Jeff Bezos, Ellon Musk and Mark Zukerberg fight it out each year for the top spot as the wealthiest person in the world. There’s another thing the wealthiest people in the world have in common – they are all diagnosed neurodivergent! Looking further beyond the tech world, many of the world’s most successful people in their fields are neurodiverse. Excelling in sport and in their ADHD, we have Simone Bile, Lewis Hamilton and Micheal Phelps. Greta Thunberg and Chloe Hayden both excel within advocacy spaces, and they both are autistic. Thomas Edison and Stephen Hawking are both dyslexic. Billie Eilish and Olivia Rodrigo, recipients of The Grammys Best New Artist Award, both have synaesthesia. There are so many more examples of this, which raises the question – does their neurodiversity play a significant role in their ability to excel? Neurodiverse people have a number of barriers to overcome in their lives. These examples of people performing top of their field, highlights the conditions where these barriers subside, and their unique abilities are captured. If we take superhero Spiderman as an example, when first learning about his unique abilities there was a mismatch between these abilities and his environment (he accidentally kept breaking stuff with his web shooters). But with education and understanding, Peter Parker was able to use his unique abilities to accomplish his goal of saving lives. In this workshop Kiera Jones (educational psychologist) will take you through a thorough look into the minds of neurodiverse people. With the goal to explore what actions we can take to coordinate our society in ways that cultivate the uniqueness of neurodiverse minds.
This workshop will dive into the world of flawed experiments, misleading statistics, and pseudoscience.
Through engaging examples like anti-vaccine movements, fad diets, and pseudoscientific wellness trends, participants will learn to critically evaluate claims and understand the hallmarks of credible research.
You’ll leave equipped to navigate the modern information landscape.
Learn the technique of wet felting using wool. This technique is fun, affordable and hands on creating an applied design that can be used for wall art or embellishment for any textile item/ project.
The elements of design – colour, texture and scale are considered within a theme or concept.
In this practical workshop, Julian will share all sorts of ideas, do-able practical activities, resources and information for teaching a topic on earthquakes in New Zealand. We will look at why and where they occur, what it feels like to be in an earthquake, what scientists are learning about potential threats, how NZ landscapes change because of earthquakes, how scientists monitor and research them and what that teaches us about the earthquake hazard. Finally we will think about how best to prepare for a quake and what sort of things to expect if one happens.
Indoors for the first part, with some activities outside. Running through the ethical considerations in conservation (activities), the representation of data for projects such as 1080 application, investigating claims and creating a science communication piece.
Aotearoa/NZ is biologically the oldest place on this planet. A Dinosaur museum! Our native plants, insects, frogs, birds, lizards and many other creatures are the oldest in existence. Our native frogs make no noise because they are derived from the very first frogs to ever to evolve, and with only one species, they didn’t need to differentiate using sounds! In other countries Tuatara are known only as fossils but they still live here! It is an amazing heritage that dates back millions of years. The whole story is linked very closely to the Geology of NZ, Gondwanaland, the ice ages, sea level changes, volcanic activity, fault lines and of course fossils!
An exciting, hands-on workshop that brings the art of a bioblitz to life. Participants will learn how to organize and conduct a bioblitz, with a special focus on catching and observing the incredible variety of critters that take to the skies. From delicate insects to dazzling winged wonders, you’ll uncover the secrets of the flying world. Perfect for educators, students, and nature enthusiasts, this workshop promises to inspire curiosity and a deeper appreciation for the creatures that share our skies.
In survival scenarios, you’re rarely alone, and this creates both unique challenges and valuable opportunities for growth. Join us for an immersive team-building experience where you’ll collaborate to create a shelter using only the natural resources provided (a perfect way to bring your local curriculum to life!). This challenge will spark your creativity, deepen your collaboration, and add a fun, slightly competitive edge!
Protection is a top priority in wilderness survival, but it’s not as simple as it sounds. While people are naturally inclined to work together, identifying your role within a team dynamic can be tricky. In this experience, you’ll discover how to leverage everyone’s strengths, navigate differences, and find common ground to achieve your goals—skills that are just as valuable in the classroom. The key competencies of Managing Self, Relating to Others, and Participating and Contributing will be at the forefront of this experiential learning activity.
This experience will not only help you build practical survival skills, but will also strengthen your resilience, communication, and problem-solving abilities as kaiako — skills that are essential for supporting your ākonga in developing their own teamwork and resilience, both in and out of the classroom.
As you reflect on how to work together effectively, you’ll gain strategies to help your students:
Enhance their ability to collaborate and work with others Notice, recognize, and respond to the diverse needs and learning styles of ākonga Foster whanaungatanga—the building and maintaining of meaningful relationships that create a sense of belonging, shared responsibility, and support within the learning community. By the end of this experience, you’ll walk away with practical skills and valuable insights you can immediately apply to your teaching practice, helping your students not only survive, but thrive, both in school and in life.
This workshop will introduce participants to the only unique form of identification in the world. The history and science behind fingerprints and how this differs from DNA profiling. The many types of powders and chemicals that can be used to develop fingerprints from a multitude of substrates. We will then introduce our very own Automated Fingerprint Identification System AFIS (The only one in private hands in the world) for you to search your develop crime prints from the mock crime scene.
At-risk youth face unique challenges that can impact their educational success, well-being, and future opportunities. This workshop will explore key concerns within the education and youth support sectors, focusing on strategies to enhance engagement and well-being for at-risk youth. Educational Psychologist Kiera will share insights on innovative interventions that foster resilience, motivation, and long-term success. Some key areas she will cover include:
Increasing motivation to engage in the learning process – strategies to make learning more meaningful and relevant for disengaged youth.
Supporting the impact of co-existing mental health challenges on learning – practical approaches to address anxiety, trauma, and other mental health concerns that affect academic success.
Building strong relationships and trust – the role of mentorship and positive adult connections in fostering a sense of belonging and stability.
Gain confidence in the world of coding with Scratch.
This is a beginner-friendly platform that makes programming accessible and exciting. Improve mathematics and develop coding skills with this engaging software, which allows children to build functional computer games and other applications.
Part of a series of immersive workshops based on the theme “Science in the Kitchen’, combining exploration, observation, and discussion to bring Nature of Science concepts to life.
Transform everyday kitchen recipes into captivating science lessons for biology and chemistry classrooms.
Featured Workshop: How the Cookie Crumbles Learn how to turn a simple cookie recipe into a dynamic science lab.
Highlights: Conduct hands-on investigations focusing on the scientific method. Takeaways: Practical ways to explore the nature of science and foster curiosity through culinary experiments.
Learn the technique of wet felting using wool. This technique is fun, affordable and hands on creating an applied design that can be used for wall art or embellishment for any textile item/ project. The elements of design – colour, texture and scale are considered within a theme or concept.
Time spent making ink and chew cards, running through the physiology/behaviours of introduced and endemic species, and control methods. Links in well to the ‘Controversy in Conservation’ session.
New Zealand/Aotearoa is the envy of many countries, being the only country in the world with a quota-managed fisheries resource for all commercial species. In the long term, how sustainable is commercial and recreational fishing in this country? We will look at Commercial Fish harvesting and the controls and strategies employed to do the job efficiently. How does this compare with Aquaculture? Is aquaculture going to be the answer to supplying consumer demand for seafood? Where will we end up? How will climate change affect the marine environment and the way it works? What effects will be seen on species we are used to having in our waters. Includes a Mussel dissection and a demonstration of mussel water filtering? Includes a mussel dissection and a demonstration of mussel water filtering.
Explore the fascinating relationship between plants and their environment with Ruud Kleinpaste in his workshop, “How to Murder Your Plants More Slowly.” Perfect for schools with gardens or access to natural plant areas, this session dives into the challenges plants face from pests and diseases. Learn how these factors influence plant health and discover practical strategies to slow their impact. With Ruud’s signature wit and expertise, this workshop offers valuable insights for educators and students alike, fostering a deeper understanding of plant care and sustainable gardening practices.
In survival scenarios, you’re rarely alone, and this creates both unique challenges and valuable opportunities for growth. Join us for an immersive team-building experience where you’ll collaborate to create a shelter using only the natural resources provided (a perfect way to bring your local curriculum to life!). This challenge will spark your creativity, deepen your collaboration, and add a fun, slightly competitive edge!
Protection is a top priority in wilderness survival, but it’s not as simple as it sounds. While people are naturally inclined to work together, identifying your role within a team dynamic can be tricky. In this experience, you’ll discover how to leverage everyone’s strengths, navigate differences, and find common ground to achieve your goals—skills that are just as valuable in the classroom. The key competencies of Managing Self, Relating to Others, and Participating and Contributing will be at the forefront of this experiential learning activity.
This experience will not only help you build practical survival skills, but will also strengthen your resilience, communication, and problem-solving abilities as kaiako — skills that are essential for supporting your ākonga in developing their own teamwork and resilience, both in and out of the classroom.
As you reflect on how to work together effectively, you’ll gain strategies to help your students:
Enhance their ability to collaborate and work with others Notice, recognize, and respond to the diverse needs and learning styles of ākonga Foster whanaungatanga—the building and maintaining of meaningful relationships that create a sense of belonging, shared responsibility, and support within the learning community. By the end of this experience, you’ll walk away with practical skills and valuable insights you can immediately apply to your teaching practice, helping your students not only survive, but thrive, both in school and in life.
This workshop will introduce participants to the concept of trace evidence. Wherever they step, whatever they touch, whatever they leave, even unconsciously, will serve as a silent witness against them. We will guide you through a mock murder scene (with full PPE if required) describing the evidence that is critical to aid in the investigation through forensic science including Blood spatter, hairs and fibres, fingerprints and footwear and how we can utilise many differing chemicals to develop and preserve the items. Hands on workstations will allow you to develop and preserve fingerprints and footwear. We can show how this can be replicated for your students within the classroom.
