Education Providers Take On The Challenge Of The Digital Equity Divide In NZ Schools

Inequity shows up in our school community throughout New Zealand in a variety of ways. Te Kete Hono is piloting digital access for schools and whānau in under-served communities through a programme backed by the Education Partnership & Innovation Trust (EPIT).

Appropriate digital technology can and should be used in these contexts to address the inequities in our education system by supporting teaching practice, ensuring all learners make progress and also engaging parents and whānau directly in supporting their children’s learning.

The pilot programme has now signed up 11 schools across the motu and has 14 places still available for schools who meet the criteria. These schools will access:

2 years of fully subsidised use of the SchoolTalk platform

A SchoolTalk readiness PLD programme to support schools to develop their progressions and consistently implement formative assessment practice in every class

Implementation PLD for the teaching staff and one to one coaching for the SchoolTalk Lead

Mentoring in leading change for the Principal from other School Talk Principals

Access to digital resources to support School Talk implementations

Train the trainer support and access to digital skills resources for staff members to support whānau to get online

Te Kete Hono CEO, Judy Newcombe, says she is excited to welcome these 11 new schools to the SchoolTalk community. “We are honoured to walk alongside them as they begin their journey to adopt the signature teaching and learning practices that SchoolTalk supports.”

Newcombe states the experience to date with implementing the SchoolTalk platform at a number of schools in remote, rural and low income communities shows that every student can be well profiled and “noticed”. “Students feel that they can direct their own learning and teachers are well-scaffolded by the software and report that their practice has improved.”

SchoolTalk is an innovative system which improves teaching practice, tracks the progress of every learner, and encourages learner agency and whānau engagement with their students' learning.

“The unique element of this New Zealand software is that it addresses all of these outcomes in an holistic, integrated way. It is very much a system designed by New Zealand teachers for local conditions,” says Jane Treadwell-Hoye, Executive Director of EPIT. “It will effectively open up the digital world to parents and whānau who are keen to take up the opportunity to learn to navigate the technology”.

For more information head to the Te Kete Hono website: www.tekehono.nz/news, or to find out if your school meets the criteria please contact facilitators@teketehono.nz

Te Kete Hono is a social impact enterprise set up by Stonefields Collaborative Trust and the Hugh Green Foundation, and committed to a shared vision of “powerful collaboration driving educational improvement and equity for all learners." Their mission is to turn innovative practice in teaching, learning and assessment into educational systems, products and services that are impactful at scale. In addition to developing and supporting SchoolTalk and Engagement Sliders, Te Kete Hono offers educational consultancy and professional learning support for school leaders and teachers.

© Scoop Media