About

Professor Kwok-Wing Lai, Professor, Centre for Distance Education and Learning Technologies, University of Otago

Professor Kwok-Wing Lai was a high school economics and political science teacher in Hong Kong before pursuing his postgraduate training in educational technology in Canada. He then came to Dunedin as a lecturer in computers in education in 1986, and was appointed Professor of Education in 2007 at the University of Otago. He has designed several distance learning programmes for the Faculty of Education as well as the UOCE, including the Master of Teaching and Doctor of Education programmes. He has published widely in ICT in education and distance teaching and learning and his current research focuses on knowledge building communities. Currently he is the principal investigator of three research grants, including a 2-year TLRI grant on knowledge building in senior secondary classes.

Darren Sudlow, Executive Leader (Learning), NetNZ

Darren has extensive experience in the application of technology and the internet in education including roles as Director of eLearning at Marlborough Girls’ College, ePrincipal of Cantatech (2008) and CantaNet (2011), and project leader of the Southern Central Divide Regional ICTPD Cluster. He has a passion for future focused education and in particular ‘connected’ approaches to learning that embrace use of the internet innovate. He is a founding member of Knowledge Building New Zealand, an association dedicated to the promotion of knowledge building and connected approaches to learning, and has facilitated a number of workshops on the topic. He also has a firm interest in educational leadership, and completed post graduate studies in 2010. His background is in the Social Sciences, and he teaches Crafting History, a fully online project based course using Minecraft to re-imagine historical contexts.

Ken Pullar, Executive Leader (Operations), NetNZ

Ken is NetNZ’s Executive Leader with an oversight and responsibility for the organisation’s educational and business operations. Ken has played a leading role in the development of online education in New Zealand since 2000. As Deputy Principal at Roxburgh Area School, he played a central leadership role in the formation of OtagoNet in 2001. He has subsequently provided active support to many of NZ’s other eLearning clusters during and beyond their ‘start up’ phase, and played a key role in the formation Virtual Learning Network Community. Ken has a strong interest in ‘future focused’ education, particularly ‘knowledge building’, and the learning, teaching & schooling practices which centre on the growth of a ‘lifelong learning’ disposition of all learners. As a lifelong learner himself, Ken has completed postgraduate studies, and is a regularly participant as co-researcher in projects focussed on growing our understanding of the learning and teaching practice, particularly in an online environment.

Tamara Yuill-Proctor, Accredited Facilitator (Kaha Education)

Tamara holds a Masters of Education where her research focused on Knowledge Building in a Year 11 English classroom. Tamara is passionate about curriculum design, in particular the integration of curriculum in the secondary school environment, and future focused education. Currently, she is completing her Education Doctorate through Otago University. Tamara has a background in secondary education and middle leadership in schools. She has taught a range of subjects, including History, Social Science and English, in Area Schools and within Christchurch. Tamara has been Head of English at St Andrew’s College, worked for Ihi Research’s adjunct Kaha Education, providing professional development for teachers as well as supporting data collection and analysis for Ihi Research. In 2018, she will be taking up the position of Head of Learning Area: Social Science at Hagley College, Christchurch.

Margaret Macpherson, HOD English, Ashburton College

Marg began teaching English at Ashburton College in 1986 and is currently Head of the English Faculty. From 1992 until 2001 she worked mostly as a full-time mother of three and volunteer for organisations like the Kindergarten Association and the primary school her children attended. In mid-2001 she returned to secondary teaching. She is a member of the college’s eLearning Leadership Team and has held leadership roles in its Learning Committee, Pasifika Achievement Working Group and in the facilitation of professional learning and development. She spent six years in the Virtual Professional Learning and Development programme (VPLD) where she was introduced to Knowledge Building and experienced first hand the power of collaborative learning communities. Post-graduate study at the University of Otago has fueled her enthusiasm for learning and deepened her understanding of Knowledge Building, technology integration in learning, teacher mentoring and Pasifika education. As a middle leader in a large co-educational secondary school, her focus is on integrating Knowledge Building theory and practice in both the classroom and in the educative mentoring of teachers.

Caron Sullivan, Assistant Principal Weston School

Caron has been teaching for over thirty years with experience from Junior classes to early Secondary. Her focus for the last ten years has been in the middle years, years 7 & 8.

Caron’s school has been involved in Knowledge Building for the last five years.

Caron has a Diploma in Teaching and a Bachelor of Arts degree. Caron has worked as an Advisor in in Gifted Education and has a Post Grad qualification in this specialty from Flinders University. Last year Caron was awarded a Master in Education degree from Otago University.