Next top digital learning teacher announced!

Next top digital learning teacher announced!

Auckland, 15 September 2016 – Desirè Truter was awarded the NEXT Foundation Expert Teacher Award at The Mind Lab by Unitec’s graduation in Auckland yesterday.

Ms Truter, a specialist English teacher at Pakuranga’s Edgewater College, recently completed her Postgraduate Certificate in Applied Practice (Digital & Collaborative Learning) and was recognised at yesterday’s ceremony alongside 215 fellow teachers from the July 2015 cohort.

She was awarded a $5,000 cash prize and runners up Simon Woudberg from Opotiki School and Harvey White from Waitakere College were also recognised.

The NEXT Foundation Expert Teacher Award celebrates Ms Truter’s commitment to upskilling herself in order to best equip her students with the skills needed for 21st Century careers. Ms Truter was humbled to win the award and says it is an accolade that she is really proud of.

“The Mind Lab’s postgraduate certificate was a gateway into an area that I wasn’t very familiar with. While in principle I was already open to the concept of using digital technology in the classroom, this programme has given me the practical, hands-on tools to successfully bring digital learning to life in my teaching practice,” she says.

“Having the opportunity to collaborate with other teachers meant I never wanted to miss a session. When studying through The Mind Lab, you’re never in isolation – you’re amongst other teachers who are all on the same learning journey.

“I’m thrilled to have won the NEXT Expert Teacher Award and am looking forward to using the prize to study my Masters in Applied Practice through The Mind Lab by Unitec and continue on this road to becoming a better teacher and more effective leader in my school.”

The three finalists went through an interview process where they discussed key learnings from the Postgraduate Certificate and implementation of their studies into their teaching. This was led by Frank Janssen of the NEXT Foundation, who was impressed by Ms Truter’s commitment to learning more about digital teaching and learning and how best to integrate it into the classroom.

“Desirè is a thinker, problem solver and an extremely reflective teacher. We’re delighted that she has been awarded the NEXT Foundation Expert Teacher Award. She has integrity, a passion for digital and collaborative learning and is a well-deserving winner of this accolade,” he said.

Frances Valintine, Founder and Chair of The Mind Lab by Unitec congratulated the recent graduates from Auckland, Gisborne, Wellington and Christchurch. She thanked NEXT Foundation for its on-going commitment to helping shape the teachers and students as the innovators of the next generation.

“Our partnership with NEXT Foundation is grounded in a shared long-term strategy to achieve greater education success in New Zealand. Ultimately the digital and collaborative skills our teachers gain through our postgraduate programme will help ensure Kiwi kids are prepared for the jobs of the future, and it’s hugely rewarding and satisfying to see over 1,700 educators to date who have stepped up to meet this challenge,” she says.

Launched in 2014, NEXT Foundation plans to invest $100 million over the next ten years to create a legacy of environmental and educational excellence for the benefit of future generations of New Zealanders.

As part of this commitment, NEXT Foundation provided 1,350 teacher scholarships in 2016 to allow public primary and secondary teachers to access and undertake The Mind Lab by Unitec’s postgraduate programme in digital and collaborative learning.

Bill Kermode, CEO of NEXT Foundation says, “NEXT is proud to support The Mind Lab by Unitec and its commitment to improving digital literacy skills across the school curriculum.”

As well as professional development for teachers, The Mind Lab by Unitec teaches school students from year 1-13 who attend education workshops in its four New Zealand locations in Auckland, Gisborne, Wellington and Christchurch. The Mind Lab also runs school holiday programmes for students across the four locations.

The Mind Lab has a goal of teaching 10,000 teachers and more than 180,000 school students.

ENDS

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