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MindPlus Online
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| # of unique students – 100 Type of provider – Program, non-profit Primary distance modality – Combination of synchronous and asynchronous |
Background
The New Zealand Centre for Gifted Education was established in 2014 with the merger of the Gifted Education Centre, which was originally established in 1995, and the Gifted Kids Programme, which was launched in 2000. The MindPlus Online programme was first developed by the New Zealand Centre for Gifted Education’s Curriculum Action Group in 2014, then reviewed in 2018 and again in 2023.
Governance
The New Zealand Centre for Gifted Education Limited (registration number CC50461) was established on 31 March 2014. As such, the organisation is governed by a trust deed and a constitution. The trust deed established that the New Zealand Centre for Gifted Education Limited would have a board composed of at least six directors and no more than nine directors. Interesting, the constitution does not indicate how directors are selected, only that if “there are fewer than nine persons on the board, the board may appoint a new director or directors by resolution of the board approved by a majority of 75 percent of the votes of those directors entitled to vote” (New Zealand Centre for Gifted Education Limited, 2017, p. 7). Directors may only serve two consecutive three-year terms. The board is supported by a management team comprised of a chief executive office, a head of programmes, and a business manager.
The board is required to hold an annual meeting, and special meetings may be called under certain conditions. The constitution itself may be amended by resolution, but the only criteria outlined in terms of a process is that “any alteration of the constitution must be consistent with and must not affect the exclusively charitable nature of the company” (p. 10). In addition to the constitution, the board has established a number of governance policies that outline procedures for both the board and the programming the organization offers.
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).
Finally, MindPlus Online is also an ‘approved institution’ with the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand, which means that specialist teachers hired by the programme can maintain their teaching certification. Further, all teachers are required to hold their internal certification (i.e., a MindPlus Specialist Teacher Certificate), which is a two-year professional learning programme, as well as participate in ongoing professional learning.
Resourcing
During the 2024 school year, MindPlus Online was resourced through parent fees, which were $340 per term, with a $30 application fee. Some of the schools who send their students to MindPlus Online choose to contribute all or a part of the fee. Full or part scholarships are also available annually, with a strategic focus on increasing the number of girls, Māori and Pacific students, as well as those from historically low decile schools.
The Ministry of Education no longer provides funding for MindPlus Online.
Programming
The programming offered by MindPlus Online is based on these four learning strands.
| Learning Strand | Why? | What? |
| Conceptual Development Thinking and learning through universal concepts |
Gifted and neurodivergent learners are naturally adept abstract thinkers who see the world through ideas not subjects. | We use one universal concept each year, over a five-year cycle, and dive into it in depth and with variety each term. This is cross-disciplinary learning. |
| Personal Development Social and emotional learning with a focus on strengths, identities and wellbeing |
Gifted and neurodivergent students need to understand their own brain-based differences and strengths, and respond to others and the world in ways that work. | We explicitly teach learners about their own and others’ brain-based differences. Then using these understandings we teach students strategies for navigating the world as gifted and neurodivergent individuals. |
| Talent Development Identifying and teaching in strength and interest areas |
Gifted and neurodivergent learners need support to specifically develop their abilities and qualities, both for future achievement and for personal satisfaction. | Ākonga explore possibilities for strengths and interests then hone in on specific areas of strength. They co-design plans for deliberate development and we enable those plans to come to life. Students specifically develop the required personal qualities, and make connections with others in their areas of strength and interest. |
| Learning Processes Complex thinking, communication, research, executive functioning |
Gifted and neurodivergent learners need high-level skills in these areas to enable powerful learning. | These high-level processes are woven throughout other areas and are taught and practised directly over time. |
Learning in each strand is expected to shift annually and over-time from simple, concrete and fully teacher-directed towards increasingly complex, abstract and self-directed learning. Progress over time is determined by readiness rather than by age.
To participate in MindPlus Online, parents or teachers and schools can apply for their child/students to enrol. Applications must also be accompanied by approval from the Board of Trustees for the child to attend, which is a legislative requirement as part of the Education and Training Act, 2020. The application asks parents or teachers to provide information about the child’s intellectual, creative, and social characteristics, as well as information about additional neurodiversities (but there is no requirement for formal ‘identification’ or ‘assessment’ as gifted). The application is scrutinised for evidence of potential rather than evidence of performance.
The actual instruction provided by MindPlus Online is comprised of a 30-minute weekly online synchronous meeting, along with up to 2 hours of asynchronous activities that students have to complete. The instruction is supported by Google Classroom, utilising a range of digital tools for online connection and collaboration.
Finally, it should be noted that the MindPlus programming can also be delivered in other modalities. For example, ‘MindPlus OurSchool’ is a version of the programme where students attend in-person classes, one day per week. Another option is ‘MindPlus YourSchool,’ where the MindPlus programme is delivered in partnership with an individual school in a hybrid model. This hybrid model involves a MindPlus specialist teacher who delivers synchronous online content, while an in-person teacher at the local school delivers content in a face-to-face fashion.
Activity
During the 2024 school year there were a total of 100 unique students enrolled in MindPlus Online. The highest level of enrolment at any given time was 84 students, and the lowest level of enrolment at any time was 81 students. There was a total of 9 Māori students enrolled.
The programming was provided by 2 unique teachers, representing 1 full-time teaching equivalent.
Historical Data
References
New Zealand Centre for Gifted Education Limited. (2017). Constitution of New Zealand Centre for Gifted Education Limited. https://register.charities.govt.nz/CharitiesRegister/ViewCharity?accountId=0a0924bd-06b0-e311-8f2f-00155d0d1916&searchId=3a74562d-11a3-4751-b7af-166f7b70dd63