Hikina a tātou ākonga kia haere kōtui tātou ki tua
Walk hand-in-hand with us to uplift our learners and safeguard the future
Who we are
Kōtui Ako VLN is a collaborative network of Primary and Secondary schools and kura serving Years 0 – 13, who work together to improve access to educational opportunities for their learners, via the online environment.
Participating schools are able to offer their learners a wide range of programmes, based on the New Zealand Curriculum and NCEA qualifications.
By contributing to the Kōtui Ako VLN online learning community, schools gain access to over 100 programmes, enabling them to more successfully meet the learning needs of their students.
What we do
Our team enables collaboration between schools, their learners and their online teachers, through a reciprocal teaching and learning exchange.
Learners are engaged both synchronously and asynchronously through the use of weekly video conferences and digitally curated learning environments.
Online pedagogy and practice of teachers is enhanced through an ongoing professional learning development programme led by our experienced and skillful team.
What are the benefits:
Ākonga/learners
- Access to a wide range of learning opportunities;
- Improve communication and self-management skills in authentic contexts;
- Improve digital literacy, learner agency and confidence;
- Build on interests and passions;
- Build connections with others beyond the classroom
Kura/schools
- Access to a wide range of curriculum opportunities;
- Access to qualified, registered, specialist teachers;
- Enable flexible timetabling solutions;
- Develop independent, self-managing, digitally competent learners
Kaiako/teachers
- Professional development for online pedagogy and practice;
- Improve digital competence in teaching online;
- Teach within areas of skill, strength and passion;
- Teach from within a school context, or flexibly from anywhere
Student Voice
Our Nationwide Online Community
Our strategic purpose is to enable schools and kura to access high quality educational opportunities for their ākonga/learners through online learning.
TOTAL NUMBER OF SCHOOLS
94
TOTAL NUMBER OF REGISTRATIONS
1603
Keep up to date!
News
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Nau mai, haere mai ki te Kōtui Ako | Virtual Learning Network Aotearoa
Kia ora koutou katoa, Kia orāna, Talofa lava, Malo e lelei, Nĭ hăo 你好, Annyoung haseyo 안녕하세요, Namaste, Assalām alaikum, Hola, Bonjour, Hallo!
Our schools have hit the ground running this year! We appreciate the pressure you are all under implementing changes to the curriculum, participating in intensive and ongoing PLD, accelerating numeracy in Years 7 & 8, working in the structure of the school day to include an hour of each for the 3 Rs, supporting learners to achieve NCEA co-requisites, seeking staff to cover the gaps, not to forget the busy 1st term activities of swimming, sports, outings, cluster events and getting started with VLN classes. Well done to you all in doing the best for your ākonga in this busy environment 🙌 We are here to support schools provide equity and access to the curriculum, let us know how we can help!
It may seem a tad late, but we are proud to celebrate the achievement of our 2024 Primary learners. (When we last published, many of our schools were still organising their End of Year celebrations). Our online teachers recognised 32 students from across the motu and this year also recognised two of our awesome school support kaiako.
We are sad to farewell Tewaiehu Savage, our Kaiarahi Mātauranga Māori. Our organisation has grown with her in our leadership team. We have learnt so much from her. Tewai has taken on a new role with Unitec also as a Mātauranga Māori lead and as a lecturer in Initial Teacher Education for Early Childcare. This is a great opportunity for Tewai and we wish her all the best.
Although registrations for Kōtui Ako VLN (Primary) have closed, find out how you can participate throughout the year. The kaupapa of our schools network means that we can work with you to access teacher expertise and tailor solutions for your ākonga.
Want to know how to use AI intentionally? Make sure you are in control of AI meeting Bots and ensure they stay uninvited and out of our online classes. If you need help with this, get in touch with the Kōtuitui team. AI is often a focus for Kōtuitui, keep an eye out for upcoming PLD
Geoff Woods at Rosmini College, a long time connected teacher and collaborator, profiles TOCTUS a global project focused on Climate Education. Interested? You’re invited to contact Geoff to see how your learners can participate.
Finally congratulations to Haast School who take home an NZSL clock, no doubt handy as they learn NZSL with us this year. They were one of several schools who got busy getting all their registration administration done before the end of the 2024 school year.
Ngā mihinui ki a koutou
Rachel, Amanda and the Kōtui Ako VLN team
Read the full publication
Kōtui Ako | Virtual Learning Network Aotearoa Pānui February 2025
