You are here

2014 No 5, November

Tēnā kotou katou 

We've got new services and publications that may be useful to you in your work. There's also some important updates on recent NZCER changes and events to tell you about.

Many thanks for reading.

Noho ora mai rā

The NZCER Team

PATs, STAR and Science: Thinking with Evidence available as online tests

Students can now sit NZCER tests online through NZCER Marking. All PATs (Mathematics, Reading Comprehension and Vocabulary, Punctuation and Grammar, and Listening Comprehension), STAR, and Science: Thinking with Evidence tests can be taken through an attractive, easy-to-use online platform. Teachers can login to NZCER Marking to demo all of these online assessments.

NZCER director Robyn Baker stepped down in early October after 14 years in the role. Board chair Peter Coolbear said Robyn has encouraged staff to be innovative and creative. 

"She has been incredibly collegial and yet, when necessary has led from the front. She has a great eye for the opportunity and also a good instinct for what to leave alone. She has had some of the most amazing 360 degree feed-back I have ever seen. 

"There is no doubt Robyn leaving NZCER is a huge loss, but there is also no doubt at all that Robyn leaves NZCER in a very strong position for an exciting future," he said. The NZCER Board has appointed the three NZCER general managers to the role of joint acting director until an appointment is made.

Future-oriented science education conference a success

NZCER’s conference “Building Future-Oriented Science Education in Aotearoa New Zealand” successfully convened last week in Wellington. A diverse group of over 140 science educators, school leaders, policymakers, education professionals and scientists from all over New Zealand were in attendance. The day consisted of a mix of presentations and discussions aimed at building collective knowledge to strengthen the quality of science education for learners in New Zealand.

A summary of the proceedings and select PowerPoints from the day’s speakers will be available soon on the conference summary page.

The Margaret M Blackwell Travel Fellowship is open for applications.

It is a grant to enable early childhood education practitioners to travel to study a particular topic. More information about the grant is available here.

Applications are open until 20 December 2014 and the travel must be taken in 2015.

The Beeby fellowship is a joint initiative between NZCER  and the New Zealand National Commission for UNESCO. It’s aimed at people already actively involved in an innovative educational programme and is intended to enable them to document, analyse, and write a resource about their work. The end result should enhance teaching and learning.

Applications for 2014 are now open. You can read more about the fellowship and previous winners here.

The latest issue of set: Research Information for Teachers is out now. It contains articles on NCEA, leading meaningful change in schools, Māori students achieving and enjoying educational success “as Māori”, primary teacher practices that support learning about science and more. It's available to online subscribers now, and will hit letterboxes next week.

New title: Postgraduate study in Aotearoa New Zealand: Surviving and succeeding

This book is a survival guide to help postgraduates at each stage of their studiesThe editors gave each contributor a simple task: “If you could go back in time to when you started your postgraduate studies, what would you tell your younger, less experienced self? What advice could you give to prospective or current postgraduate students now, with the wisdom of your hindsight?”

New title: Ka hoki tāua ki te whare huri ai ē!

This collection of essays explores histories, people and places of significance, and takes the reader into the oral arts, including haka, karakia, and waiata. It is a valuable, instructive and entertaining read for students, speakers and readers of te reo Māori, and an important addition to secondary and tertiary libraries.

Ko tā te whare, ko tā te rohe rānei, he whakaohooho ake i ngā mea kua moe roa ki roto i a koe. Ka titiro atu koe ki tētahi mea, ki tētahi whenua, ki tētahi awa, ki tētahi kāinga, ki tētahi tangata ka hokia mai anō aua whakaaro me ngā āhuatanga i kite ai koe i te wā i a koe e tamariki ana. Ka tīkina atu e koe i roto i te hinengaro, i roto i ōu mahara, ka whakaohoohotia ake e koe. Koirā te wā kua ihi, kua wehi mai ki roto i a koe. Kai roto i tēneki pukapuka e kitea ai te wairua o te kupu, a tēnā kaiwhakairo i te kupu, whakaniko i te kupu ātaahua o roto mai i te rohe o Matāatua.

Need help designing your school's science curriculum?

Constructing your primary school's science curriculum was successfully launched by Dayle Anderson from Victoria University at the "Building future-oriented science education in Aotearoa New Zealand" conference on 21 October.

This practical handbook looks at what future-oriented school science curriculum look like in years 1–8. It shares ideas to help you design a coherent, school-based science curriculum that will meet the needs of your students and community.   

Key Competencies for the Future continues to be the basis of rich discussions amongst educators around New Zealand. The book featured in Connected Education Month’s online book group, with many readers posting their thoughts about the book. You can view the recorded webinars and the discussion thread on the Virtual Learning Network’s site.

This report presents indicative findings from the first phase of NZCER's  evaluation of Positive Behaviour for Learning (PB4L): School-Wide. It describes the extent of implementation of School-Wide in schools, identifies short-term shifts for schools that joined the initiative in 2010 or 2011, and discusses enablers and barrier. The findings suggest that overall, PB4L: School-Wide is well-regarded in participating schools and is linked to a wide range of changes for schools, teachers, and students.