Michael Barbour and Derek Wenmoth have been presenting a range of webinars in how distance education is positioned in Aotearoa in 2024.

The Flexible Learning Association of Aotearoa (FLANZ) has partnered with Michael Barbour and Derek Wenmoth to support their research in the scope of distance education in Aotearoa | New Zealand.

You can read the full report here.

In the report, Barbour and Wenmoth explore what distance education looks like across (for our purposes) both private and public schools and programmes.

In a session delivered to our NEX, a cross-section of the report was tabled for discussion. The 130-page report was distilled into something more bite-sized, with interesting korero emerging.

One question during the session asked how we could find the "sweet spot" between the various organisations and programmes of learning, where the shared goal of equitable and accessible education for all could be a common factor.

In other words, what commonalities could the organisations in the study share to strengthen this kaupapa?

All 18 schools or organisations in the study have a desire to utilise distance learning as a way of engaging and enriching ākonga via a technological medium, and to use the medium of technology to its full advantage to maintain ākonga engagement. There could be a common ground on which kaiako could share best practices.

We look forward to seeing where the study goes next for our distance education models.

Interested in finding out more? Follow these links:

The State of Distance Learning in New Zealand Schools

Here is the presentation to FLANZ members