You can contact LEARNZ, part of CORE Education, at:
Postal Address:
PO Box 13 678,
Christchurch 8141,
New Zealand
Testimonials
Virtual Great Walker
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
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
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
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
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
Great for extension group. Broad range of materials for reading and writing.
Rhys Clark from Rahotu 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
For the Year 7/8 class I was working with, the field trip tied in perfectly with their camp (Borland Lodge). It worked well using the background pages as build up prior to camp, then using the audio-conferences the week following the camp.
Marcia Ferguson from Rosebank School Balclutha
It was an excellent insight into exploring a new area that not a lot of children had visited before. The children came up with a lot of great questions, especially around saving native birds and the effect of a beach mast this year.
Jeffrey Burrow from Warrington School
Students were really interested in the content which we used as part of our weekly reading programme and to support digital literacy. We also set it up for independent learning so students could gain self-management skills.
Megan Croll from Beachlands School
Giving the students the option of listening to the background pages is fantastic! It takes away the fear of trying to read something that is 'too hard'. It also develops a familiarity with the LEARNZ teacher.
Marcia Ferguson from Rosebank School Balclutha
Students are focussed and engaged. They have a purpose. "This is fun, I didn't know you can learn like this". During camp we studied the native birds and plants and compared them to the field trip. A great effort went into using our thinking skills to prepare for camp and doing the research.
Marne Hendriks from Rosebank School Balclutha
Our class is studying ecology in the lead up to our annual camp so the information was very fitting in all aspects.
Nina Booth from Newbury School
We connected this field trip with an older one - Restoring the Kepler. By doing this, students began to look at ways that they can contribute in the wider community as well as our school community, working towards a common goal. Maori students in the class particularly liked the glossary - we also added more to our own one on the wall.
Marcia Ferguson from Rosebank School Balclutha
Children inspired to walk tracks and parents wanting to join them. Great topics, different way of presenting things in class, able to get involved through audioconferences. Differentiated readings and audio/video options meant all class could access information, including Special Needs children.
Hazel Halton from Rapaura School
Antarctica
Students were highly engaged, especially by the videos and photos of our ambassador. Students who need extra support with literacy really appreciated the easy to read background material.
Cristy Yonetani from St Mark's School Christchurch
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
Children loved every part of the experience- thoroughly engaging. Really cool for the students to be able to participate with a group outside of their immediate context!
Ruth Millett from Upper Harbour Primary School
Engages the students. Interesting material which covers a breadth of issues and topic areas. Students gained an understanding of the Antarctic food web.
Michael Reed from Loburn School
My Year 7 & 8 students found the field trip very engaging and effective for many reasons eg. extending knowledge, developing inquiry skills, digital technology. It also covered science and social science well, and variously incorporated the Principles, Values, and Key Competencies of the NZC.
Alison Milne from Waipipi School
This was so engaging for our class. This is a great way to bring science alive in the classroom and it led to so many discussions.
Amie-Lee Mills from Te Akau ki Papamoa Primary School
My class of all boys love the LEARNZ background readings and activities; their non-fiction reading levels have all improved. They like the fact that they can work at their level and at their own pace. They all love science and anything (like LEARNZ) that helps develop their understanding of how our world works.
Angela Moeke from St Patrick's Catholic School Taupo
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
This unit linked with our topic of sustainability and enabled cross curricular learning in a digital context. This type of learning resource helps students to work at their level, irrespective of where they start and their reading ability.
Kersty Millar from Reporoa College