NCEA in the news

Distance learning: Astronomy enthusiast Lydia Berlad, 14, at Carter Observatory planetarium. Photo: Dominion Post

Virtual classroom for NCEA stargazers

Senior high school students may be able to get astronomy credits toward NCEA next year in a virtual classroom based at Wellington's Carter Observatory.

Board member and Porirua city councillor Robert Shaw said the observatory planned to set up a distance education centre using the Internet to teach unit standards on the solar system, galaxies and space.

The proposal is still under consultation, but if it is approved by the Qualifications Authority the unit standards could count toward level 1 of the National Certificate of Educational Achievement.

There are plans to add more standards in Māori and Pasifika astronomy and to eventually extend the subject to level 3 of the qualification, which replaces Bursary next year.

The idea was to encourage students to take science and technology, Mr Shaw said.

Trained teachers based at the observatory would be able to teach stargazing students in even the most remote areas of New Zealand by Internet link, while the observatory would also provide support for teachers in classrooms.

The Dominion Post, 9 October 2003

Sculptures give school an exciting new look

Year 12 art students and their teacher Richard Rogers have made Lytton High School a very colourful place with intriguing sculptures that have been placed around the school over the year.

Mr Rogers and a few level 2 NCEA students have been working on a way to make the school environment more interesting and get people to be tolerant of different art forms.

The students worked on the pieces for four to five weeks. Student Mary Hyslop said, "I enjoyed making my sculpture because it was a new experience for me and I learned a lot.

"The school looks better. It is more interesting and is showing the community that we do lots of art at Lytton."

Gisborne Herald, 1 September 2003

Surfing Academy already popular

Lytton High School 'surfing academy is proving a popular choice for students' Photo: Gisborne Herald

Lytton High School has introduced surfing as a band in the Alternative Physical Education Curriculum for 2004. Only about 40 percent of the course will be spent in the waves. Students will be studying sports skills, coaching, first aid, competition preparation and organisation, swimming and gym components, and putting together CVs in preparation for sponsorship deals.

The course is NCEA level 1 accredited and available for students Year 11 and up.

Gisborne Herald, 27 October 2003

College courses ahead in multisport

A Mount Maunganui College teacher has used the flexibility of the NCEA system to build a one-year course based on multisport. The course will be offered to Year 11 students at the college from 2004 and has been adapted from the current physical education course.

Teacher Jane Townsend says, "it will be a level 1 NCEA course which will cover sports science in the context of training and competing in multisport."

Students will, in teams or as individuals, compete in next year's Kaimai Classic, the secondary schools triathlon championships and the secondary school multisport championships. In teams of four they will also tackle a 24-hour eco-challenge.

It is hoped that the combination of a variety of areas of study with the training programmes could open up a range of pathways for students.

Bay News, 15 October 2003