Tracing More Than A Century of Distance Learning in New Zealand Schools

From Correspondence to Virtual Networks

Authors

Keywords:

distance learning, school sector, compulsory sector, virtual learning

Abstract

This article provides a comprehensive overview of the history and development of distance learning in New Zealand's school sector over the past century. It traces the evolution from The Correspondence School's establishment in 1922 to serve rural students, through various technological advancements including radio, television, and online learning. Key milestones are highlighted, such as the formation of early e-learning clusters, the Virtual Learning Network, and urban-based "School Loops". The transformation of The Correspondence School into Te Kura and its adoption of digital technologies is discussed. The article also covers government initiatives, consultations, and legislative changes aimed at supporting and regulating distance learning, including the short-lived Communities of Online Learning concept. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on distance learning is addressed. Throughout, the article emphasizes ongoing challenges of sustainability, equity, and quality in distance education, as well as continuous efforts to adapt to technological changes and meet diverse student needs in New Zealand's education system.

Author Biographies

Michael Barbour, Touro University California

Michael is the Director of Faculty Development and a Professor of Instruction for the College of Education and Health Sciences at Touro University California. He has been involved in K-12 distance, online, and blended learning as a researcher, evaluator, teacher, course designer, and administrator for over two decades. Michael’s research has spanned the globe with a particular focus on the effective design, delivery, and support necessary for students to be successful in these flexible learning environments. His involvement in distance and virtual learning in New Zealand began in 2008, and has included presenting keynotes and other papers at Flexible Learning of New Zealand conferences, several national reports, and serving on the boards of multiple Virtual Learning Network programs.

Derek Wenmoth, FutureMakers

Derek Wenmoth is the founder of FutureMakers which he established after stepping back from his position as Director, eLearning at CORE Education, a not-for-profit organisation providing professional learning, research, and consultancy services across all parts of the education sector in Aotearoa New Zealand. Derek has been a teacher, principal, teacher educator, distance educator, and education policy writer in a career spanning more than four decades. He helped establish the Virtual Learning Network in New Zealand in the mid 1990s, was the eLearning manager at Te Kura (New Zealand’s Correspondence School) where he oversaw the transition from correspondence to online activity, and was awarded a life membership of the Flexible Learning Association of New Zealand in 2016. He has been involved in providing strategic advice on flexible and online learning to the Commonwealth of Learning and departments of education in a number of international contexts.

Cover image of Journal

Downloads

Published

2024-08-15

Issue

Vol. 27 No. 2 (2023): Journal of Open, Flexible and Distance Learning

Section

Invited Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2024 Michael Barbour, Derek Wenmoth

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:

a. This journal provides immediate open access to its content on the principle that making research freely available to the public supports a greater global exchange of knowledge. Readers are permitted to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search or link to the full text of the articles in this journal.

and

b. Acknowledgement should be made of the work’s authorship and initial publication in this journal using a full citation. In addition, a link to the JOFDL site at https://www.jofdl.nz is recommended where appropriate.