Keynote presentation to the Canadian eLearning Network - August, 2020. An overview of the NZ response to COVID-19 in the education sector, focusing on the provisions made for emergency remote teaching.

1. Inspiring the next generation of leaders, thinkers and problem-solvers
derek@futuremakers.nz
@dwenmoth
www.futuremakers.nz
http://www.wenmoth.net
Lessons from
Lock-Down-Under
CAN eLearn Leadership Summit, 2020

2. Mihi - welcome
Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou,
tēnā koutou katoa Hello everybody here
Nga mihi nui ki a koutou katoa warm greetings to everyone
Ko ka tihi o kahukura te maunga Sugarloaf is my mountain
Ko Ōpwaho te awa The Opawa is my river
No Aotearoa ahau I am from New Zealand
Ko Derek Wenmoth toku ingoa My name is Derek Wenmoth
Tēnā toutou katoa greetings to all of us

4. • 67.6% are of European origin - ‘Pākehā’ (54% of domestic
school students European / Pākehā)
• 15.1% are Māori - the indigenous people of New Zealand
(23% of students)
• 9.3% are of Asian origin (10% of students)
• 7.1% are of Pacific Islands origin (Samoa, Tonga, Fiji, Niue,
Cook Islands, Tokelau) (10% of students)
• 88% live in urban areas
• 1.5 million live in Auckland
New Zealand Population: 4,827,311
As of Tuesday, August 18, 2020

5. Full primary schools 1,088
Contributing primary schools 771
Intermediate schools 120
Special schools 38
Secondary schools (Yrs 7-15) 103
Composite schools (Yrs 1-15) 158
Middle/Junior High schools 3
Secondary schools (Yrs 9-15) 236
Correspondence school 1
Teen Parent Units 21
Partnership Schools 5
» Total 2539
NZ Education System
• Schools operate completely
autonomously since 1989
• Competency based curriculum
• VLN and Te Kura providing
distance education options
• Clusters of schools encouraged
since 2017

6. earthquakes
Earthquakes (2010 and 2011):
- Significant damage to the whole city
- 211 dead
- Many schools closed for extended
period of time
- “double bunking’ solution for some
- Significant amount of social
movement
- Impacted the most needy
communities the most

7. Mosque shooting
15 March 2019
- National day of student protest about
global climate change
- Gunman attacks two mosques
- 51 dead, 49 injured
- City (incl. schools) in emergency
lockdown
- Test of resilience

8. MoE Response
• Provision of modems and devices
• Hard copy packs of materials for different
year levels
• Two television channels to broadcast
education-related content (English and
Māori medium)
• Online resources for parents, available
through the Learning from Home and Ki te
Ao Mārama websites
• Connecting Learning Support Coordinators
with families remotely
• Technical support through Connected
Learning Advisory

9. Inequity exposed
Lockdown shone a light on the range of
existing inequities, disparities and
divides within NZ education system, as
well as potentially exacerbating them.
• Digital divide
• Internet connectivity
• Access to devices
• Level of digital literacy
• Home environment for learning
• Learning support
• Place(s) to study
• Demands from family
Every child in New Zealand deserves to
thrive physically, academically, socially,
and culturally. Achieving their potential
is important for them and for every
New Zealander, because our future
prosperity depends on an educated
workforce. Therefore, it is important
that the education system serves all
students well.
( Office of the Auditor General Report, 2016).
The reality in New Zealand, though, is
that there are groups in society who are
under-served by the education system.
(OECD Programme for International Student
Assessment, 2018).

10. Parents as partners
• Positive experience for many
• Strained where parents are essential
workers
• Required greater clarity in
communication around expectations
and how to support etc.
• Highlighted need for regular,
ongoing and purposeful two-way
communication
“I can put more of my own teaching and
parenting philosophy into the day.”
“I have been able to see how they are
really doing in their school work and their
level.”
“Being able to see how they like learning,
what works and what doesn’t.”
“Spending more time with them and
getting more familiar with their style of
learning. What their challenges are and
what they excel in.”
“The teenagers have been quite good at
managing themselves. The teachers have
been good at communicating with me”

11. Problems of Praxis
• Understanding the learner’s context
• Coping with dis-engagement
• Unrealistic workloads
• “Busy work” vs learning
• Content delivery vs learning
• Varying levels of feedback to students
• Difficulty in monitoring student
progress remotely
“I am currently using my parent’s digital
devices, neither of which have the
capability to allow me to use a mic or my
headphones to engage in Zoom
conferences with my teachers. This has
been frustrating and interfering with my
online classes. Secondly, I am online
learning with a full timetabled schedule,
Monday to Friday, with a variety of
conferences or self-directed learning.
Having the Chromebook will help me be
more independent and confidently
moving forward with my studies and
classes.” (Rangatahi, Level 1 NCEA)

12. Professional Practice
• Broad range of responses from
proficient to panic
• Range of pedagogical approaches:
• project-based, focus on competencies…
• delivery of content, coverage for assessment
• Targeted PLD required for
online/distance teaching
Teacher feedback:
“I needed to up skill myself pretty
fast. Doable but lots of initial work.”
“Not enough PD done around video
conferencing and online safety as it
happened so quickly.”
“More professional development
and time to develop resources for
online teaching.”

13. Wellbeing Wobbles
Indicators noted:
• children who refuse to go to school
• periods of absence or increased sickness
• changes in behaviours that don’t settle or are
out of character.
• teacher stress, illness, absence
$66 million package in new funding
• includes a $50 million Urgent Response Fund
to improve attendance, and to help manage
any learning, social, emotional, mental, or
other child and youth wellbeing needs.
• another $16 million is to support educator
wellbeing
“Learning at home has helped me in
taking better breaks. (eye breaks
stretching etc.).” (Student)
“...being able to go outside and complete
schoolwork was good.” (student)
“I couldn't work full time. I had to set the
morning aside for children's learning and
afternoon for my work.” (Teacher)
“I am an essential worker and there was
no fulltime childcare during the level 4
lockdown( and very limited after that), so I
had to pay another household to provide
childcare and internet access for my child
during this lockdown.” (Teacher)

14. Agency and Autonomy Online
• Strong theme in all reports
• Online seen as a strength
• Self-managing skills cannot be
assumed
• Problems occurred as a result of:
• Connectivity issues
• Distractions/interruptions
• Poor pedagogical practice
• Lack of communication
“Well I liked the fact that you didn't
have to work in school hours, you
could just wake up at 9:30 and finish
and 12:00 then start again at 4:00 or
you could wake up really early and
still be able to do school meaning
you would finish early. You could
sleep during lock-down and I just
really enjoyed being able to plan out
my day without a specific time it
needs to be between.” (student)

15. What next?
• A blended or hybrid future for many?
• Address equity issues – devices and
connectivity
• Greater autonomy and independence for
learners
• Continue use of online platforms.
• Dismantle existing structures and
expectations that present as barriers
• Challenge traditions of assessment and
‘success’ as learners
“I would love to keep home
learning but also have the
option to go into school some
days of the week for a tutorial
thing. I would also like it if we
did 2 days at home and 3
days at school. I would like it
if the teachers would do
online live videos where we
can ask questions etc. “
(yr.11 learner)

16. Thank You
derek@futuremakers.nz
@dwenmoth
www.futuremakers.nz
http://www.wenmoth.net