Teachers at Gisborne Intermediate School in New Zealand are always looking for new, innovative ways to advocate for student voice and choice, while empowering learners to explore new interests and share their passions with their peers. So, when a colleague came across Tract and shared it with Barry, a teacher at Gisborne Intermediate, he knew he had to try it out in his classroom during inquiry time - their school's version of Genius Hour/Choice Time.
From exploring new interests on a range of kid-driven topics (like gaming the arts, and sports), to uploading projects to show off to their peers in Tract’s Project Gallery, Gisborne Intermediate students were able to learn, create, and share during their inquiry time in ways they never had before.
“Learning, creating, sharing - Tract ticks all of the boxes.”
-Barry H., Teacher at Gisborne Intermediate
Student Voice with a Global Reach
Along with engaging in learning paths and completing exciting, project-based challenges, students at Gisborne Intermediate especially enjoy the opportunity to learn through teaching by creating classes for their peers on Tract.
Using the time set aside during their school’s inquiry time, students leverage Tract’s built-in support through their #CreatorAcademy, where Tract Creators help students design their own learning paths while practicing outlining, scripting, recording, editing, and publishing their own video lessons.
Many students have even worked their way up from standard “Creators” on Tract to “Affiliates,” meaning their lessons aren’t just limited to their schools, and can be seen by audiences all around the world on Tract.
“Tract extends our students’ reach, their voice, and capability to explore, share, and communicate with others from around the world.”
-Barry H., Teacher at Gisborne Intermediate
Peer-to-Peer Mentorship for the 21st Century
Some students at Gisborne Intermediate have excelled in creating on Tract, and are working their way up to the coveted status of a “Paid Partner” Creator, which unlocks the ability to earn revenue for every new lesson published on Tract.
As part of this process, students like Leytonh are able to provide actionable feedback to other student’s submitting their lessons on Tract, offering a 21st-century take on peer-to-peer mentorship.
