Opportunities
Hui
All opportunities are funded by GCSN and can be attended at no cost
Te Tihi o te Mātauranga Professional Learning and Development 2026
The TToM committee work to bridge the knowledge gap around delivering a digitally inclusive curriculum and digital fluency in schools for kaiako and ākonga.
GCSN x Christchurch City Libraries
Partnering with the Christchurch City Libraries Design and Delivery team, we are proud to support a range of engaging PLD opportunities designed to upskill ākonga, kaiako and schools to use digital technologies in new and creative ways. These amazing programmes are closely aligned to the New Zealand Curriculum and enable ākonga and kaiako to access support from the Christchurch City Libraries team to develop their digital capabilities.
To apply for funding, please fill out the registration form specific to the programme(s) you want to attend and we will consider your application.
2026 Fully Booked
Booking enquiries for 2027 are open
Please explore the 2027 creative technology learning opportunities below
Locations, Days and Times:
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Matatiki Hornby Centre: Monday and Friday 9:30am to 2:30pm
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Maximum 12 ākonga
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Ōmōkihi: To Be Confirmed
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Maximum 8 ākonga
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Key Competencies
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Thinking
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Using language, symbols and texts
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Managing self
Years: 7+
Time: 9:30am - 2:30pm
Ākonga will learn to create vector artwork using the software Affinity Designer.
Select one specific product for ākonga to design for, such as a t-shirt, poster, laptop cover, stickers, or tote bag. Ākonga will then apply their designs to the chosen product, gaining hands-on experience with both digital design and print production techniques.
Please note: Ākonga will need to bring one t-shirt or tote bag for printing.
Please contact us if this is a barrier; GCSN funding support may be available.
Curriculum Links
The Arts - Visual Arts - Developing Practical Knowledge (Level 4)
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Explore and use art-making conventions, applying knowledge of elements and selected principles through the use of materials and processes.
The Arts - Visual Arts - Developing Ideas (Level 5)
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Students will generate, develop, and refine ideas in response to a variety of motivations, including the study of established practice.
Technology - Nature Technology - Characteristics of technological outcomes (Level 3)
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Understand that technological outcomes are recognisable as fit for purpose by the relationship between their physical and functional natures.
Technology - Technological Knowledge - Technological products (Level 4)
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Understand the relationship between the materials used and their performance properties in technological products.
Key Competencies
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Thinking
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Using language, symbols and texts
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Managing self
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Relating to others
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Participating and contributing
Locations, Days and Times:
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Matatiki Hornby Centre: Monday and Friday 10:00am to 1:00pm
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Maximum 12 ākonga
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Ōmokihi: To Be Confirmed
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Maximum 8 ākonga
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Years: 6 - 12
Time: 10:00am - 1:00pm
Through their efforts to collaboratively build a village in Minecraft Education Edition, ākonga will personally experience frustration, resilience, and privilege in a safe environment. Library staff will then facilitate a conversation where students can share their experiences and explore what it means to be up standers at school and in their own lives.
Ākonga will develop their ability to express their own values, explore the values of others with empathy, and make ethical decisions and act on them.
Curriculum Links
Social Sciences (Level 3)
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Understand how people make decisions about access to and use of resources
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Understand how people make decisions about access to and use of resources
Social Sciences (Level 4)
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Understand how people participate individually and collectively in response to community challenges.
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Understand that events have causes and effects
Technology - Brief development (Level 3)
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Describe the nature of an intended outcome, explaining how it addresses the need or opportunity. Describe the key attributes that enable development and evaluation of an outcome.
Technology - Planning for practice (Level 4)
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Undertake planning that includes reviewing the effectiveness of past actions and resourcing, exploring implications for future actions and accessing of resources, and consideration of stakeholder feedback to enable the development of an outcome
Years: 5 - 8
Time: 9:30am - 2:30pm
Ākonga will take a practical, hands-on approach to podcast creation, learning essential skills such as writing scripts for a targeted audience and using podcasting equipment and audio software. Script writing is done in small groups, as is the learning of recording and production techniques. During production, ākonga will edit mistakes, import music, and layer multiple tracks to create a polished final podcast.
This programme also provides a pathway for entry into
Top of the Pods, a competition where teams of ākonga from across greater Christchurch submit their own podcasts to be in to win awesome prizes.
Locations, Days and Times:
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Matatiki Hornby Centre: Monday and Friday 9:30am to 2:30pm
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Maximum 12 ākonga
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Ōmokihi: To Be Confirmed
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Maximum 12 ākonga
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Requirement: Model Release Form
As the recording involves capturing the voices of participating children, a signed model release form is required for each child. This form must be completed by a parent or legal guardian.
Teachers will be sending a copy of the form to parents/guardians to complete and return.
Key Competencies
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Thinking
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Using language, symbols and texts
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Managing self
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Relating to others
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Participating and contributing
Curriculum Links
English - Oral Language - Communicating and Presenting - Knowledge
Presenting to others
(Years 4-5) • Clear presentations have a strong introduction, well-organised main ideas, and a conclusion. • Effective speakers choose words, ideas, and a presentation style (e.g. formal, informal, serious, humorous) that match the audience’s knowledge, needs, and interests. (Years 4-6) • Skilled speakers change their tone, volume, and pace to fit the message, audience, and situation. (Years 7-8) • Effective presentation planning involves selecting language, structure, tone and content that suit the audience, purpose and form, for example: - in podcasts, conversational language (informal, natural-sounding, speech that mimics everyday conversation) builds rapport, a planned sequence of segments or topics supports clarity and engagement, and the inclusion of examples, signposting, and analogies helps orient the listener. • Voice modulation and non-verbal communication can guide audience attention, reinforce meaning, and strengthen impact.
Listening and responding to others
(Year 5) • Effective discussions involve: - listening to others and asking questions that connect to what they have said - noticing when someone goes off topic and helping bring the conversation back to the main idea - checking for understanding by asking questions or saying things in a different way. (Year 6) • Effective discussions involve: - sharing different opinions in a respectful way, so everyone feels safe to speak - noticing when people have similar ideas and working together to reach an agreement - asking clear questions to help clarify complex information - noticing who has or hasn’t spoken and inviting others to share their thoughts - thinking about what others have said and explaining how it has changed or confirmed existing ideas. (Years 7-8) • Effective discussions require everyone to show respect, include others, and work to understand each other by listening carefully, handling disagreements calmly, and staying focused on the topic.
English - Writing Processes - Knowledge
Revising and Editing
(Years 4-6) • Rereading each sentence and paragraph while writing ensures the writing makes sense and sounds right. • Making changes to texts in response to feedback can improve clarity for the intended audience. (Years 7-8) • Revising is a process that involves improving the content, style, features, and tone of a text to better suit the audience, purpose, and message. • Feedback can provide valuable information about how the writing could be improved, and writers need to think carefully about whether or how to use it.
Technology
(Progress Outcome 2 - Designing and developing digital outcomes)
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Students will make decisions about creating, manipulating, storing, retrieving, sharing, and testing digital content for a specific purpose, given particular parameters, tools, and techniques.
Locations, Days and Times:
At your kura within Ōtautahi-Christchurch
We offer this session on Tuesdays and Wednesdays between 10:00am and 3:00pm to allow time for travel, setup, and pack‑down of our equipment.
Years: 7 - 8
Duration: 3 hours
Bring podcasting to your kura with our Auahatanga Mobile van. Ākonga will take a practical, hands-on approach to podcast creation. They will learn essential skills such as using podcasting equipment and audio software. During production, ākonga will edit mistakes, import sound effects, and layer multiple tracks to create a polished podcast.
This programme also provides a pathway for entry into Top of the Pods, a competition where teams of ākonga from across greater Ōtautahi-Christchurch submit their own podcasts to be in to win awesome prizes.
We will bring:
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Our Auahatanga Mobile van with a RODEcaster podcast desk.
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3 MacBooks with Audacity.
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Sound effects, intro and outro music.
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12 headphones.
Please read the requirements.
Requirements:
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4 ākonga per podcast group (3 groups total).
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Ākonga are to complete their script for a snippet podcast (2-5 minutes) before the session.
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Podcast scripts can be on any topic and may take the form of an interview, educational segment, storytelling, or similar format.
To support the learning, a podcast brainstorming flow, script template and example will be shared with you before the session.
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A teaching space with a screen is required.
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A suitable location for the Auahatanga Mobile for the ākonga to record their podcast. Ideally close to the teaching space we will be using. Approximate van dimensions = Length: 6.70m, Width: 2m, Height: 2.22m.
Key competencies
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Thinking
-
Using language, symbols and texts
-
Managing self
-
Relating to others
-
Participating and contributing
Curriculum Links
English - Oral Language - Knowledge - Communicating and Presenting - Presenting to others (Years 7-8)
-
Effective presentation planning involves selecting language, structure, tone, and content that suit the audience, purpose and form, for example:
-
in podcasts, conversational language (informal, natural-sounding speech that mimics everyday conversation) builds rapport, a planned sequence of segments or topics supports clarity and engagement, and the inclusion of examples, signposting, and analogies helps orient the listener.
-
-
Voice modulation and non-verbal communication can guide audience attention, reinforce meaning, and strengthen impact.
English - Oral Language - Knowledge - Communicating and Presenting - Listening and responding to others (Years 7-8)
-
Effective discussions require everyone to show respect, include others, and work to understand each other by listening carefully, handling disagreements calmly, and staying focused on the topic.
Technology (Progress Outcome 2 - Designing and developing digital outcomes)
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Students will make decisions about creating, manipulating, storing, retrieving, sharing, and testing digital content for a specific purpose, given particular parameters, tools, and techniques.
Applications-based PLD
GCSN is proud to work with a range of providers to support schools across greater Christchurch. We offer funding for PLD sessions for kaiako as well as learning opportunities for ākonga to schools looking to grow digital fluency, learn new digital technologies skills, or integrate digital technologies at school and home.
If you are looking for something specific let us know using the form below and we will do our best to match you with a suitable provider to support your school.
Are you looking to create the perfect product?
Or explore new technologies to refine your production process?
Have you thought about how to promote your idea?
GCSN is excited to support teams participating in the Young Enterprise Scheme across the Greater Christchurch area. If your YES team has an inspired idea and is looking for support to learn new digital fluency skills, create a product, or marketing and branding support we may be able to help out!
If you are a YES team looking for support, let us know what you are looking for using the form below and we will be in touch soon!