Home | Reports | Profiles | Issue Papers | About the Project | Project Sponsors | Te Reo Maori
Kōtui Ako | Virtual Learning Network Aotearoahttp://kotuiako.school.nz/ |
|
| # of unique students – 1781 Type of provider – Programme, non-profit Primary distance modality – Synchronous |
Background
Kōtui Ako | Virtual Learning Network Aotearoa (Kōtui Ako) is an online distance learning programme that provides virtual courses at both the primary and secondary level. The administration of the programme is based mainly on the North Island, and Kōtui Ako (Secondary) primarily operates on the North Island. As the only programme offering primary level distance learning, Kōtui Ako (Primary) operates nation-wide. Unlike other distance learning providers, which are special institutions or private schools, Kōtui Ako is considered a distance learning programme – in that it doesn’t have legal status as a school within the educational context.
The programme is an amalgamation of former clusters that were part of the Virtual Learning Network, primarily the Virtual Learning Network Primary and the Online Learning Community (itself an earlier amalgamation of the FarNet, HarbourNet, Volcanics, and WeLCom programmes).
Governance
Kōtui Ako was established as a charitable trust on 20 October 2022 (registration number CC50872). The trust was legally created by updating the registered name of the existing Virtual Learning Network Primary School Governance Group charitable trust (which was originally established on 12 May 2014) and the adoption of a new constitution to accommodate its merger with the Online Learning Community (which had also been a charitable trust established under the original name Virtual Learning Network Community on 2 September 2010 and dissolved on 09 January 2024).
As a charitable trust, Kōtui Ako is governed by a constitution that indicates that membership in the trust is open to all New Zealand schools and kura. However, voting rights at general meetings are restricted to schools and kura with financial membership – with each financial member having one vote. Financial members are responsible for electing the governance group at or prior to the annual general meeting.
The governance group is composed of no less than five and no more than nine trustees.
- Five trustees, elected by the members, with representation from primary schools/kura and secondary schools/kura.
- At least one Te Ao Māori representative trustee, elected by the members.
- One independent chair appointed for a term of no more than three years.
- Up to two trustees appointed by a resolution of the majority of the elected trustees having regard to the relevant skills, expertise, standing in the community and/or other qualifications that are held by the governance group and the additional skills, expertise or standing that the appointed trustee has that will enhance or add value to Kōtui Ako and its ability to pursue its purposes.
Trustees are elected/appointed to staggered terms of three years, and there is no limit to the number of terms a trustee may serve.
The constitution requires that trustees have an annual general meeting no later than five months after the end of the financial year. Additionally, the governance group is required to meet at least four times each year.
The constitution may be amended at a general meeting of the members – provided the amendment is submitted to the governance group at least four weeks prior to the annual general meeting and forwarded to all members at least two weeks prior to the annual general meeting. Any changes to the Constitution will need to be approved by the Charities Commissioner, in accordance with the Charities Act, before taking effect.
By law all charitable trusts must file an annual return that is due within six months of a charity’s financial year-end (although an extension may be requested).
Resourcing
The Kōtui Ako (Primary) programme is resourced in a variety of ways, but it is mainly reliant on the Ministry of Education to fund a host school to employ a primary leadership and administrative support team. Additionally, all participating schools contribute based on a reciprocity model, which essentially means that in order to enrol students in the distance learning offered by Kōtui Ako the school must also contribute resources and/or programming to Kōtui Ako. For the Kōtui Ako (Primary) programme that includes a membership fee of between $250 and $400 and by providing a teacher to teach online or through participation costs for their students as outlined below from their website.
Small groups/individuals – mixed classes (i.e., less than 8 students)
-
- $88 per student, per class, per 15 week semester
Whole class (i.e., 8 or more students but no more than a regular school class size)
-
- $1,059 per 15 week semester
Short Taster Classes
-
- $353 – whole class participation for 5 weeks duration
- no membership fee for first taster class for schools new to Kōtui Ako
Further, if an individual school is not a member or if a particular learner is homeschooled, parents can still choose to enrol their students for a fee of $288.00 per student, per semester for the first class, and $88.00 each additional class or each additional family member.1
Funding for the Kōtui Ako (Secondary) programme is based on a membership model. Schools can become a full member of Kōtui Ako (Secondary) by paying an annual fee of $2000 plus a 0.08 full-time teacher equivalent of staffing and provide an e-teacher/course (0.2 FTTE) or staffing equivalent transferred to Kōtui Ako. There is also an associate member option available to school during their first year where the school can either pay an annual fee of $2000 plus a 0.08 full-time teacher equivalent of staffing or provide an e-teacher/course (0.2 FTTE) or staffing equivalent transferred to Kōtui Ako. Additionally, regardless of which option is chosen, the participating school is required to designate a person/teacher to provide the pastoral support for their students studying online (1-2 hrs/week), and the key liaison between the school and the Kōtui Ako (Secondary) team (i.e., an e-dean). These provisions are outlined in a financial memorandum of agreement that is required to ensure the school understands their partnership obligations and to confirm the necessary staffing and funding to be transferred to Kōtui Ako (Secondary).2
Programming
The Kōtui Ako (Primary) programme divides their school year into two semesters, with opportunities to register up until early February and late June for two intakes. Primary classes can be mixed school classes (i.e., students from many different schools) or a whole class from a single school. Primary-age students commit to a minimum of one hour of learning a week for each subject; 30 minutes of which is synchronous in Zoom with time allowed in school for independent learning. Google Workspace for Education, Google Classroom, or SeeSaw (for younger learners) provide tools and a platform to access learning resources, engage in activities, and communicate between teachers and students. Classes have different durations (e.g., a 5-week taster class, a shortened semester class, 15-30 week programmes). Most programmes related to a single learning area (e.g., maths, science, literacy), although there are also cross-curricular programmes based on topics or projects or designed around learner interest or need. Finally, there are tailored programmes that can be planned around the needs of learners in collaboration with the schools (e.g., tutoring). The Kōtui Ako (Secondary) programming is described as:
Every week, the e-teacher runs a synchronous, 1 hour, video conference with their class. Students join the class at the appropriate time from their home school, using a suitable internet capable device and Zoom, a free internet-based video conferencing platform. During the conference, students see each other and their e-teacher, which provides an opportunity to build strong relationships, create a sense of community, while engaging in an environment conducive to quality learning….
Ongoing learning continues asynchronously during the week through carefully designed, independent learning tasks for students. The related course work is curated by the e-teacher and shared with students via an online digital learning environment (e.g., Google Classroom, Microsoft Teams).
Even though students only see their e-teacher and fellow students once a week, through the online environment and a range of different communication tools, students are able to make contact with their e-teacher as often as need be. The expectation is that students are allocated adequate time in school (i.e., four to five hours) to complete the requirements of their course.3
Kōtui Ako (Secondary) also has a reciprocal arrangement with NetNZ that enables both organisations to enrol students in each other’s courses (mainly at the secondary level). During the 2023 school year there were 140 course enrolments from Kōtui Ako (Secondary) enrolled in courses offered by NetNZ (and that data is included in the NetNZ profile). Further, there is also some cooperation between Kōtui Ako (Secondary) and NetNZ on which courses will be offered by each organisation to avoid too much duplication and/or excess capacity.
Additionally, schools new to Kōtui Ako participate in introductory online sessions for both teachers and students to prepare them for joining their online classes.
Finally, Kōtui Ako leads and supports the Kōtuitui Online teachers network of expertise. This teacher professional network is part of the Ministry of Education funded Networks of Expertise (NEX) initiative and is open for all New Zealand educators to participate.
Activity
Overall, during the 2024 school year Kōtui Ako (Primary) provided distance learning for 892 course enrolments (234 were from students of Māori descent), which represented 737 unique students who attended 54 different schools. There were 18 unique teachers who offered courses through Kōtui Ako (Primary), representing 1.92 full-time teaching equivalents during Semester 1 and 1.68 full-time teaching equivalents during Semester 2.
Additionally, during the 2024 school year Kōtui Ako (Secondary) provided distance learning for 680 course enrolments (101 were from students of Māori descent), which represented 643 unique students who attended 40 different schools. There were 43 unique teachers who offered courses through Kōtui Ako (Secondary), representing 9.4 full-time teaching equivalents.
Kōtui Ako (Primary)
| Name of the course or learning opportunity | Total Learners | Māori Learners |
| Aotearoa Histories | 25 | 11 |
| Biology | 9 | 1 |
| Creative Writing | 31 | 5 |
| Design | 20 | 6 |
| Digital Technology | 56 | 18 |
| Fictional Heroes | 5 | 1 |
| French | 165 | 20 |
| German | 23 | 4 |
| Japanese | 48 | 10 |
| Kapa Haka | 29 | 5 |
| Life Skills | 19 | 4 |
| Mandarin | 16 | 6 |
| Maths Problem Solving | 54 | 8 |
| NZ Sign Language | 55 | 29 |
| Physical Sciences | 9 | 1 |
| Physics | 4 | 0 |
| Songwriting | 15 | 3 |
| Spanish | 203 | 72 |
| Te Reo Māori | 77 | 26 |
| Visual Art | 29 | 4 |
Kōtui Ako (Secondary)
| Course | Number of Students | Number of Māori |
| Accounting Level 3 | 8 | 0 |
| Business Studies Level 2 | 21 | 4 |
| Business Studies Level 3 | 18 | 4 |
| Chemistry Level 2 | 25 | 3 |
| Chemistry Level 3 | 20 | 1 |
| Chinese Level 1 | 3 | 0 |
| Chinese Level 2 | 10 | 0 |
| Chinese Level 3 | 20 | 0 |
| Classical Studies Level 2 | 9 | 1 |
| Classical Studies Level 3 | 14 | 5 |
| Computing Level 1-3 | 15 | 2 |
| Digital Technology Level 2 | 9 | 0 |
| Digital Technology Level 3 | 7 | 0 |
| DVC Level 1 | 7 | 2 |
| DVC Level 2 | 13 | 5 |
| Economics Level 2 | 13 | 2 |
| Economics Level 3 | 10 | 1 |
| Education for Sustainability Level 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Education for Sustainability Level 3 | 3 | 0 |
| French (Beg/Int) | 11 | 0 |
| French Level 1 | 14 | 4 |
| French Level 2 | 13 | 0 |
| Geography Level 1 | 12 | 1 |
| Geography Level 2 | 11 | 0 |
| German Level 1 | 8 | 1 |
| German Level 2 | 8 | 0 |
| German Level 3 | 7 | 0 |
| Health Level 2 | 24 | 3 |
| Health Level 3 | 14 | 1 |
| History Level 2 | 12 | 2 |
| History Level 3 | 16 | 0 |
| Japanese (Beginners) | 18 | 6 |
| Japanese Level 1 | 20 | 4 |
| Japanese Level 2 | 5 | 0 |
| Japanese Level 3 | 18 | 2 |
| Mathematics – Statistics Level 3 | 19 | 1 |
| Media Studies Level 3 | 8 | 1 |
| Photography Level 2 | 8 | 2 |
| Physics Level 3 | 10 | 2 |
| Psychology Level 2 | 44 | 9 |
| Psychology Level 3 | 44 | 7 |
| Samoan Level 1 | 18 | 0 |
| Spanish (Beg/Int) | 11 | 3 |
| Spanish Level 1 | 12 | 0 |
| Spanish Level 2 | 11 | 0 |
| Spanish Level 3 | 14 | 0 |
| Tongan Level 1 | 12 | 1 |
| Te Reo Maori Level 2 | 15 | 11 |
| Te Reo Maori Level 3 | 12 | 9 |
| Young Enterprise Scheme | 5 | 1 |
Historical Data
-
- 2023 School Year
- Virtual Learning Network Primary
- Online Learning Community
1 See https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_McMFtqMAB-iqbULAdnqCA9E-1gYWm08xBkmMCBfpBA/ for full details.
2 See https://www.kotuiako.school.nz/join-secondary-tuhono-ki-te-kura-tuarua/ for full details.
3 See https://www.kotuiako.school.nz/secondary/ for more information.