TENZ Conference 2015

4-7 October 2015

Venue

Waikato Institute of Technology (WINTEC) City Campus, Hamilton
Wintec

Theme

20/20 Vision: Learning from the last 20 years and looking forward to the next 20

Organising Team

Organising Committee

Steve Andrew -  St Johns College, Hamilton
Mike Forret, Convenor - University of Waikato
Jenny Mangan - University of Waikato
Liz Reinsfield - University of Waikato
John Williams - University of Waikato

Other team members

Chandan Boodhoo - University of Waikato
Richard Edwards - University of Waikato
Louise Milne - University of Waikato
Nhung Hong Nguyen - University of Waikato

 

Keynotes

Professor Alister Jones

Opening address, Monday 5 Oct

Professor Jones was appointed Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University of Waikato in 2011 and became Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor in 2015. He is the University’s former Dean of Education and was previously Research Professor and Director of the Wilf Malcolm Institute of Educational Research. He has managed and directed research projects that have informed policy, curriculum, and teacher development in New Zealand and internationally. His main areas of research are curriculum, teaching, learning and assessment - particularly in science and technology education. He has acted as an international consultant in curriculum and assessment and building educational research capability. In 2000, he was awarded the New Zealand Science and Technology Medal for his significant contribution to the development of technology education both nationally and internationally.

Dr David Barlex

Keynote, Monday 5 Oct

David is an acknowledged leader in design & technology education, curriculum design and curriculum materials development. He taught in comprehensive schools for 15 years achieving head of faculty positions in science and design and technology before taking university positions in teacher education. He directed the Nuffield Design & Technology Project and was Educational Manager for Young Foresight. David is well-known for his interest and expertise in developing curriculum materials that support pupil learning from a constructivist perspective. He uses this approach to develop young peoples’ ability to understand and critique the design decisions made by professional designers and those they make themselves in design & technology lessons. This informed the Nuffield Design & Technology publications which have been widely used in the UK and emulated abroad – Russia, Sweden, Canada, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand.

Duncan Mackintosh

Keynote, Tuesday 6 Oct

Duncan is CEO of WaikatoLink Ltd, responsible for industry engagement and commercialisation for the University of Waikato.  In addition to traditional commercialisation he has developed a number of key initiatives including the set-up of seed funds, an international internship programme and collaborations to facilitate commercialisation and increase the impact of innovation. He has founded or co-founded a number of new technology based ventures, including; animal health and bio-plastic companies and a rural ISP. Duncan was co-founder of the Kiwi Innovation Network, a national consortium of public research institutions dedicated to a collaborative approach to increase research commercialisation. Duncan is Director of a number of technology ventures.

Duncan graduated from Massey University in 1995 with a BVSc in Veterinary Science and worked as a veterinarian for seven years, including a year on the UK FMD outbreak prior to his involvement in innovation.   Outside of work Duncan enjoys fishing and diving and spending time with his wife and two daughters.

Professor Marilyn Fleer

Keynote, Wednesday 7 Oct

Torn between studying psychology and education as an undergraduate, Professor Marilyn Fleer ended up choosing early childhood education, a nascent field that straddled both her areas of interest. She hasn’t looked back since. As soon as she got into early childhood education she enjoyed it, Marilyn says. “I found it intellectually stimulating, and there’s plenty of scope for making a difference with my research.”

She is now studying the early stages of concept formation – and how playtime can help promote children’s imagination, and the more ‘rational’ thinking later on as adults.

“Imagination, creativity, and games are really important for development. Think of a child at home: they can take an ordinary stick, pretend that it’s a horse, and ‘ride’ on it. What they’ve done is change the meaning of the stick – they’ve used their imagination to think abstractly. It’s one step away from the same child turning the ‘stick’ into a ruler by measuring something with it at school. By using their imagination, they’ve learned to think more abstractly – and therefore become a more successful learner.”

With the push for greater outcomes from very young children, particularly in literacy and numeracy, Marilyn’s field of research is gaining public and international interest.

Conference Dinner and Tour

Hobbiton
hobbiton

 

On Monday evening of the conference, delegates were invited to an evening tour and dinner at Hobbiton. Set on the most picturesque farmland you can visit, the Hobbiton Movie Set from The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit film trilogies in a fascinating guided tour. The set has been completely rebuilt for The Hobbit and will remain as it was seen in these films.

After transport to Hobbiton guests were escorted to the movie set a tour guide who shared the story of Hobbiton, how it was built and a few tricks of the trade from the film industry. Throughout the set there are forty four complete Hobbit Holes, The Mill, Double Arch Stoned Bridge and The Green Dragon Inn kept as they were during filming.

The tour concluded at the fully themed and masterfully recreated Green Dragon Inn where delegates relaxed with a complimentary refreshment from the exclusive  Southfarthing™ range. After pre-dinner drinks, a meal was served.

To conclude the night, guests made make their way back through the movie set where the trails were lit by path lighting and each guest will received an handheld lantern to light their way. This journey under moonlight traveled through the beautifully lit village with Hobbit hole chimney’s smoking and lanterns glowing against the darkness.

green-dragon&view

Sponsors

TENZ is grateful to the following sponsors and trade diplayers for their support of the 2015 Conference.
Dremel Logo

Robert Bosch (Australia) Pty Ltd

Suppliers of Dremel 3D printeers.

Metro-Group-logos

Metro Group

New Zealand’s major metropolitan institutes of technology

OnGuard banner new 2015

OnGuard Safety Training

An established eLearning safety training resource provider to the education sector

13125_PICA_Logo_2

GrowingNZ

The brand representing the primary industries in New Zealand.

powertool-logo

Machinery and Power Tool Centre Mount Maunganui

Specialists in power tool and machinery.

Timeworx-logo

Timeworx

Timeworx has been supplying clocks and clock parts to schools for over 20 years.