a collaboration of all schools in the Wanganui District working together to encourage student growth and success through quality digital learning practices.

Vicki has recently completed a TeachNZ sabbatical with e-learning in a UFB environment at intermediate school level as her focus. Turning what she learnt into reality within her school is her next step and what her time as an eFellow will focus on. Teachers need just-in-time learning tailored to their needs as much as students do. She is looking forward to the challenge of mentoring ongoing pedagogical change within her school through online learning communities.

Connect with Vicki on Pinterest: Vicki Hagenaars (e-learning and classroom ideas boards)

Bec Power

Bec is a Deputy Principal at Nayland Primary in Nelson, and leads e-learning at her school.

She is passionate about empowering, enabling, and energising others to be future focused, lifelong learners. She collaborates with learners to address their needs, strengths, interests, and aspirations, to ensure all learners have personalised, purposefully designed opportunities to develop and succeed. Rebecca believes that learners need to participate in opportunities to not just receive knowledge, but to understand concepts: Not only to be given information, but to create or produce, and share it on a global stage.

She believes in a broad curriculum that connects learning areas to innovative ways to capture learner interest and enable them to become enthusiastic, inspired learners.

Bec strives to offer innovative learning opportunities at class, school, syndicate, cluster, regional, national and international levels. Her classroom, office, and presentation spaces have no walls. She connects with students and educators across every continent, in a wide variety of ways, in both day-to-day and formal projects.

Through her mahi as an e-learning leader, Bec has been involved with the Whakatu Cluster, Link Learning Cluster, and many collaborative projects such as Flick It On! and Rock our World!

Anne-Louise Robertson

Spanish Teacher, Outdoor education Coordinator, and E-learning Mentor at Waikato Diocesan School for Girls.

Anne graduated with a degree in Languages and Politics from Leeds University in the United Kingdom, and then completed a Post-Graduate Teaching Certificate in French, German, and Outdoor Education.

For the last 25 years, she has worked in secondary and further education in the UK and New Zealand, teaching Languages, PE, and Outdoor Education. In the early 2000s she discovered how ICT could enhance learning and has continued to explore the possibilities ever since. Since coming to New Zealand, she has been an E-learning Mentor, supporting and encouraging colleagues to blend technology with pedagogy in their teaching programmes and practice. She is currently leading her school’s professional development, focused on enabling and enhancing their blended learning programme.

Anne loves the outdoors and the challenge that comes with it. As a caver, climber, walker and kayaker she has grappled with new exploration and paths that lead into the unknown. She uses these skills in her approach to teaching, being prepared to discover what lies round the next corner.

Connect with Anne on Twitter:@robeanne
Blog: A Box of Thistles
Pearltrees: robeanne

Rowan Taigel

Rowan is currently Assistant HOF of English, and E-learning Coordinator at Cambridge High School.

Rowan believes that meaningful learning cannot just be a passive form of receiving. When we take action to physically and mentally engage in actions or tasks related to our interests, the learning becomes much more meaningful, and that is what she has discovered about the tremendous potential of e-learning. Rowan enjoys working with gifted writers, encouraging them as a group to collaborate and share their writing online using tools such as Google Docs, Weebly, and blogging.

Through her role as E-learning Coordinator, she participates in and leads professional development sessions for individuals, groups, and the whole staff. She is especially interested in how e-learning tools and pedagogies could enthuse and engage not only the students in their classes, but the staff in their professional development also. She is hoping to translate the newest innovations in classroom practice into the staffroom to engage teachers in teaching, learning, and professional development.

Connect with Rowan on Twitter: @RowanTaigel
Weebly: CHS e-learning in Action!

Marnel van der Spuy

New Entrant and Year 1 Teacher, Reading Recovery Teacher, and ICT Lead Teacher at Broadlands School. She is also Reading Together Coordinator, Co-organiser for KidsedchatNZ (a twitter chat for New Zealand schools) and Co-organiser for Connected Rotorua.

Marnel is an enthusiastic and innovative teacher who loves to implement educational technology into her classroom practice. A particular strength is to implement e-learning into a junior classroom and her students have benefited from her knowledge, enthusiasm, and experience, connecting them with other classrooms throughout New Zealand through KidsedchatNZ and QuadBloggingAotearoa.

As an enthusiastic blogger, Marnel ensures that all her students have personal blogs, where they can publish student voice and other learning experiences.

Marnel contributes to the wider education community through Twitter and the VLN where she collaborates, shares, and gets involved in learning conversations to grow personally and professionally.

Marnel loves to mentor and inspire students and colleagues, and help work through problems and find solutions, but most of all she loves that we can all learn and grow together. Her goal for her students is that they love coming to school, are excited about learning, and feel valued as an individual; know that their voices matter, and most importantly, that they matter.

Connect with Marnel on Twitter: @1MvdS
Blog: Inquire, Learn, Grow, Inspire
Other website: about.me

Heather McClure

Passionate, persistent. Life-long learner.

Heather McClure is a Geography teacher at Ormiston Senior College, Auckland.

Heather uses student voice to inform teaching and learning in her classroom and believes giving students choice in their learning journey is essential for engagement. She is experienced in using myPortfolio to support student collaboration and actively engages with teaching and learning as enquiry.

She has a particular heart for Māori and Pasifika learners and believes that much of what we view as 'new' pedagogy has, in fact, been at the heart of Māori pedagogy for centuries. Heather’s teaching philosophy is underpinned by the principle of ako, in which teaching and learning is a reciprocal practice.

Heather is an active participant of the Virtual Learning Professional Development (VPLD) community where she collaborates with others on the eLearning journey and contributes resources and reflections of her experiences to support the learning community.

She believes transformation in our pedagogy is essential to facilitate authentic learning opportunities for today’s learners.

Claire Buist

Claire is AP at St Clair School in Dunedin, and working with the year 5-6 learning team.

She has been active in teaching and learning online communities for more than a decade and finds the collaboration both inspiring and affirming.

Claire strategically and deliberately plans for the use of digital tools and the key competencies within learning programmes. She aims to mentor the children she works with to become self-regulating, collaborative, digital learners. Claire values the blending of physical space with digital space enabling children to make direct links between personal space, collaborative space and performance space within their learning.

Pauline Henderson

Pauline is currently a year 9 – year 12 English teacher at Burnside High School in Christchurch.

In 2011, she had a study award finishing her Post Graduate Diploma in Education and e-learning. This year she has taught a Year 10 BYOD class, also continuing to integrate ICT into her other English classes.

She has been involved in e-learning in a variety of ways from Moodle and Wikis in the classroom, Department and Staff Professional Development, to Educamps, Blogs and Twitter for her Personal Learning Network.

Recently, she has started to explore how students use their personal technology for learning, including tablets, iPodTouches and Smart Phones. She is passionate about the power of ICT to enhance thinking, as well as to transform learners and their learning.

Stephen Heppell talks of students who are “engaged, passionate and astonished by a new learning world.” Pauline’s goal is that in her classes, her students are engaged, collaborating, creating, thinking, reflective learners. “Our students live in a digital world. As teachers we need to find ways to connect with our students in that digital world,” says Pauline.

Jamie Power

Jamie Power is the senior syndicate leader and teacher of year 4/5/6 children at Nayland Primary School, Nelson.

He has taught children in years 1 to 6 and loves the different challenges each year level brings. Jamie has a passion for creating new ways to inspire and engage students with their learning. He is interested in taking effective ways of teaching, and then integrate e-learning effectively and developing collaboration.

Through his role as an e-Learning leader, Jamie has been involved with the Whakatu Cluster, Link Learning Cluster, many collaborative projects locally, and internationally and developing different learning spaces within classrooms.

Emma Watts

Emma is currently leading e-learning at Upper Moutere School, Nelson.

She is passionate about using e-learning 'tools' to encourage students to become independent learners who connect, communicate, collaborate, customise and create. Her e-learning approach is to develop lifelong learners who are actively involved through social media and digital storytelling.

Through her role as a lead e-learning teacher she supports teachers and students in developing their use of e-tools to share new learning, interpret the past and develop new thinking for a sustainable social, cultural, economic and environmental future at a local, national and global level.

Emma is an enthusiastic blogger and believes that the use of social media develops metacognition. Through social media our communities are enabled to think about their thinking and express their ideas to an authentic audience online. Sharing creations, inspirations and ideas through a social media platform encourages learning conversations. Emma is currently inquiring into 'flipping' her classroom practice and developing innovative classroom learning spaces.

Paula Eskett

Riccarton High School, Christchurch

Librarian, learner, mother and gadget girl... Paula's role as School Library Manager in New Zealand's largest urban Joint-Use library allows her to combine all of these things and more.

Passionate about the role libraries can and should play in teenagers lives both in and out of school, Paula has been immersed in the Upper Riccarton School & Community Library in Christchurch, New Zealand for the last seven years after experiencing many sectors of the library and information industry over the last 25 years.

The success of this library and the enthusiasm, with which the school and wider community have embraced all it can offer, means much of Paula's work focuses on highlighting opportunities to incorporate pedagogically beneficial projects linking the library with school to benefit all involved.

Believing first and foremost that people should feel welcome and wanted in the library, Upper Riccarton is not the quietest library you'll come across, but one that pushes many of the traditional boundaries to benefit all of our customers.

Helen King

Point England School, Auckland

Helen King is a Year 5 teacher at Pt England School. To keep herself engaged in the classroom, she is always on the hunt for creative challenges. This is her second year as a part of the Manaiakalani 1:1 netbook project, and she thoroughly enjoys the collaboration, motivation and fun that technology and media bring to the classroom.

Anne Keneally

St Mary's School, Mosgeil

Anne Kenneally is the Deputy Principal at St Mary's School, Mosgiel. She is teaching a year 6 class after a year's study leave, during which she completed a Master of Educational Leadership and a further two e-learning papers. She also travelled New Zealand with her "Twitter Tour 2011", meeting amazing educators, visiting classes and schools. As she returns to her class she is buzzing with ideas and opportunities. She says, "I am extending my passions of personalised learning spaces, differentiated learning and distance collaborative learning. I am passionate about challenging my learners in a FUN, PLAYFUL, MAGIC learning environment".

Rachel Boyd

Waiuku Primary School, Auckland

Rachel Boyd is currently a Deputy Principal (responsible for eLearning) and a full time Year 2 classroom teacher at Waiuku Primary School in Franklin, Southern Auckland. In her 10th year of teaching, Rachel has a passion for literacy, thinking skills and eLearning and has always taught junior students, from years 1-3.

Through her role as an eLearning leader, Rachel also provides and participates in professional development in ICT/eLearning within her school, ICTPD Cluster and other clusters nationwide. Rachel enjoys an extensive professional learning network via Twitter (@rachelboyd) where she shares her skills and is challenged and supported by talented educators around the world.

Beverly Kaye

Manaia Kindergarten, Whangarei

Beverly is an experienced blogger in early childhood education, and head teacher of Manaia Kindergarten. She has 10 years experience in computer publishing, and 12 years experience in teaching. Beverly is passionate about offering children real life experiences and providing them with the same tools adults use to communicate and share their learning and ideas with the world. She worked in partnership with Tania Coutts highlighting blogging in ECE, as part of MOE's Foundation for Discovery, ICT ECE PL programme research, from 2006-2009.

Beverly is keen to explore the latest technologies (smart phones/smart tablets) with young children to further develop new ways of teaching and learning, rather than re-hashing older methodologies. Beverly sees the potential for children's exploration to be enhanced by the mobility of new technologies and has often witnessed their natural ease of use with touch technology.

The 2011 CORE Education eFellows were:

• Hanna Faletaupule - Tots' Corner Early Learning Centre, Auckland
• Jo Fothergill - Raumati Beach School, Kapiti
• Bronwyn Glass - Botany Downs Kindergarten, Auckland 
• Linda Lehrke - Somerville Intermediate School, Auckland
• Sonya Van Schaijik - Newmarket School, Auckland
• David Winter - Southwell School, Hamilton

In 2010 there were 6 awards. To be awarded an eFellowship award, educators must have a strong existing reputation for innovative practice or leadership in e-learning, and a desire to share their e-learning approaches, practices, and enquiries with the wider teaching community.

Margaret May

Greenhithe Kindergarten, North Shore
Margaret has spent the past three years doing action research with the ECE ICT PL Programme. She investigated how children used ICTs as tools to self assess. The children used a diverse range of ICT tools and displayed a high degree of understanding of their learning through this process.

Tara Taylor-Jorgensen

Bairds Mainfreight Primary, Otara

Tara uses e-Learning to provide the children in her classroom with an authentic and interactive audience. No matter what subject they are learning, they incorporate it into webcam presentations, blogging, movie making, and website building, as part of our daily routine. This allows the children to actively reflect on their learning and presentation skills and to monitor their own progress and share it with others. Through the use of blogging the children are active participants in a global community and enjoy sharing their learning experiences with family overseas.

Florence Lyons

Matamata College, Cambridge

Florence uses information communication technologies in her classes as a means of opening the world to her students as the tools allow them to communicate with people who can enrich their horizons. This enable the students to better understand others and the world that surrounds them.

Joel Dodd

Coastal Taranaki School, Okata, Taranaki

Joel is currently developing a new pedagogical approach to Maths education. Beginning in 2001 with his pod of classic Macs, he has moved beyond application-based learning into web 2.0 and is now breaking free from whiteboards in favour of a combination of cellphone-ready videos, Facebook and web-based homework.

Puti Puti Gardiner

Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Rangiawhia, Kaitaia

As a teacher in a Kura Kaupapa Maori, Puti is interested in developing e-literacy in bilingual education. She has been using digital storytelling to retell traditional narratives in a contemporary context and has also set up a wiki space in te reo Maori as a resource for both teachers and students. This may help with finding ways to develop e-literacy in the classrooms, while still maintaining the integrity of te reo Maori as a medium of instruction.

Nathan Parker

Warrington School, Dunedin

As a teaching Principal, Nathan believes that education should be freely available for all and that this can be achieved by sharing ideas about using open standards and creative commons licenses. Warrington School is running entirely from one easily downloaded operating system, teachers and pupils have total digital independence, choosing the applications that will meet their needs. Access to the digital world is important and Nathan believes this can be achieved from using other peoples cast offs and open source sofftware.

• Claire Amos Developing literacy through the use of blogs and online communities in English.
• Tia Fraser Connecting to picture books through student video dramatisations.
• Robyn Hurliman Collaborative storytelling using blogs.
• Marion Lumley Looking at the the learning dispositions demonstrated by literacy learners engaged in e-Learning groups.
• Virginia Mitchell Retelling and sharing stories using web 2.0 tools - Ginny’s Journey.
• Helen Rennie-Younger Sharing multimedia student stories via blogging.
• Deidre Senior Blogging to enhance reading enjoyment of reluctant readers.
• Marilyn Small Producing content for regional TV station.
• Sue Smith Engaging writers through interactive game Myst.
  • Note: Sue was selected as an eFellow for 2009 but was involved in a car accident which prevented her from completing her project. There is an outline of her partially completed project on her wiki worth reading
• Esmay Sutherland Working with students as they write short narratives about a character and sharing their stories as a movie.

Matt Tippen

Isleworth Primary School, Christchurch

What effect does the creation and the use of ICT-based energisers have on student engagement? I will look at the engagement levels of students when they participate in a two-minute fitness routine/energiser, and the impact on future learning after an energiser.

Partner: SPARC (Sport and Recreation New Zealand)

Research report: Energising Education (PDF, 1.1 MB)

Edtalks: Matt Tippen Energisers in Education 

Toni Twiss

Waikato Diocesan School for Girls, Hamilton

How can mobile phones be integrated into authentic classroom learning activities to develop effective information literacy skills? I am excited about the potential of m-learning and will investigate how teachers can use mobile phones to foster effective information literacy skills. Using mobile phones, kids can access the internet, take movies and still photographs, make podcasts, and upload content. Why not use the tool that is in nearly every student's pocket to make learning exciting and relevant?

Research report: Ubiquitous Information (PDF, 1.5 MB)

Edtalks: Mobile Technology in The Classroom 

Nick Rate

Russell Street School, Palmerston North

e-Portfolios not only have the potential to share student learning outcomes in an interactive and engaging way, but also the ability to clearly demonstrate and engage parents, students and teachers in assessment for learning. e-Portfolios can show what students are learning, how they are successful, the learning process, and the ongoing feedback and reflection cycle that takes place in order for students to take ownership and control of their learning. This research project will explore what teachers can do in order to maximise the formative learning benefits of online e-portfolios.

Blog: http://nickrate.com

Research report: Assessment for Learning and ePortfolios (PDF, 1.8 MB)

Edtalks: ePortfolios and Formative Practice 

Mark Callagher

Wellington College

How can student interactivity be enhanced through the use of a blended learning approach? I have been teaching mathematics, history and computer studies at Wellington College for a number of years. This year I have focussed my research on a Year 11 History class and how the Moodle learning management system can be used to increase student engagement through increased participation and interaction both online and in the classroom.

Research report: How can student Interactivity be enhanced through the use of blended learning approach? (PDF, 1.6 MB)

Edtalks: A Blended Approach to Learning

Michael Fenton

Inglewood High School, Taranaki

A pocket data logger/games/sensor system known as RIGEL was used in authentic learning activities. Activities were based in real space, as opposed to using computers to work in cyberspace.

Most primary students reached the relational stage of the SOLO taxonomy and changed their views about the nature of science.

RIGEL can be used to raise science teacher self-efficacy and encourage greater practical work as required by the Science curriclum document.

Calculus students using case based instruction (CBI) demonstrated that CBI is a more effective teaching pedagogy than problem based learning or traditional approaches in mathematics classes.

Research report: Authentic learning using mobile sensor technology with reflections on the state of science education in New Zealand (PDF, 2 MB)

Dorothy Burt

Point England School

In what ways can including podcasting in teaching and learning activities contribute to reading outcomes?

For 18 months I have been involved in a podcasting project, Korero Pt England (KPE), which is based around students reading New Zealand fiction and presenting their reviews to a global audience through a podcast hosted on iTunes USA. The main purpose of this research is to examine how the use of 21st century technology and the opportunity to have their voice heard by an authentic audience contributes to the reading outcomes of the students involved in the project.

Partner: Renaissance Education Division (RED)

Research report: The lure of podcasting (PDF, 2 MB)

Gavin Hewitt

Hagley Community College, Christchurch

Learning through immersive 3D games development and play

Over the past few years there has been much research into student engagement in video games in the classroom, as well as reports into the potential of video games as learning experiences. These reports have highlighted two significant difficulties with the practical implementation of video games into the classroom. Firstly, the content of existing 'off the shelf' video games typically does not match the curriculum. Secondly, the types of skills and knowledge developed through game play do not equate with the skills and knowledge assessed, or valued in schools. So for my project, what I wish to find out is essentially: "How do you develop a video game that encourages higher order thinking which is valued and assessable?"

Partners: HIT Lab Christchurch; OverTheEdge I/S, University of Copenhagen.

Research report: How do you develop 3D video games that encourage higher order thinking? (PDF, 1.4 MB)

Jane Nicholls

Pine Hill School, Dunedin

Social software and authentic literacy learning

After a year working with my class in the area of podcasting, I came to the conclusion that creative teaching with the use of podcasting can produce thinking communicators and not just proficient speakers. Because of this observation, my research will look at how the social software of podcasting can enhance children's oral literacies. I will examine the areas of confidence and self-esteem as well as the skills children acquire and the quality of their oral interactions. I will explore the question: "In what ways and to what extent does the use of podcasting enhance oral literacies in primary school students?"

Partner: RED (Renaissance Education Division)

Research report: Podcasting and oral language (PDF, 1.7 MB) 

Trevor Storr

Waimate High School

The suitability and application of Web2.0 in rural New Zealand secondary schools

My research will investigate the experiences and outcomes of both teacher and learner when using a virtual learning environment (VLE) in a blended learning scenario. Do senior high school pupils enjoy using a VLE and how do the learners' experiences and reflections on the process compare with those of their teacher? Are the social constructivist styles of learning often promoted by web2.0 activities effective in motivating learners and providing genuine learning opportunities to students?

Partners: Open Polytechnic - NZ Open Source VLE Project; Catalyst IT Ltd, Wellington.

Research report: What does co-constructive learning in a Web2.0 context mean from the perspective of facilitator and learner? (PDF, 1.1 MB)

Jonathan Parsons

Hillmorton High School, Christchurch

Sharing urban Māori experiences in a 3D collaborative learner environment: What advantages does the use of a communal 3D gaming environment offer in facilitating co-construction of knowledge outcomes?

Recent research into learning and video games is well documented. However, the challenge for contemporary educators is not just to deliver 3D content to students, but also to facilitate their involvement inside 3D learning itself.

This will involve a 3D simulation where students can post their own learning experiences and view those of their peers.

Partner: Educational Interactive Ltd

Research report: What advantages does the use of a communal 3D gaming environment offer in facilitating co-construction of knowledge? (PDF, 422 KB)

Darryl Crawford

Tolaga Bay Area School

Whānau and navigating the digital divide

To explore whanau understanding and expectations of the role of e-learning in their child(rens) development within the school learning enviroment. Many Maori whanau base their understanding of their children's learning at school on their own schooling experiences. Most parents, if not all are 'digital immigrants' whereas their children have very different learning experiences and almost all are 'digital natives' (Prensky 2004). This project will identify if there is a digital divide between whanau understanding and expectations, and actual child experiences of e-learning in their school environment. It will also explore options for increasing the e-learning relationship between whanau and school.

Research report: A Nati Whanau: navigating the digital divide (PDF, 659 KB)

Liz Fitzsimons

Research report: What are the learning outcomes when junior children, with the support of their teacher, use information communication technologies (ICTs) to produce their own resources? (PDF, 1.5 MB)

Gillian Gibbs 

Research report: The effect for Māori students of meaningful engagement in learning using ICTs (PDF, 266 KB)

David Goodwin

Research report: Key competencies in action (PDF, 1 MB)

Kerry Hall

Research report: E-portfolios: what, why and how (PDF, 537 KB)

Faith Hanrahan

Research report: Exploring the use of electronic portfolios: a secondary school case study (PDF, 1.5 MB)

Jan-Marie Kellow

Research report: Inquiry learning in an ICT rich environment (PDF, 1.2 MB)

Paul Lowe

Research report: Can cluster-wide resources and personnel be successfully managed to meet the needs of gifted and talented students in a cluster-wide science class using problem-based learning strategies in an ICT rich environment? (PDF, 3.1MB)

Carol Marks

Research report: Imagined Possible Selves: Are there differences in the complexity of learning when ICTs are included in imaginary play? (PDF, 1.9 MB)

Elaine Newton

Research report: ICT and New Entrant Children: how do Teachers discover, use, and value the knowledge that children starting school have about ICT? (PDF, 428 KB)

Brian Waller

Research report: The balanced use of learning styles in e-learning (PDF, 1.7 MB)

Jennifer Charteris

This project was a case study involving underachieving students who are gifted. The students worked with Macromedia Flash and Adobe Photoshop. The research showed that this software validated these children in a way that the rest of their schooling didn't. While being creative within the context of both the high-end software and the research group equated with success, the same was not really true within the wider school community. In fact, the creative behaviours valued in the project were often the very behaviours that labelled these children 'underachievers' in other contexts. In conclusion, this project looks at how high-end software supports and extends gifted children's creative identities which are not recognised in school.

Research report: e-Learning for two generations : a case study of how ICTs can support learning at a teen parent centre (PDF, 2.7 MB)

Jo Colbert

This research shares the journey that five children from Westmere Kindergarten have taken in extending their interests in storytelling supported by their use of ICTs. The work and the involvement of each child are examples of how powerful it is for children to be involved in their own learning, to make choices about their learning, to know that their ideas are valued. This helps them build an image of themselves as competent and capable learners. This work builds on interests that are unique to each child. However the innovative uses of ICTs by children is by no means generic, rather it is something that develops for all children at our centre.

Research report: Storytelling: Keeping it complex (PDF, 618 KB)

Lyn Dashper

Nga Taonga Puoro is a research project that involves students making and playing traditional Maori musical instruments. The students used a range of ICTs to document these experiences. The activities engaged these students, who identify as Maori. During the first part of the project, students actually construct their own instruments and play them. The second part involves them creating an e-learning presentation about the making of their Taonga Puoro.

This research project arose as a result of a trial undertaken in 2004. Learning about the Maori musical instruments was a new and exciting area for the students, regardless of their ethnic background.

Research report: Nga Taonga Puoro (PDF, 950 KB)

Rod Dowling

Most secondary school pupils in New Zealand are using the internet mainly for research purposes, and their school websites are mainly seen as a promotional tool. My project seeks to find whether e-publication in a more transparent way of curriculum details: reaching goals; subject content; assessment criteria; timelines and so on, encourages pupils, parents and teachers to engage more in the learning process. A sample of 100 parents and year 10 pupils is being studied, using an Interact site to which they will all have access. Providing better on-line access to what often happens 'behind closed classroom doors' in secondary schools may be a simple, less threatening way for the parents to become more involved and supportive of the teaching and learning process.

Research report: Does e-publication of curriculum details and support resources online lead to more engagement in the learning process? (PDF, 1.4 MB)

Mark Edwards

In researching the way in which the application of ICTs increases enthusiasm and motivation in the learning of music. It has been evident that music technology provides an authentic learning environment. Where the school context mirrors the children's experiences outside the classroom, the use of technologies like Playstations, Apple eMacs and keyboards can enthuse, motivate and empower.

Research report: Music technology, enthusing and empowering students to compose their own music: a research project investigating how the use of ICT can be used to enthuse student learning in music (PDF, 766 KB)

Keri Hunt

Have you ever wondered, "How can I focus my students' talk to allow them to develop and use the skills I am modelling. How can I allow access and control to the learning for the learner? What tools can I use?"

This research aimed to produce a study that would be useful to the classroom teacher – that might lead to an 'aha, I could use that' moment for members of the professional community. This research explores whether ICTs can enhance children's talk when forming intentions in their writing.

Indra Neville

This project was a case study involving underachieving students who are gifted. The students worked with Macromedia Flash and Adobe Photoshop. The research showed that this software validated these children in a way that the rest of their schooling didn't. While being creative within the context of both the high-end software and the research group equated with success, the same was not really true within the wider school community. In fact, the creative behaviours valued in the project were often the very behaviours that labelled these children 'underachievers' in other contexts. In conclusion, this project looks at how high-end software supports and extends gifted children's creative identities which are not recognised in school.

Research report: High-end creativity: what impact can the use of high-end software have on the creativity of gifted underachievers? (PDF, 2.1 MB)

David Okey

This research studied a model of ICT professional development based on a trickle down effect from lead teachers. The study focused on whether the lead teacher model offered a sustainable model of professional development once the cluster funding had stopped.

The research found that most secondary teachers were very competent users of ICT for their personal and professional uses, in contrast to the perception of teachers as reluctant users of ICT. However, the research also found that many teachers were not so confident about using ICTs with their students or how to integrate ICT into their curriculum area. The was especially pronounced in the senior school where almost no uses of ICTs were found. The exceptions were a small number of specialist subject uses.

Research report: Where to after the cluster: sustaining ICT PD after the cluster money finishes (PDF, 319 KB)

Andrea Trapp

In this research autonomy is defined as students having self-direction in their learning, and making decisions about governing their learning, goals and behaviour, with an awareness of themselves and the effect they can have on others. A set of indicators of autonomy was developed for the purpose of this study. During this research the students worked towards producing a project for the school's science fair. The students were learning through and with ICTs, and were encouraged to explore the possibilities of the technology available to them. Our main ICTs were: digital camera, digital video camera, voice recorder, lap and desktop computers, data projector, TV and video player. The students were using a self assessment tool to evaluate their autonomous learning behaviours against the indicators.

Research report: What is the relationship between teacher questioning, ICT use and student autonomy? (PDF, 1.3 MB)

Judy Waterhouse

People with physical disabilities depend on assistive technologies to provide as much independence as possible. There is an expectation that the technologically complex assistive devices will lead to success for a student. The challenge for teachers is how best to use these tools to support students to be active learners. Issues for teachers may include confidence in the application of Information and Communication Technologies including electronic assistive technologies, the time required to become skilled, adaptation of classroom programmes and materials and what to do when the device needs repair.

Research report: Electronic assistive technology tools supporting students with special education needs at school: what are the issues for teachers? (PDF, 487 KB)

Maurice Alford

What are the implications for changing school structures if teachers and students are learning in fundamentally different ways?

On this journey I intend to explore how teachers and students learn to use video-editing applications, how the new skills and understandings developed become integrated into pedagogy, and how authentic cross-curricular learning experiences for students can be implemented in the context of credentialing.

Andrew Carswell

What is the effect of thematic 3D environments on student performance and attitude?

In my research this year I intend to investigate the effectiveness (attitudinally and academically) of virtual reality (computer gaming) technology on students' learning in a year 11 science classroom.

Claire Derham-Cole

In what ways and to what extent can Information Communication Technology (ICT) activities enhance te reo Māori skills in a bilingual context?

Action research looking at how a variety of ICT activities and e-learning strategies can be used in a bilingual classroom to foster the use of te reo Māori. The research will look at which activities are effective and why.

Blair Giles

How do e-learning projects based in a literacy context stimulate creativity in the reticent/reluctant writer?

This project in action research set in a high access computer context at a primary level, looking at the teaching and learning of written language - specifically the engagement of stimulation of creativity in the reticent writer in an e-learning environment.

Gayleen Mackereth

To what extent and in what way do learners construct meaningful knowledge when using in ICT in foreign language classrooms?

The research looks into the strategies learners employ to construct meaningful knowledge when involved with authentic web based resources, the tasks and contexts in which learners are most likely to be fully engaged, the construction of meaningful knowledge, and how learning community affects the uptake of that knowledge.

Anne Mason

What factors and teaching strategies make for effective teaching and learning that might contribute to primary school students experiencing delight in an online learning community?

My case study focuses on students learning collaboratively within an online learning community. It investigates the factors and teaching strategies used in the online community that are effective in engaging and motivating students.

Karen Newbrook

Does e-learning enhance the learning environment for students who learn differently?

The focus of this project is to explore how e-learning can support a learning environment for students who have specific learning difficulties.

Mel Rodden

What makes a cluster model sustainable when the money runs out?

Information Communication Technologies (ICT) Professional Development clusters are wonderful when there is funding, but what do I do as a facilitator and what do others do to ensure sustainability when the funding stops? This action research projec t identifies key strategies for sustainability of professional development programmes.

Liz Stevenson

How can e-mentoring make a difference?

This study looks at the value of matching year 13 physical education students at Trident High School with sports lecturers/mentors at Auckland University of Technology (AUT) and a series of high profile guest sportspeople. Partnerships with the AUT provide hosting through a purpose-built conference room, Sportlink, and online learning tools using the participants, multiburst images for analysing techniques, and exercise programmes via video on CD and movies. Students achieve a degree of flexibilit y by using wireless laptops.

Lynda Walsh-Pasco

What constitutes effective practice is using video-conferencing for e-learning?

This grounded theory project explores current practice among e-teaches to determine effective practice techniques and strategies when using video conferencing. The findings will influence planning of ongoing professional development.