You can contact LEARNZ, part of CORE Education, at:
Postal Address:
PO Box 13 678,
Christchurch 8141,
New Zealand
Testimonials
Virtual Great Walker
I have a Yr 5 6 7 class and all were interested. LEARNZ helps with the range of learning abilities within my class. It also gives students from different backgrounds a variety of different experiences that they may never have the chance to do.
Karen Catchpole from Wairere School
Audio conference was brilliant - by far the best component of the field trip (for us)! I used it (the field trip) from a health and physical education and science perspective.
Sarah Gaskin from Chertsey School
Engagement levels were awesome during our field trip. A GREAT FIELD TRIP! Lots of discussion, questioning, making connections. We linked some of our camp planning to the field trip, especially in terms of preparing for our hike and looking at the species of plants and creatures in our camping environment. Allows another teacher (the LEARNZ Teacher) to be in the room! Lessons are easy to plan from the field trip.
Tinaka Pawa from Oturu School
My students loved Rudd and his enthusiasm for the great outdoors and flora and fauna. We have been doing individual inquiries on the Great Walks and used this one as a model to show students what is out there and what they could do. It integrated english, science, visual arts, health and physical education.
Teresa Hutchins from St Mary's School Hastings
We are learning about Living things so this field trip connected in with our science unit. As part of the Great Walks unit we are also trying to walk as much as we can this term which connects with the Key Competency of participation and contribution. Students found it very engaging and enjoyed being able to go on the LEARNZ website at home as well. One student and their family is now going to go and walk the Routeburn Track next school holidays.
Te Ireland from Karoro School
Interesting and inspiring for my year 4 students, LEARNZ quizzed and challenged my children to be deeper thinkers. The field trip was something 'real' the children could learn about and it linked to all KCs and the principles of the NZC. Great for all learner needs.
Nichole Bichan from Rosebank School Balclutha
I integrated this field trip into my Literacy programme, with links to Health and PE, which is our overall focus this term. The Key Competencies are integrated into everything we do, Shelley did a great job at modelling many of these, Managing Self, Participating and Contributing, and Thinking for example. Great to have the "Listen" feature, which really helped my ESOL children. My class absolutely loved going on the Great Walk Trip. They learnt so much and it provoked many conversations, including the water cycle! I particularly thought this one was great for boys - what sphagnum moss was used for in the war, Ruud was a bit gross!!! The boys were hooked.
Louise Parker from Twyford School
Relates well to developing thinking and analysis skills, applying information and evaluating conservation issues. Students used the information as a basis to do further research on NZ Great Walks.
Gavin Kidd from Ellesmere College
It helped to put our school values and KC's in a real learning experience - one which the students could discuss. It also allows my class to have access to experts.
Sarah Laugeson from Lynton Downs School
Students said about the live audioconferences: "We got to talk to real people who are actually there" and "We get to ask questions and they actually listened to us". This field trip enabled my students of different academic abilities to all access the same information in a number of different ways, which led to great discussion and debate about aspects of physical activity and conservation.
Shelley Galloway from St Albans School
Our Inquiry is called "Waipahihi Kakariki". We are a pilot school involved in Kids Greening Taupo so it was very appropriate to our Inquiry. We are wanting to plant natives to bring back native birds into our area so this field trip supported it well.
Beth Willis from Waipahihi School
The students had their own inquiry questions and enjoyed the freedom to move around the field trip. They are learning to refer to their evidence in their statements of writing, and a LEARNZ field trip is a great resource for doing that.
Suzanne Paice from St Bernard's School Brooklyn
It was a great support for the Virtual Great Walkers competition, that we have entered in. Lots of helpful information that covered all areas. Valuable resource.
Stacey Hockey from Gisborne Home School
This field trip ... encouraged students to develop Future Focused thinking - how the way we interact with our environment now, impacts on the future.
Marcia Ferguson from Rosebank School Balclutha
It was very engaging for all students and they learnt a lot. It was also easy to integrate across the curriculum. Very effective to encourage fitness and knowledge of other New Zealand Great Walks.
Bridget Patrick from Rosebank School Balclutha
Great for extension group. Broad range of materials for reading and writing.
Rhys Clark from Rahotu School
Antarctica
It definitely ticked the boxes. A great topic. We enjoyed all that was on offer.
Lorena McStay from Templeton School
This field trip was very appropriate for my Year 4 class as we used it under the theme of Kaitiakitanga. I feel the effectiveness (of the virtual field trip) can be gauged by the involvement and the questions asked by the children, and this Antarctica study has really had them enthused and doing independent research of their own. It is fascinating to discover how much knowledge the children take home and discuss with their families.
Pam McDowell from Westbrook School
The LEARNZ personnel and experts feel like real friends or students' own personal teacher, which helps to make the learning experiences very potent. They field trips like Antarctica are great and I just love the work you all do to make them interesting and engaging. Thank you.
Lesley Johnston from Firth School
Really enjoyed it! Lots learnt! Very effective - more so for the older kids but what my young enjoyed most was the diaries.
Nicola Douthe from West Park School
WOW, what a powerful learning tool the Audio Conference was - our extension Year 3-4 students were so engaged in listening and learning that they didn't make a sound.
Joanne Drake from Geraldine Primary School
We integrated the learning across all curriculum areas, which was easily done. All my students enjoy learning in this way and the background reading was perfect for my Year 4 class.
Jacqueline Barrett from Westbrook School
For my Year 4 class enjoyed the learning experience. The virtual field trip raised their awareness of how special and unique Antarctica is and made them think about being the guardians of the area.
Jacqueline Barrett from Westbrook School
The audio conversations were brilliantly done along with the accompanying videos, plus questions being typed and answered while online. I have been intrigued and surprised by how much my young students have taken on board during the trip.
Lesley Johnston from Firth School
Listening to someone who was there reinforced how close we are to Antarctica and viewing the videos diaries really focused the students into the whole experience. The readings and activities made students manage their time appropriately.
Ian Timo from Linwood College