Two UC education experts granted $130,000 to improve NZ students' e-learning levels

Two University of Canterbury (UC) education experts have received a $130,000 Teaching and Learning Research Initiative grant to look at how school principals can effectively lead e-learning to improve student success.

Dr Julie Mackey and Professor Niki Davis, in partnership with school principals, will research innovative school leadership strategies to enable e-learning to lift student achievement.

``Our project will contribute to New Zealand’s e-Learning planning framework, as well as the international field of school technology leadership,’’ Professor Davis said today.

``We are working with Tawa Intermediate School, Belfast School, Churton Park School, Newlands Intermediate School and Levin Intermediate School on this project.

``This project is timely given the increasing investment in ultra-fast broadband for schools and the growing interest in how these technologies can be employed to enhance learning for diverse groups of students.’’

UC’s College of Education e-Learning Lab, directed by Professor Davis, has an international reputation for work in e-learning, blended learning and teacher education.

Next year will see the opening of the Network for Learning and by 2016 97.7 per cent of New Zealand schools and 99.9 per cent of students will receive ultra-fast broadband capability. See: http://elearning.tki.org.nz/