Second round of Innovation Fund applications open

&NewLine;<p><img class&equals;" alignright size-full wp-image-1921" src&equals;"http&colon;&sol;&sol;schoolnewsnz&period;fastrackdev&period;com&sol;wp-content&sol;uploads&sol;2015&sol;11&sol;SND21-wk3-Innovation&lowbar;Fund&lowbar;-Hekia&lowbar;Parata1&period;jpg" alt&equals;"SND21-wk3-Innovation Fund -Hekia Parata1" style&equals;"margin&colon; 5px&semi; float&colon; right&semi;" width&equals;"300" height&equals;"264" &sol;>Education Minister Hekia Parata has announced that applications have opened for the second round of the &dollar;10 million Teacher-led Innovation Fund&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p> <&excl;--more--> <&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&&num;8220&semi;This fund is part of our &dollar;359 million Investing in Educational Success initiative and allows teachers to develop innovative teaching practices to help lift student achievement&comma;&&num;8221&semi; Ms Parata says&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&&num;8220&semi;Teachers often have ideas that make a real difference in the classroom and this fund will help to bring them to life&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&&num;8220&semi;More than 75 schools won funding from over 200 applications in the first round&period; Since July their projects have been put into practice and shared across schools&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&&num;8220&semi;Successful applications from the first round include a programme focused on teachers applying neurological research to help students with dyslexia and a collaborative project establishing an urban concept farm where students and teachers build stronger engagement in science education&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&&num;8220&semi;I was delighted with the calibre and range of applications from the first round and I look forward to seeing more innovative ideas in the second round&comma;&&num;8221&semi; the Minister says&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>An independent selection panel is overseeing the annual rounds of applications over three years&period; There is approximately &dollar;4 million of funding available in the second round&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Applications close on February 19&comma; 2016&period; More information can be found <a href&equals;"http&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;education&period;govt&period;nz&sol;ministry-of-education&sol;specific-initiatives&sol;investing-in-educational-success&sol;teacher-led-innovation-fund&sol;" target&equals;"&lowbar;blank">here<&sol;a>&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&nbsp&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;