Bits and bytes

First school in New Zealand connected to Hyperfibre

Network for Learning (N4L) has partnered with Spark and Chorus, to upgrade the first of a selected group of schools and kura with very high network usage to Hyperfibre - doubling their connection speed to 2Gbps, the fastest internet connection currently available for schools in Aotearoa.

Hyperfibre was installed at Wellington College on 31 May, giving them the opportunity to use cutting edge technologies that require faster internet speeds, delivering new learning experiences to students and productivity benefits to teachers. The internet was heavily utilised at Wellington College by both kaiako and ākonga. The faster connection provided by Hyperfibre will improve the ability to learn, teach, work and innovate in the 1,700-student high school. “Hyperfibre has increased the speed and throughput of our school’s internet connection allowing our tauira to better interact with the world around them. Traffic congestion at peak times has been cleared up and it’s also given the school new options around future internet traffic usage.” says Darrell Harvey, Wellington College’s Deputy Principal. Larrie Moore, chief executive officer of N4L, says technology is helping to provide more diverse learning opportunities and having a highspeed network is a crucial piece of the puzzle. “The way our tamariki are learning is changing and with this comes the need for ultra-fast fibre and low latency.

Larrie Moore, N4L CEO.

“Hyperfibre has increased the speed and throughput of our school’s internet connection allowing our tauira to better interact with the world around them."

“We are responsible for the broadband networks of New Zealand’s schools and kura. In conjunction with the Ministry of Education and our partners, we’re delighted to bring Hyperfibre to schools, ensuring that those networks are fit for purpose,” he says. Not all schools require more than a 1Gbps connection. For some larger schools who heavily utilise the internet, having a faster network that is more capable and secure is a huge benefit. N4L is focused on getting the right connection, reliability, and bandwidth to schools, leveraging new technology and services as they become available.

N4L and Spark will also be working with Hyperfibre providers Enable and Tuatahi First Fibre to connect the other selected schools over the coming months.

Technology | Smart Education Samsung calls for next round of Kiwi kids to innovate for a better tomorrow

After a highly successful launch in 2021, Samsung Solve for Tomorrow is back and better than ever in 2022. The competition’s organisers are seeking the young problem solvers, creative thinkers and scientists of tomorrow to design solutions to real-world problems facing their communities.

Samsung has again teamed up with the Museum of Transport and Technology (MOTAT) to encourage Kiwi kids to apply their skills in STEAM subjects and create solutions that can change the world for the better.

Building on last year’s success, Samsung has widened the entry eligibility to include all Year 5-10 students across New Zealand.

This year, entrants will also have the opportunity to receive early feedback on their project plans from a panel of industry expert judges. Drew Kenny and Harrison Maxwell shared the inaugural Solve for Tomorrow crown in 2021, with entries which drew on real-life experiences to inspire their ideas. Drew created the world’s first ‘Parkinson’s Belt’ – a concept she created and prototyped to help give people living with Parkinson’s disease easy access to medication, water and their support alarm on a daily basis. Harrison’s project ‘Beautify the Berms’ explored how councils across the country could better use roadside berms to provide habitats for essential wildlife.

“We are so excited to be running Solve for Tomorrow again this year with MOTAT. We were blown away with the quality of last year’s entries and we can’t wait to see what new ideas our community of young change makers comes up with this year to address some of society’s biggest challenges,” says Simon Smith, Head of Brand Marketing at Samsung NZ. World-renowned scientist, Associate Professor Dr Siouxsie Wiles, is returning as a judge, alongside MOTAT Education Manager, Julie Baker and Samsung’s Simon Smith. The winners will share $20,000 in prizes including prize money and Samsung tech for them and their school. “The Solve for Tomorrow competition really goes to show the importance of STEAM subjects in solving realworld problems and it’s fantastic to see so many students engaging with them. It’s incredibly inspiring and heartwarming that the young people of New Zealand are so driven to give back to their communities,” says Dr Wiles.

Julie Baker says she’s looking forward to offering this year’s students the opportunity to receive judges’ feedback if they complete and submit their project plan early. “While this step is optional, it provides students the unique experience of collaborating with industry experts, receiving advice and mentorship which they can take on and use to adapt or reconsider elements of their project,” she says. Entries are now open. Students simply need to send in their project plan by 8 July 2022 to be eligible for early feedback. Entrants will have until 2 September 2022 to submit their final entry. The winning individual or team for Solve for Tomorrow 2022 will be announced in September. To find out more, visit: www. samsung.com/nz/solvefortomorrow.