Christchurch City Libraries / GCSN Technology Programmes

Bridging the Digital Divide in Education.
Offering a range of services to schools, teachers and students.

All school sessions take place in one of our Auahatanga - Creative Spaces*.

(Location is dependent on equipment and or software required for the particular programme).

  • Auahatanga - South Library
  • Auahatanga - Tūranga
  • Auahatanga - Te Hāpua: Halswell Centre

Funding may be available for your school via the GCSN - Greater Christchurch School's Network.
To enquire about eligibility criteria, please contact GCSN directly.

AI Filmmaking

Do you want to explore the power of artificial intelligence in filmmaking? Join us for an exciting and creative programme where you will learn the basis of film production, using AI tools and techniques. You will also get to collaborate with other students, share your ideas and feedback, and showcase your work at the end of the programme.

Ākonga will plan code and create a game or an app using Scratch Jr/ Scratch or swift playgrounds (depending on the age/ability of the group involved).

Ākonga will learn how to use coding software to make a game or an app, using sketches pro to make characters or other items for their games.

  • Age: Year 4-8
  • Number of Ākonga/Students: Maximum 12
  • Time: Three 2-hour sessions (six hours total)
  • Cost - Funded: $No charge - Funding may be available via GCSN - Greater Christchurch Schools' Network GCSN
  • Cost - Paid: $540- Booked directly with libraries
  • Locations: South / Tūranga / Te Hāpua: Halswell Centre

Through their efforts to collaboratively build a village in Minecraft Education Edition, ākonga will personally experience frustration, resilience, and privilege in a safe environment. Library staff will then facilitate a conversation where students can share their experiences and explore what it means to be up standers at school and in their own lives. 

Students will develop their ability to express their own values, explore the values of others with empathy, and make ethical decisions and act on them.

  • Age: Year 5+
  • Number of Ākonga/Students: Maximum 12
  • Time: One 3-hour session (including break)
  • Cost - Funded: $No charge - Funding may be available via GCSN - Greater Christchurch Schools' Network GCSN
  • Cost - Paid: $310.50 - Booked directly with libraries
  • Locations: South / Tūranga / Te Hāpua: Halswell Centre / Your School (technology dependent)

A full day programme which offers ākonga the opportunity to express their identity in a creative form. Ākonga will be supported to work through the design process and create a physical product showcasing their design. 

​Ākonga will come away with a finished design file and a physical print of their design. This may come in the form of a badge, laptop skin, poster or T-shirt. 

Please note: This session is recommended for ākonga ages Year 5 and over. Ākonga will need to supply their own T-shirt to print on. If this is a barrier for your school please let us know and we will explore options of support (GCSN funding only).

  • Age: Year 5+
  • Number of Ākonga/Students: Maximum 12
  • Time: One full day session 9:30am to 2:30pm
  • Cost - Funded: $No charge - Funding may be available via GCSN - Greater Christchurch Schools' Network GCSN
  • Cost - Paid: $517.50 - Booked directly with libraries
  • Locations: South / Tūranga / Te Hāpua: Halswell Centre 

A hero’s journey begins with our Miniature Maker workshop!

Ākonga will draw on their creative writing skills to develop a character and use creative technologies to bring your story to life!

  • Design and print a 3D character model. Please note: the 3D printing will not take place during the session, due to time constraints.
  • Laser cut and etch a terrain tile based upon your story.
  • Practice the patient art of miniature painting.
  • Age: Year 5+
  • Number of Ākonga/Students: Maximum 12
  • Time: One full day session 9:30am to 2:30pm at the library. And approximately 2 hours follow-up at your school.
  • Cost - Funded: $No charge - Funding may be available via GCSN - Greater Christchurch Schools' Network GCSN
  • Cost - Paid: $724.50 - Booked directly with libraries
  • Locations: South / Tūranga / Te Hāpua: Halswell Centre (+ second session at your school)

Learn the ropes of product design and create a fresh take on a board game classic, Snakes and Ladders.

Akōnga will learn how to use the design process to generate ideas, develop their digital skills and use the technology of the Creative Space to produce a functional prototype.

  • Age: Year 6-8
  • Number of Ākonga/Students: Maximum 12
  • Time: Four 2-hour sessions (3 hours total)
  • Cost - Funded: $No charge - Funding may be available via GCSN - Greater Christchurch Schools' Network GCSN
  • Cost - Paid: $828 - Booked directly with libraries
  • Locations: South / Tūranga / Te Hāpua: Halswell Centre

Ākonga learn to construct a narrative for broadcast that incorporates appropriate conventions.

Learn to use podcasting equipment, field recording equipment, and audio editing software to record, edit, and export audio tracks. Ākonga will come away from these sessions prepared to lead others to produce future podcasts.

  • Resources used:
  • Audacity
  • Adobe Audition
  • REAPER
  • RODECaster Pro
  • Zoom Recording
  • Age: Year 6-8
  • Number of Ākonga/Students: Maximum 12
  • Time: Four 2-hour sessions (eight hours total)
  • Cost - Funded: $No charge - Funding may be available via GCSN - Greater Christchurch Schools' Network GCSN
  • Cost - Paid: $828 - Booked directly with libraries
  • Locations: South / Tūranga / Te Hāpua: Halswell Centre

With a practical, hands-on approach on to technology, Ākonga will create a podcast through learning the essentials of setting up the podcasting desk and using audio software for optimal results.

This one-day lesson will cover:

  • Recording:
  • Setting the channels to record at good volume.
  • Setting the microphones to record voice and tone correctly.
  • Testing the headphones for volume
  • Production:
  • Editing verbal mistakes and adjusting dynamics.
  • Adding effects, sourcing, and importing music files.
  • Layering multiple tracks.
  • Age: Year 6-8
  • Number of Ākonga/Students: Maximum 12
  • Time: One full day session 10am to 2:30pm
  • Cost - Funded: $No charge - Funding may be available via GCSN - Greater Christchurch Schools' Network GCSN
  • Cost - Paid: $465.75 - Booked directly with libraries
  • Locations: South / Tūranga / Te Hāpua: Halswell Centre

Do you have a project ready to print or cut, but no machine to do it on? 

We have creative spaces across our network that are filled with technologies that your ākonga may like to see in action. You can book the time you need to print/cut your pre-designed work in our spaces with a tutor in the room for expert support on usage of the machines. 

Number: Note that there are a maximum of 16 computers

Please note that this is a facilitated session and no training or formal teaching will be available from staff. 

  • Age: Year 5 +
  • Number of Ākonga/Students/Kaiako: Maximum 16
  • Time: Minimum of 1 hour
  • Cost - Funded: $No charge - Funding may be available via GCSN - Greater Christchurch Schools' Network GCSN
  • Cost - Paid: $103.50 per hour- Booked directly with libraries
  • Special information: Completed files will need to be submitted. This will help us determine your booking time and address any potential issues.
Do you have some creative technology sitting quiet in your school that has been unused for quite some time? Would you like to learn how to design something amazing to print on it? 

Or perhaps you are considering purchasing some new tech for your school and would like to trial before you buy? 

We are running 3-hour sessions to upskill teachers using design software associated with various creative technologies (Laser Cutter, Vinyl Printer/Cutter, 3D Printer, Direct to Garment Printer, Vacuum Former). 

Options for these sessions are: 

  • Design a T-shirt 
  • Create your own wall sticker
  • Design and print a key tag or pendant
  • Kaiako: Maximum 10
  • Time: One 3-hour session
  • Cost - Funded: $No charge - Funding may be available via GCSN - Greater Christchurch Schools' Network GCSN
  • Locations: South / Tūranga  
  • Dates coming soon.......

Teachers will learn how to create resources for pre and early readers. They will learn how to design, and laser cut resources with a focus on alphabet sounds and digraphs, high frequency words, CVC words, or any word list of their choosing. These resources can be produced to create durable, sustainable, and reusable flash cards, games, puzzles, sound boards, tokens etc  

The aim of the training is to provide teachers with the skills to create self-designed, quality resources for use across the curriculum year after year. 

  • Kaiako: Maximum 10
  • Time: Details to be finalised soon!
  • Cost - Funded: $No charge - Funding may be available via GCSN - Greater Christchurch Schools' Network GCSN
  • Locations: South / Tūranga  

Tūranga School visits

Tūranga school visits

We welcome you and your class to Tūranga. Find more about school visits, self-directed tours, and more.

eResources

Find online resources for kids and teens.

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