DEANZ

From Researching Virtual Initiatives in Education

DEANZ (Distance Education Association of New Zealand, Māori:Te Hunga Tatai i te Ako Pamamao) is a national association committed to fostering growth, development, research and good practice in distance education, open learning and flexible delivery systems for education.

DEANZ is made up of individual and institutional members mainly from within New Zealand but also from the Pacific Rim.

Distance, open learning and flexible delivery systems use educational and telecommunications technology such as printed materials, video or teleconferencing, e-mail, internet and television. They aim to give students as much control as possible over what, when, where and how they learn.

Our membership comes from all sectors within education - pre-school, primary, secondary, vocational and tertiary. We are committed to lifelong learning.

Membership is open to anyone or any institution with an interest in distance education and/or open learning. Our members include students and parents of students as well as education providers.

The aim of this association is to foster high standards in the practice of distance education in New Zealand.

This will be achieved by:

• Ensuring that the spirit of partnership embodied in the Treaty of Waitangi (Te Tiriti O Waitangi), and the articles of that Treaty are honoured by DEANZ
• Undertaking activities which are seen by the Association to be in the interests of distance education in New Zealand
• Advising and making representations on any matters relevant to distance education in New Zealand
• Establishing and maintaining liaison with the international distance education community
• Promoting discussion about research and development in distance education, disseminating the results of relevant research and identifying areas in which research and development is particularly needed
• Organising regular conferences, special interest seminars and workshops on distance education
• Regularly publishing a newsletter, refereed annual Journal and other publications (such as conference proceedings) from time to time

Its website is at http://www.deanz.org.nz/home/

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