The picturesque Opoutere School on the Coromandel Peninsula was the setting for the launch of the latest Digital Opportunities initiative, the Kopu Project, by the Minister of Education, the Hon Trevor Mallard.
Involving seven schools in the Coromandel/Thames region, Opoutere School is exploring the manner in which the collaborative potential of interactive whiteboards (IWB) combined with the resources of Knowledge NET can support the transition to critical and inquiry-based teaching and learning methodology.
Mr Mallard said in the modern age of education, the emphasis was now on the sharing of information, and the Kopu Project was based on that notion as classroom resources would be shared between the schools through the integrated intranet and extranet Knowledge NET resource.
He also said because Knowledge NET was accessible 24/7 at school and at home, parents were likely to become more involved in their child’s learning.
“What’s exciting about Knowledge NET is that parents will be able to support their kids when they’re learning at home,” said Mr Mallard.
Mark Treadwell from Knowledge NET said learning today for students was not only about knowing the world in which they live but also understanding that world.
“Suddenly the purpose of education is not just to know and be tested on knowledge but rather to develop the skills that are necessary to be a lifelong learner and these are considerable,” said Mr Treadwell.
Opoutere School principal, Vaughn van Rensburgh said there were many “movers and shakers” involved to get his and the other schools to the point where the project was ready to go live. In particular, he thanked David Brock, Principal and project lead from Matatoki School and Wayne Howes, project facilitator and co-ordinator for the project.
Other technology partners speaking at the launch were Murray Thoms from Envision Presentations, suppliers of the IWBs, and Peter Nelson from educational ICT suppliers, Edtech.
