By Susan Sandys  March 19 2010

Jan Anderson of Methven Primary School needs to take a virtual bow as she has been recognised as New Zealand's most innovative information technology teacher.

At the weekend Mrs Anderson was chosen as the New Zealand winner of Microsoft's 2010 Innovative Teacher Award, presented in Singapore.

 She was among 200 attending the Asia Pacific Regional Innovative Education Forum, and one of just 18 to receive the award, each representing their country in Asia, the Pacific and North America.

Mrs Anderson will now go on to compete at the Worldwide Innovative Education Forum in South Africa in October.

She said yesterday it was "really, really cool" to receive the award, but handed the credit to her combined Year 5/6 classroom members of 2009.

"It's their work I presented," she said.

"I'm really proud for our school, it's a small country school, to be represented for all of New Zealand, and we don't have all of the technology in the world. It's just great."

Mrs Anderson was first recognised for her innovative use of computer programmes when she was one of five finalists for the award last year, and then being among the two chosen to attend the Singapore conference. She was the only South Island nominee and one of just two primary school nominees.

Her students said they learned in the coolest classroom in the school. They wrote their own blogs, created work with a variety of computer programmes and did plenty of gaming.

Mrs Anderson integrates a new X-box game into her classroom each term so her pupils become active participants in their learning, using strategies that employ higher order thinking in game scenarios and strategies.

Pictured: Methven Primary School teacher Jan Anderson is New Zealand's most innovative information technology teacher. - Photo Carmen Rooney 230909-CR-002