University to share distance education expertise

University staff will share their knowledge on best-practice distance learning as co-hosts of the Distance Education Association of New Zealand (DEANZ) conference, to be held in Wellington in August.

Director of distance education Mark Brown says the conference is an opportunity for staff to meet other distance educators and share work, including Massey’s focus on research-led teaching.

“Massey’s sponsorship of the DEANZ conference reflects our leadership and commitment to promoting wider access to university-level study through leading-edge distance education.”

The University has 16,500 extra mural students.

Wellington-based teaching consultant Anna Weatherstone is a member of the DEANZ organising committee.

“The conference is an opportunity to network and share ideas on online learning and distance learning,” she says.

Keynote speakers include Seattle-based Nancy White, an expert in online facilitation. Assistant Professor Michael Barbour of Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan, will focus on the effectiveness of distance learning using web-based formats.

“It gives people the opportunity to see what’s around,” Ms Weatherstone says. “It’s particularly good for people new into it.”

Up to 150 people are expected to attend the conference, which is also sponsored by the Correspondence School and The Open Polytechnic of New Zealand.

Submission guidelines and more information is available at http://www.deanz.org.nz/conf2008/