Governor-General focuses on hi-tech learning

Governor-General focuses on hi-tech learning

State-of-the-art technology in Māori education will be showcased when the Governor-General visits tertiary provider Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi in Whakatāne next week.

Awanuiārangi chief executive Professor Wiremu Doherty said HE The RT Hon Dame Patsy Reddy would have the opportunity to experience some of the institution’s unique immersive and experiential learning programmes.

Dame Patsy will have the chance to test augmented reality (AR) technology being used to train student nurses in a cutting-edge Māori nursing degree programme at the indigenous tertiary institution. The interactive demonstration will show how nursing students use hologram patients to practise critical assessment and care, and virtual humans to study anatomy and physiology.

On July 24, in her first visit to Awanuiārangi, Dame Patsy will also witness a scrimmage at the institution’s Robopā advanced technology hub. In the scrimmage, primary schools Allandale and Tawera Bilingual will combine teams in an innovation challenge that involves modifying robots in order to complete set tasks within a given timeframe.

Professor Doherty said the Whare Wānanga was excited to be introducing the Governor- General to its competitive robotics programme. Last year, Awanuiārangi hosted the first National Robotics Scrimmage for primary schools. The two-day competition attracted 23 schools.

“Competitive robotics is without a doubt a very exciting development space for engaging our Māori children in learning,” Professor Doherty said.

“It is extraordinarily successful in igniting and maintaining the interest of our children in STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and maths) as they pass through primary school and into secondary school and beyond. At Robopā, this also all happens within the medium of te reo Māori.

“Advanced technology is being used here at Awanuiārangi to create enhanced learning environments for students from primary school through to Bachelor degree level, and our teams will be extremely proud to showcase these programmes to the Governor- General,” Professor Doherty said.

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