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1EdTech GLC:Open Polytechnic wins New Zealand Learning Impact Award

Open Polytechnic wins New Zealand Learning Impact Award



The winners of the inaugural New Zealand Learning Impact Awards were announced at the Summit on Innovation on Learning Technology last night. The Summit is hosted jointly by the 1EdTech Consortium (1EdTech) and the New Zealand Ministry of Education.

The overall winner of the awards was the New Zealand Open Source Virtual Learning Environment and e-Learning Network. This entry from The Open Polytechnic of New Zealand features a suite of open-source education tools that can be used across institutions, supporting online collaboration and including repositories for reusable learning resources.

The awards recognize the use of technology to support and enhance learning. A panel of four international experts judged twelve entries from across the New Zealand education sector. Finalists were selected on criteria including innovation, adoption, and learning impact.

The judges found a high standard among the entries. "The entries demonstrate the commitment of New Zealand's education organisations to improving learning outcomes through the innovative use of technology" said Rob Abel, CEO of 1EdTech.

Two other finalists were also selected. The Visible Learning Lab is a joint entry from the University of Auckland's Uniservices and the Ministry of Education, and assists teachers to develop and administer customised assessments. eXe Learning, the second finalist, is a free open-source tool for authoring of educational resources funded by a grant from the New Zealand Government and led by the University of Auckland, The Auckland University of Technology, and Tairawhiti Polytechnic.

The winner and two finalists will be able to compete at an international level at the Learning Impact Awards held in Austin, Texas in May next year. The New Zealand winner received a $5000 prize to assist them to get to Austin, courtesy of IBM/FileNet.

"The awards demonstrate the potential of new technology in learning and research", says Bruce Moorhead, the Ministry of Education's Chief Information Officer. "The ministry is very pleased to be an active participant in an international community that is shaping the future of education through our membership of 1EdTech."

NZ LIAs
Left to right: Richard Simpson - Visible Learning Lab - Finalist
Sandy Britain - eXe learning - Finalist
Richard Wyles - New Zealand Open Source VLE - Winner

For further information contact:

Mike Bodnar
Senior Media Advisor
Ministry of Education
Phone: (04) 463 8812
Email: mike.bodnar@minedu.govt.nz
www.minedu.govt.nz