Getting ready to support distance learning

We are working with a number of partners to support schools and kura to deliver distance learning when Term 2 begins on 15 April.

We are also preparing supports for some children under five, to help parents and whānau keep their children engaged in learning through play.

As tens of thousands of students and ākonga don’t have internet access or the right devices, we’re preparing a package of supports and resources so learning can continue at home for all learners, under the guidance of their teachers.

We are working with a range of partners to:

  • increase the number of students who have Internet access to devices
  • provide a range of subject-specific hard-copy resources for different year levels
  • launch two television channels broadcasting education-related content – one for English medium and one for Māori medium, including content targeted for Pacific and other communities
  • enhance online resources for parents, available through the Learning from Home(external link) and Ki te Ao Mārama(external link) websites, and fast-track ways to connect Learning Support Coordinators with families remotely
  • provide professional learning and development for teachers and leaders to support them to work remotely with their students and ākonga.

This is a big complex project that is being undertaken at pace so we know it will take time to get it right.

We’ll be adding the programme schedule for Home Learning TV and Māori Television programmes for reo Māori learners to the Learning from Home Learning website early next week alongside information on the hard packs.

This information will mean teachers can see what learning activities their students are engaging in and they can interact with them to support the learning through these channels.

But ultimately making online learning available for many more of our students will help deliver a more equitable education system. It will enable more of our teachers to deliver online learning and connect more parents and whānau to their children’s educators and to their children’s learning.

Covid19: Government moving quickly to roll out learning from home – Hon Chris Hipkins, Beehive website(external link)

Making learning from home accessible to Māori learners and whānau – Hon Kelvin Davis, Beehive website(external link)

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