March and April 2018

From the Chair

Kia ora,

This newsletter will outline what we achieved in March and April with the next newsletter outlining TENZ progress in May and June.

Networks of Expertise Ministry of Education Funding

As chair of TENZ, I am thrilled to be able to inform you that the Ministry of Education (MOE) awarded TENZ funding to provide teachers with professional learning and development (PLD) across the country. The key aims are to develop sustainable, collaborative, networks of expertise in our professional community. This funding helps to build on, extend, and expedite our plans to develop supportive, professional networks within the technology education community.

A small team has been developed to focus specifically on this initiative.

We are very fortunate to have Liz Reinsfield leading the project.  Liz is a lecturer of curriculum and pedagogy at Waikato University and has a research interest in learner-centred pedagogies.  Liz can be contacted at [email protected]

Mike Forret is our TENZ Deputy Chair and will be leading the development of the accompanying digital tools for this project. Mike has had extensive involvement in Technology Education since 1992. Until 2016, Mike was working full time at Waikato University. He can be contacted at [email protected] 

Wendy Slatter is Regional Coordinator for the TENZ Council. She has a teaching background in the food and fabric technology areas, in a range of low and high decile intermediate and secondary schools around NZ. Her recently completed PhD explored how we could educate for food literacy. Wendy can be contacted at [email protected] 

TENZ members were sent a personal email about this professional development project that included a request for Expressions of Interest (EOI) from members who would like to be involved as a Matanga (expert or consultant) to support other colleagues’ understanding of the technology education.

If you missed the email and would like to find out more about the project and the EOI, you can:

  • log in to the TENZ members section via the Members menu above and go to the Profile section were you can also submit your EOI
  • contact Liz ASAP at  [email protected] 

We will update you on how this project is progressing in future newsletters.

During March and April

  • TENZ supported MOTAT in a successful funding application for their mobile STEM cells. These cells (trailers) increase the numbers of students experiencing STEM via fun activities and resources which are brought directly to schools.
  • TENZ sourced information and data for Kevin Meyer of NZGTTA.
  • Contact was made with HETTANZ, NZGTTA, and DTTA (formerly NZACDITT) to identify presidents/chairs and vice-presidents/deputy chairs.
  • The 2019 TENZ Conference planning began, with possible dates, venues, and goals being discussed.
  • The TENZ  Council agreed that TENZ would pay $600 per year towards editorial costs of the  Australasian Journal of Technology Education.
  • Planning for the AATE Symposium began
  • Mike Forret attended an Engineering New Zealand (ENZ, formally IPENZ) technical interest group meeting in Wellington.  There he discussed the specific needs of TENZ and TENZ members, Engineering week (13 August), The Diversity Agenda, and various support tools which are available.
  • Mike has continued to develop the TENZ website. Latest development is the members’ login section available from the Members menu. TENZ members can now log in and:
    • view/update their membership details
    • complete and maintain their technology education profile.

If you haven’t already done so, please login, check you membership details and complete your technology education profile and, if you are interested, consider submitting an EOI for the Networks of Expertise project.

If you have any queries or suggestions regarding the website, please contact Mike Forret at [email protected] .

  •  Mike has also established Zoho Connect as a communication and collaboration tool for TENZ. Whilst the website is in the process of becoming a hub of information and facilities for TENZ members, Zoho Connect provides a set of tools for the TENZ Council, Regional Chairs, and Members to share, communicate and collaborate.
  • Bruce Granshaw attended the two-day PPTA Conference in Wellington

We want to build a strong, connected and collaborative technology education community and, to this end, we are keen to hear from you. Please feel free to contact us with any queries, new developments or suggestions you might have, either via our website https://tenz.org.nz/contact or by direct email or phone.

Ngā mihi,
Kerry Lee
m: 021-620318 | e: [email protected]