How we can mitigate the issue of digital equality for the youth of Aotearoa? Join the discussion with Chorus and Network for Learning.
What's it all about?
It is estimated there are around 35,000 households with up to 100,000 school-aged children without access to a suitable internet connection. Limited access to vital technology, means many children are deprived of equal opportunity to learn. This panel discussion addresses this issue and explores an approach to bridging the digital divide.
Chorus, partnering with Network for Learning, community organisations and local government are working to give every young New Zealander access to the digital world for learning, regardless of where they live or go to school.
Get involved with this valuable panel discussion to learn more about these innovative community projects.
You can drop into this event at any time.
Friday 24 May
2:00pm - 2:25pm
This event does not require registration.
View webcast Email OrganiserSpeakers
Kurt Rodgers is Chorus’ Network Strategy Manager, he has 20 years’ experience in building fixed and mobile broadband networks in New Zealand and across Europe.
Kurt has a fervent passion for new technology and innovation. He enjoys taking the complexity out of emerging technologies and illustrating the potential impact on our lives in ways we can all understand.
Kurt has held a wide range of engineering roles including network design, planning, architecture and strategy. Over the last ten years Kurt has been closely involved in the Ultra-Fast Broadband programme with a focus on network architecture and technology innovation.
Ann Bentley
Ann Bentley currently manages the Equitable Digital Access for Student’s Initiative for the Ministry of Education. She is based in Wellington and is part of the Digital Strategy, Architecture, and Planning Group, which is responsible for the Education Digital Strategy for New Zealand Education.
Ann has lead programmes of work to provision technology infrastructure in schools since 2010. This includes the Schools Network Upgrade programme and the connection of fibre and wifi in schools. She held management of the contract for Network for Learning (N4L) in its rollout of the managed network to New Zealand Schools.
Clayton Hubbard
N4L is exploring ways to bridge the digital divide for students living without a suitable home internet connection via a pilot programme involving three schools. The Crown company is working in partnership with the Ministry of Education (MOE), local community trusts and technology companies as part of MOE's ‘equitable digital access for students’ programme. N4L’s role is to get students connected to the internet at home in the same way they do at school, so they carry on their learning in a safe (filtered) internet environment beyond the school gate.
