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Welcome to a new year at NZHistory

Ngā mihi

It doesn't seem that long since I was wishing people all the best for the holiday season and now here we are already a couple of weeks back into the new school year. I hope you are all refreshed and looking forward to what 2012 has to offer. I hope the NCEA results went well and we at NZHistory look forward to supporting you all, 'young and old' in your endeavours this year.

Seniors might like to note the new features on Tītokowaru and the Vogel era. We have pretty much covered all of the New Zealand Wars now with Parihaka the notable exception. It is on the agenda for this year. Those studying 19th century Māori leadership have some rich pickings available from the site now. The Vogel years are a crucial part of the NZ in the 19th century topic and this new feature is a welcome addition. Coming up soon will be a look at New Zealand in the 1970s. I think those looking for research topics and junior classes in particular will find this feature most useful.

I must admit that as I write these occasional forums I wonder who is actually reading them or how useful thety are to readers. It would be great to get some feedback especially if you have suggestions for topics or ideas that you think would enhance the experience for fellow users.

All the best

Steve

3 comments have been posted about Welcome to a new year at NZHistory

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Martyn Davison

Posted: 10 Mar 2012

Hi Steve, just reflecting on why there might not be a community of history teachers speaking to each other digitally using your forum. I wonder if one approach might be to do some more advertising through NZHTA and AHTA and the teacher training faculties and HODs? Just a thought.
Martyn

Steve Watters

Posted: 12 Mar 2012

Thanks for the feedback Martyn. We have been talking to NZHTA a lot in recent months and they are doing a wonderful job promoting NZHistory through their website. We are confident that the site is being well used by the school community. I was hoping to get a little more mileage through my forum and had hoped to use it as a way of firing up some discussion. Your piece a few years back on teaching controversial issues is a good example of the sort of issue that could be picked up in the forum and maybe that might be the best approach rather than the 'news bulletin' type approach. I'll see what I can conjure up for this week.

Martyn Davison

Posted: 10 Mar 2012

Hi Steve,
You are doing great things - it's a very useful site with high quality information. I think for students and teachers alike it has become a website which is visited often. The website supports the new curriculum and I would argue is doing a lot to help teachers think about history in new ways.
All the best,
Martyn