Waitangi Treaty Grounds one of three sites to deliver digital learning programme

Two Year 5-6 Ohaeawai School pupils at work in the Waitangi Treaty Grounds' Digital Learning Lab. Photo / Supplied

The Waitangi Treaty Grounds is one of only three locations nationwide to be selected by Te Papa Tongarewa Museum of New Zealand to deliver the digital learning programme Raranga Matihiko - Weaving Digital Futures.

The programme delivers innovative digital technologies to students with limited access to new learning opportunities, while increasing access to national and local exhibitions and collections. In the programme students solve real-world problems while enriching their knowledge of their communities and regions.

No two programmes will be identical, each class having one designed for them, ensuring their needs are met, and providing support to each child as they develop digital fluency skills in a cross-curricular approach.

That includes building students' understandings of computational thinking, digital citizenship and literacy.

"This is an amazing opportunity for students in the Far North to access state of the art learning opportunities that most schools could only dream of," Waitangi Treaty Grounds CEO Greg McManus said.

"We are very proud that Te Papa has chosen Waitangi as the first venue outside Wellington to introduce the programme."

Schools that had used the lab were equally enthused, Ohaeawai School deputy principal Alicia Craig saying it offered an amazing experience that was in line with the school's vision of "learn, create, share".

"It's a great opportunity for the students to be exposed to different digital technologies they wouldn't otherwise have the chance to use."

The programme is fully funded by the Ministry of Education. The costs covered include teacher release days, transport to and from Waitangi, and use of all the technology available.

The Treaty Grounds has a contract with Te Papa to run the digital lab for two years, including a salary for a teacher to be based at Waitangi and dedicated to the lab fulltime.