Alicia studied with NetNZ from Year 10 to Year 13, starting at Temuka and later at Catlins Area School. Her mother, Kate Staniford, serves as the Principal of Twizel Area School and a NetNZ board member, adding a personal connection to her story.
Case Study: Alicia Staniford
Alicia Staniford’s experience with NetNZ showcases the flexibility and opportunities the platform offers in supporting students in remote areas of New Zealand.
Alicia’s introduction to NetNZ began in Year 10 with a course called Crafting History. “I started with NetNZ when I was Year 10,” she recalls. This course combined her love for creativity with historical learning through Minecraft. “I really loved the Crafting History course, especially, because I’ve always been a creative person. So it was a lot of fun to do that sort of stuff building and creating while learning.”
When Alicia and her family moved to Catlins Area School, she continued her NetNZ journey with a course in philosophy during Year 13. Reflecting on her experience, she shared, “The philosophy course I really enjoyed. I’ve always been interested in that learning as well. So it was kind of cool to do that because, obviously, my school wouldn’t have offered that because it was such a small school.”
Connecting with others and future impact
One of the standout features of NetNZ for Alicia was the opportunity to meet and interact with students from various backgrounds. “It was really cool seeing people from other life experiences, especially in this philosophy course. We had lots of different backgrounds, and it was interesting seeing various different opinions and life experiences and how that influenced their ideas.” This diversity enriched her learning experience, offering perspectives that were otherwise unavailable in a traditional classroom setting.
Despite the online nature of NetNZ, Alicia felt a strong sense of support and collaboration. “A lot of the time you are obviously doing the video calls and you are always kind of interacting during the period that you’re working in. And if you have other people who are also doing it from your school, you’re obviously doing it with them as well.” This sense of community and interaction helped bridge the gap between remote learning and traditional classroom environments.
Alicia went on to study for her Bachelor’s in Fine Arts at the University of Canterbury, majoring in graphic design. She attributes part of her success in higher education to the skills she developed through NetNZ. “It helped tremendously because at uni you don’t have as much support, you don’t have a teacher telling you what to do and telling you to do it at a certain time. You have to do a lot of self-guided learning. Doing something like NetNZ where you have to do a bit of self-guided learning was good.”
Alicia also contributed artwork for the NetNZ website. Describing her process, she explained, “Darren would come to me with a concept, usually it was based on a specific idea, like connected learning. I would make up some drafts to send to him, and then we would discuss what worked, what didn’t, and kind of combine it together to incorporate the general idea of whatever the theme was.”
For students considering NetNZ but hesitant about the independent nature of online learning, Alicia offers encouragement: “They should just do it. DOn’t hesitate. I mean, there is a lot of work that you are doing independently, but there is a lot of support too.” Her experience shows that the support and collaboration within NetNZ can provide a rich and engaging learning environment, even for those who might initially find the concept daunting.
Alicia Staniford’s journey through NetNZ highlights the platform’s ability to provide quality education and opportunities for students in remote areas. Her story underscores the benefits of online learning, from fostering creativity and independent learning skills to providing a diverse and collaborative educational experience. As Alicia’s path shows, NetNZ can be a gateway to both personal and academic growth, preparing students for future success in their studies and beyond.