Investing in Lower Hutt educators

The Mind Lab by Unitec and Hutt City Council announce scholarships for local teachers

Wellington, New Zealand – 27 February 2017: Lower Hutt teachers will have access to scholarships to complete The Mind Lab by Unitec’s Postgraduate Certificate in Applied Practice (Digital & Collaborative Learning)thanks to a new partnership between The Mind Lab and Hutt City Council.

Hutt City Council will provide teachers within the Lower Hutt City area $650+GST towards tuition fees for The Mind Lab’s ground-breaking postgraduate programme, which helps teachers to develop their skills in digital tools, leadership and innovative classroom practice. The scholarships are available to all schools in the Lower Hutt area, effective immediately.

Fee McLeod, General Manager, The Mind Lab by Unitec says the partnership with Hutt City Council presents a fantastic opportunity for Lower Hutt teachers to take their teaching practice to the next level and embrace the power of digital and collaborative learning in the classroom.

“We are thrilled to announce this partnership with Hutt City Council to bring scholarships to 54 schools in the Lower Hutt area. More than 30 teachers in the region have already completed or are currently completing the programme and we are excited to see this number grow as we continue to build partnerships throughout the community,” she says.

Dr Anne Ryan, Director of Hutt Science – a Hutt City Council initiative – says they are excited by the impact that better understanding and application of digital and collaborative learning offers.

“We are committed to improving educational outcomes in the Hutt Valley and see this partnership as another great step in providing teachers with access to the skills they need in the 21st century teaching environment,” she says.

In addition to the Hutt City Council contribution, local teachers from public schools can also apply for $2,000+GST NEXT Generation Teacher scholarships, dramatically reducing the cost of the $2,750+GST qualification.

The Mind Lab by Unitec’s postgraduate programme has grown to become the largest of its type in the country with over 2,200 educators who have completed, or are currently completing, the programme. Over the next five years The Mind Lab has the goal of teaching 10,000 teachers.

“The postgraduate programme is designed to build capabilities as a 21st century educator. It assists teachers in improving engagement with learners, increasing student achievement, and ultimately enabling teachers to respond to the needs of their students in our rapidly advancing digital world,” says Fee.

Dianne Christenson from Koraunui School is one of those who has already completed the programme and says the Hutt City Council scholarship is another example of how the council is involved in promoting educational excellence within “technology valley” through supporting teachers’ participation in local science and technology initiatives.

“I’m a huge supporter of The Mind Lab and this qualification which supports us in preparing students for an ever changing future. I am delighted to see our community getting in behind local teachers with this initiative. It’s incredibly important for our students’ futures to ensure our teaching practice remains relevant and fit-for-purpose in this fast-paced world we live in,” she says.

To find out more information about these scholarships or the programme, please come along to our free Open Labon Wednesday 1st March 4:30 pm – 5:30 pm or call the team on 04 777 6463.

The Mind Lab by Unitec's Postgraduate Certificate in Applied Practice (Digital & Collaborative Learning) is a part time 32-week programme and is redefining professional development for teachers through the offering of a hands-on, progressive and blended qualification. The next intake for 2017 is in March, with subsequent intakes in July and November.

To find out more visit www.themindlab.com

ENDS

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