Posted on 28 August 2024
Open Polytechnic, a business division of Te Pūkenga, and New Zealand’s leading tertiary online learning institution, is proud to sponsor and be involved in this year’s Flexible Learning Association of New Zealand (FLANZ) conference, which started on Monday at the University of Auckland.
The FLANZ 2024 conference theme is the Evolving Practice in Flexible Learning, with Open Polytechnic contributing 13 kaimahi (staff) presenting papers at the three-day conference, while also being represented on the Executive Committee, which organises the biennial event.
Image: Back row: Jennifer Kirby, Cynthia Ogilvy, Anna Gubinskaya, James Redwood, Ralph Springett, Richard Sheehan, Karen Cropp, Nathaniel Louwrens, Kate Caie
Front row: Xin Huang, Lynne Brice, Shilpa Jain, Lalitha Jonnavithula, Lesley Jacobson, Thomas Vazhathara
“Since Open Polytechnic is at the forefront of online, flexible learning in New Zealand Aotearoa, it is great for us to be heavily involved in this event, which brings together the flexible learning industry leaders in one place to look at the latest research and trends,” says Alan Cadwallader Open Polytechnic Executive Director.
This year’s conference has different flexible learning topics including evolutionary practice, flexible methods and pathways; technologies and models; professional development and training; sustainable practices and diversity, equity and inclusion.
It features two keynote speakers, Associate Professor Rhys Jones (University of Auckland) speaking on "Radical flexibility: Centring relationality and justice in pursuit of emancipatory education”, along with Associate Professor Michael Cowling from CQ (Central Queensland) University Australia on "Technology enhanced learning and scholarly practice".
“FLANZ and the FLANZ conference are for anyone involved in open, flexible and distance learning,” says Ralph Springett, Manager, Assessment Centre at Open Polytechnic and FLANZ Secretary.
“It provides an opportunity to connect with and learn from others particularly across Aotearoa New Zealand and our local Pacific region.”
Open Polytechnic is a main sponsor of the conference which runs until Wednesday, along with University of Auckland, Anthology, Ako Aotearoa and Ocean Browser.
For further details on the conference, go to the FLANZ Conference website.