Mount Maunganui teacher digital expert

Runner up Janet Jones-Pooles, winner Sandy Bornholdt, runner up Emily Bagrie. Supplied photo.

A Mount Maunganui teacher has been recognised as a digital expert.

Sandy Bornholdt from Mount Manganui's Te Kura o Matapihi has been recognised as the country's top digital teacher, winning the prestigious NEXT Expert Teacher Award at The Mind Lab by Unitec's graduation in Auckland this week.

Sandy recently completed The Mind Lab's Postgraduate Certificate in Applied Practice (Digital & Collaborative Learning) and was celebrated at the ceremony alongside more than 200 fellow teachers from the July 2017 cohort.

She was awarded a $5000 scholarship from the NEXT Foundation for her work to help children to become technologically savvy at the Maori Medium School where she is based.

Runners up Janet Jones-Pooles from the Blind and Low Vision Education Network in Christchurch and Emily Bagrie from Elim Christian College in Auckland, were also recognised for the unique ways they have incorporated new and emerging technologies into their classrooms.

The NEXT Expert Teacher Award celebrates teacher commitment in helping students gain the skills needed for 21st Century careers.

Sandy says The Mind Lab by Unitec's Postgrad programme was an incredible opportunity to delve deeper into aspects of contemporary education.

'The tamariki at the kura I work in are incredible and deserve the best. One of our philosophies is ka turangatira ai ta tatou tamariki i roto e te ao maori me te ao whanui – to be confident, life-long learners in the Maori world as well as the wider world,” she says.

Sandy was selected as winner through an interview process led by Frank Janssen, Director at The Mind Lab by Unitec.

'Sandy's commitment to incorporating digital learning pedagogy into her Maori Medium School is an excellent example of how The Mind Lab's postgraduate certificate is applicable in any New Zealand environment,” says Frank.

'We wish her and her school all the best in helping their children become technologically savvy in our new world.”

Frances Valintine, Founder and Chair of The Mind Lab by Unitec, congratulates Sandy and the finalists and says that it's fantastic to see teachers recognised from all over the country.

She says she thanks the NEXT Foundation for its on-going commitment to supporting and investing in The Mind Lab's educational aspirations.

'Our partnership with NEXT Foundation shares a vision to provide Kiwis with the skills and confidence to embrace the opportunities of our increasing technological world. The skills our teachers gain through our postgraduate programme empowers both the teachers themselves and their students – our future leaders – by equipping them for the jobs of the future.”

The NEXT Foundation, which launched in 2014, plans to invest $100 million into The Mind Lab over the next ten years.

It provided 1350 teacher scholarships in 2017 to allow public school teachers to undertake The Mind Lab's postgraduate programme.

The Mind Lab by Unitec has become the largest education facility in New Zealand in four years of operation.

Over the next five years The Mind Lab has the goal of teaching over 10,000 teachers and 180,000 school students.

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