Network for Learning’s (N4L) Pond can now be accessed by Initial Teacher Educators (ITEs), and will be available to teacher trainees from 2015.

Teacher training institutions join the 700 primary and secondary school teachers who currently access Pond, a digital resource that enables the sharing of learning resources and best practices.

“This timely move will enable ITEs to include the Pond resource in their course planning for 2015 and in doing so, help prepare future teachers for a 21st-century learning environment,” Nikki Kaye, Associate Education Minister says.

“Lecturers offering teacher training across New Zealand’s 18 tertiary institutions will be able to see how school teachers are using digital technologies to collaborate with their peers and find valuable resources for teaching and learning.”

Pond, which will be available to all teachers by the end of the year, is an online learning hub that aims to be a central environment in digital discovery and sharing and collaboration between schools.

ITEs will progressively gain access to the portal, where they will be expected to contribute their own education resources.

“ITEs are key in the shift toward learning with digital technologies and the acceleration of uptake in the education sector,” Kaye says.

“Many of the teachers inside Pond are confident users of digital technologies in the classroom, and opening access will help ITEs keep pace with the innovative approaches being used in today’s modern classrooms.

“In addition, bringing tertiary lecturers and future teachers into Pond will allow groups in the education sector to be more connected as one community.”