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Testimonials

Waterview Connection

It is structured really well and it gives the children and authentic context within which they can learn. It was appropriate for my class because we are living within a citywide rebuild (Christchurch) so the planning and implementation of infrastructure is completely relevant. It motivated many of them to log on at home to support their learning.

Jan Thompson from Banks Avenue School

Related closely to our transport topic for the term, which had a technology focus. High levels of student engagement in this topic, very interesting. The children also enjoy doing the interactive activities.

Louise Parker from Twyford School

My ESOL and Maori students are very engaged and a typical query I get is when is our NEXT trip!

Christine Hailes from North Street School

This is amazing! It has created some excellent discussion amongst our class. My class would have loved to see Alice in action live but your virtual accounts are a brilliant substitute!

Maria Semmons from Glen Eden School

It was appropriate for us since we live in West Auckland and the students travel near the Waterview area. The students were fascinated with the work that Alice does. I will use LEARNZ again as it is an important digital learning community that encourages the students to collaborate and expand their learning in their own time.

Shirley Bishop from Royal Road School

We thought the field trip was friendly, effective and interesting. Waterview project is local to our school and the Year 8 girls were interested in the development.

Sanet Bircham from Marist College

Because it is our backyard it was very useful for the children to understand fully how huge this project is. A really good link to our Inquiry topic and the careers work we have been doing.

Sue Meltzer from Kadimah College

Supported the oral language key competencies and enabled science to be integrated in the reading programme.

Tracey Burgess from St Peter's School Beckenham

Students learned more about a huge project that is occurring in their local area and have an interest and awareness that can be built on as the project continues, either in school or with their families. Our Year 4-6 children have shown huge interest in accessing the video content and audioconferences in free time, and have actively asked for extra time to do this with their Netbooks.

Jacqueline McGivern from St Therese School (Three Kings)

The students get to see places they often would not get to see. They are introduced to amazing concepts and get to think about how this may affect them in the future. We used the easy background information which was very well suited to our Year 5 class.

Paula O'Neill from New River Primary School

This field trip made us all think about population in cities, progress in transport and caring about environmental issues, and it really made the students unpack the information given and think about their open ended questions. Our students attend an isolated, rural school and enjoy learning about the technologies used in the cities and our global world. This was our first time participating and I would do it again. 

Jennifer Vincent from Marco School

LEARNZ is a great way to engage students and take them places that it is not possible to go any other way. Videos and images allowed the class to interact with the field trip in an engaging way,

Aaron Frost from Pukete School

The field trip about the Waterview Connection was particularly interesting for some of my boys with an engineering bent, and they asked some good questions. The time-lapse video and pictures were particularly engaging for the class and they really enjoyed the detailed information available on the website about Alice the TBM. 

Michele Duggan from Whangaparaoa College

A large number of my boys had visited the Waterview Connection project - they found the field trip very interesting, which sparked enthusiastic discussions. It also provided another tool to engage my boys to read and write in a real life context.

Angela Moeke from St Patrick's Catholic School Taupo

Year 10 classes enjoyed it and thought it worthwhile. Very good for career pathways (a school-wide goal), especially enginnering. Helped the students know what is happening in their local area. Supported NZ Curriculum. Vision - connected, actively involved. Principles - inclusion, community engagement. Values - innovation, inquiry and curiosity, community and participation, ecological sustainability. Key competencies - thinking, managing self, relating to others, participating and contributing. Learning area - real life physics.

Stuart Braithwaite from Lynfield College

Students really enjoyed the opportunity to take part in the competition. And really good to gain skills in cross-curriculum links.

Stephen Fennessy from St Andrew's School Timaru

It supported and extended our current social studies/science (engineering) curriculum areas. The opportunity to go back and view videos again was very useful for my son.

Brenda Town from Town Family Home School

We have been viewing the videos from the second field trip and children have been totally engrossed. It is something that is happening very close to our school and the planning of the Waterview School playground is also relevant to us.

Heather Mays from Edmonton School

He Hokinga Whakaaro

Good to get affirmation that other schools in NZ are learning about the First Encounters. Lots of opportunity for role play and integrated learning. The audio recording was most valuable as an addition for those who find difficulty in reading.

Pauline Maclean from St Theresa's School (Plimmerton)

Engaging and interesting for the children - they enjoyed the videos and especially the interactive activities. I loved how the children were really motivated to read and use keywords from the background pages so they could get 100% on the activities! There were also some wonderful gems from the audio conferences which we discussed and learnt from as a class.

Vanessa Cannon from Matua School

We used some of the background pages to support learning about the arrival of Europeans as part of a Treaty of Waitangi unit. We also used the Marae Protocols material and quiz as part of our preparation for a Marae visit. I found the targeted use of specific web pages (on the site) useful for a mixed range of levels.

Jacqueline McGivern from St Therese School (Three Kings)

Most appropriate for my Year 7&8 class. Incredibly effective in terms of meeting the desired Learning Outcomes. The most engaging learning experience the children could have.

Graham Elsmore from Christian Renewal School

This particular topic had all my students absolutely hooked - the 95% Maori students in my class felt it was about them and supported their culture and their own learning. I love the Inquiry focus, the research skills LEARNZ offers, the range of learning styles - with background information, diaries, audio conferences, images. All students are catered for.

Diane Henderson from Ohaeawai School

High level of student engagement, interesting topics that are relevant to students' lives. Videos are always pitched at a good level, interesting - many of my students access them at home too.

Caroline Arnold from Lepperton School

Terrific for the immersion phase of Inquiry. Children very motivated to go off and research independently. Just a stunning resource which enhances the quality of teaching and learning in my room tremendously!

Fiona Matthews from Matua School

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