We run a four-day professional learning and development programme for up to 24 secondary school teachers in Dunedin during the summer school holidays. The 2027 workshops will run from January 24-27, 2027 (TBC).
2027 workshops
Join us in Dunedin for an immersive professional development experience at the University of Otago.
What makes this programme special?
- All-inclusive campus experience
- Stay and dine on our historic university campus while you learn
- Ready-to-use resources
- Take home practical activities, lab experiments, and field trip ideas you can implement immediately in your classroom
- Real-world learning focus
- Specializing in EOTC (Education Outside the Classroom) and contextual science learning through hands-on lab sessions and authentic field experiences
- Professional network
- Connect with passionate science educators from across New Zealand who share your commitment to excellence
- Cutting-edge science topics
- Marine science
- Sport and exercise science
- Mātauranga Māori
- Senior science focused lab teaching
- Plus much more!
- 15 years of excellence
- Trusted by hundreds of teachers with consistently outstanding feedback – this isn't just professional development, it's career transformation
- Financial support available
- Travel funding may be available for teachers from top three equity index band schools (formerly deciles 1–3)
2026 workshops
Sessions were run by academic teaching staff at the University and invited speakers who specialise in science outreach. The focus was on practical sessions and current academic research linked to the New Zealand Science Curriculum.
Workshops in January 2026 included:
- Practical lab sessions for senior Biology, Chemistry and Physics teachers
- Using Sport and Exercise Science to teach scientific concepts
- Field trip to New Zealand Marine Studies Centre to for classroom resources and teaching activities around Marine Science for junior and senior students
- Field trip to Orokonui Ecosanctuary for Mātauranga Māori and guided walk followed by Taonga Natural Products - Mātauranga Māori and natural products chemistry talk
- Resource sharing, networking and programme planning with other teachers
- Literacy in Science and Scientific Literacy
- And much, much more!
To date, our professional development workshops have been very well received and we will continue to work hard to ensure the programme provides you with new skills, insights and resources to enhance your classroom teaching.
The overall aim is to present tools and techniques that teachers can apply back in their classrooms. We also aim to foster links, discussions and support between teachers and academic staff at the University of Otago
Quotes from 2026 teachers
“I am still thinking about all the amazing inspiration everyone provided! I’m so glad I got to be a part of this! I am looking forward to putting it into practice.”
“I can show my students the things we saw and the enthusiasm shared with me can now be shared with my students. The linking of matauranga Māori at Orokonui and in the chemistry lab is the first thing I will be doing.”
“All the resources, materials and different ways to help students made me excited this school year.”
Venue
The 2026 teachers were housed at Hayward College.
Cost
$450 plus travel
This covers your programme costs, transport during the programme, accommodation and meals. Transport will be provided to and from Dunedin airport or bus station.
Withdrawal of Ministry of Education funding in 2019 means we are no longer able to cover travel costs to and from Dunedin.
Teacher workshop interviews
Hear from teachers who have attended our PLD workshops in the past.
- Richard Armomd – Stratford High School
- Lynley Hall – Lytton High School
- Gael Surrey – Waitara High School
For further information, contact:
Emily Hall MSciComm
Science Teaching Co-ordinator
Science Academy
Tel +64 3 244 8487
Email ouassa@otago.ac.nz