EC2 - Education + Careers - May 2015

A New Zealand Herald Commercial Publication

Thursday, May 28, 2015

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4 CHASING THE DREAM

How do New Zealand teenagers become elite athletes?

6 FLIPPED LEARNING

MIT are shaking up the traditional lecturer/student dichotomy.

Veronika Djoulai

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8 RAISING DIGITAL STANDARDS Despite years of lobbying, many of our schools are still struggling to teach technology in a coherent way.

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CHASING THE DREAM

Avondale College student Kale Paki hopes to obtain a football scholarship and study in the United States.

All pictures / Ted Baghurst

The likes of Lydia Ko and Steven Adams prove coming from New Zealand is no barrier to making it to the very top in sports.

But how does a New Zealand teenager, demonstrating some sporting talent become an elite athlete? schoolers but — significantly — were never pushed to compete or train beyond what they wanted to do. Back then, the goal was to have fun and they kept swimming, playing football or running for the sheer joy of it.

Talent development manager at Sport NZ, Alex Chiet, says one of the most important things parents and caregivers can do is to expose their kids to quality sporting experiences at a young age.

“It should be about having fun, moving and learning new skills in an enjoyable environment. It doesn’t mean winning straight away or competing in numerous competitions. In fact, that can be the fastest way to guarantee burn-out, over-use injuries and put kids off a particular sport. Sometimes playing with mates, running round the local park and climbing trees is more beneficial.”

He says the desire to take a sport to the next level has to come from within and a positive attitude is as important as talent when young sportspeople want to compete at an elite level.

“There’s no straightforward ‘yellow brick road’ to follow. The qualities elite sportspeople seem to share revolve around mindset, resilience and work ethic.”

Alex says parents and caregivers can help by understanding what exactly the ‘next level’ is. Getting that “good clarity” means talking to the right people — coaches and a sport’s national body are best — to find out where on the pathway their son or daughter is and then helping determine what milestones to work toward.

He stresses that there’s a fine line between being encouraging and perhaps adding to pressure a young athlete may experience: “I think there’s enough pressure on youth today so it’s important

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ABOVE: Bailey Stewart, 18, aims to complete at the World University Games this year. parents are there to encourage but also to listen and help athletes come to their own decisions.”

It can take years to reach peak performance — the length of time varies from sport to sport — and there are people who could have been brilliant athletes but figured they weren’t making it to the top quickly enough so gave up because they wrongly thought there was no hope.

As a child, Kale says he was rarely picked for representative teams but kept playing

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SWIMMER TAYLA CLEMENT, footballer Kale Paki and runner Bailey Stewart are taking it to the top. They’re on the journey of a lifetime and while it could take years, they’re willing to devote time and energy — and make considerable sacrifices — to see how far they can go in their respective sports.

Tayla, 17, was born with the rare disorder Moebius Syndrome which causes facial paralysis — she can’t smile, move her eyebrows or her eyes from left to right — and club feet. While surgery helped correct her feet, Tayla still can’t flex her ankles. She has also lived with Type 1 Diabetes since she was three years old, but she’s still making waves. Now in her final year at Westlake Girls School, Tayla has been selected for the Rio 2016 Paralympic Swimming Squad and last year won the ASB College Sport Award for Best Athlete with a Disability as well as the Quota Community Champion Award.

Kale, 17, has another year at Avondale College where he plays centre midfield in the school’s first XI. He’s also the youngest player on the Oratia United First Team, after being invited to join by professional football coach Steve Cain. Kale hopes to obtain a football scholarship and study in the United States.

Bailey, 18, recently started a business degree on a full scholarship at AUT University and would like to compete at the World University Games in South Korea later this year. He’s well on track especially given that he last year broke the NZ Secondary Schools Championship 400m record, running it in 46.67secs, cutting 0.23 from the existing record.

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COLLEGE

Tayla Clement has been selected for the Rio Paralympic Swimming Squad.

PARENT HELPERS When a young sportsman or woman starts competing or playing at elite level are parents and caregivers relegated to the sidelines?

No way, say the parents of Tayla Clement, Kale Paki and Bailey Stewart.

They joke about mum and dad playing taxi driver and motivating not-so-early risers to get up and train. However, they acknowledge there are more serious aspects to parenting emerging sports stars.

For starters, there are concerns about the balance between school and sporting achievements. Kale’s dad, Casey, who’s also a former representative footballer, and mum, Jo, say it’s about helping a young person to find balance but trusting them enough to know they will, when necessary, knuckle down and concentrate on school work. If Kale wants to attend an American college on a full or partial scholarship, he has to keep his grades up which, in itself, is motivation.

Tayla’s mum and dad, Nicola, once a representative swimmer, and Mike, say parents have to welcome a new adult figure into their child’s life: the coach. It’s about keeping the lines of communication open and ensuring the adults work together to understand their respective roles, agree on the balance between school and sport, and provide support and guidance in areas which might

because he enjoyed football, was learning new skills and improving his own personal performances. Diligence, determination and maturity have seen rewards start to come his way.

Tayla, Kale and Bailey were each in their early to mid teens when they decided to up the training and focus on some specific and personal goals: bettering their best times, perfecting certain skills and the opportu-

CROMWELL COLLEGE

include performance planning, physical conditioning, mental skills training, technique improvement, tactical ability, injury prevention, nutrition and life balance.

Bailey’s mother, Kim Bolton, says just as a young athlete is on a learning curve, so are his or her parents.

“I have learnt about improving nutrition in dietary needs to maximise performance, balance school and academic commitments, sportsman and always be there to listen, be supportive and give advice when requested.

“Bailey has a very strong family support network — from his Grandad to uncles who are always track side — his coach and his old Sacred Heart College friends and teachers. I think this support has really helped him during the years.”

His dad, Andrew, says one of the toughest situations they’ve faced was helping their son deal with disappointment. In 2013, he put everything into qualifying for the World Juniors by attempting to run a time of 47.00 but clocked 47.17 and missed out.

While his parents tried to give him space, Andrew says learning to deal with disappointment and set new goals is part of being an athlete and it ultimately proved a valuable experience for Bailey. He re-committed himself to his running, could recognise new opportunities and set fresh goals. He’s come back faster and stronger than ever.

nity to start travelling and competing or playing internationally. They were fortunate enough to be in a club structure and to find coaches willing to work with them.

Tayla rises at 4.30am five days a week to train and, two days a week, returns to the pool after school for two hours. She now has a weekend part-time job and says she does it because she’s always been good at >> time management.

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COLLEGE

• Making the pathway to high performance sport clearer for pre-elite athletes and their coaches.

• Getting support around potential medal winners early on, to give them the best shot at future success.

Kale trains three times a week at school — often in the morning before class — two evenings a week with his club and plays on Saturdays and Sundays. He also goes to the gym four nights a week, but says that’s something he instigated for himself because he enjoys it.

“It also helps that I’ve had the same circle of friends for ages and they understand what I do. I’d like a part-time job, but it just isn’t possible so I make do with casual work in the school holidays.”

Bailey runs six out of seven days and combines this with additional work-outs, such as strength and conditioning. He says ensuring the lines of communication with school, and now university, are kept open so he can timetable in assignment due dates and exam schedules.

“If you’re open with your teachers and lecturers, it helps them to realise where you’re at and they can help you to make things work.”

Each acknowledges their decision to aim for the top came at an age when the opportunities to socialise, take on part time jobs and gain some financial indepen-

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FLIPPED LEARNING

MIT are shaking up the traditional lecturer/ student dichotomy. By Joanna Mathers CALLED “FLIPPED LEARNING”, this educational model turns the university classroom on its head. Instead of being taught from the front of the classroom by a lecturer or tutor, students within the flipped learning model first engage with new topics via videos or other learning resources in their own space and time. They then join with other students in a classroom setting to discuss, debate and explore the topics in more depth.

In the traditional (or teacher-centred model) the lecturers or tutors are the primary source of information. By contrast, the flipped learning model deliberately shifts the focus to the learner; and class time is dedicated to exploring topics collaboratively.

Tutors in the flipped classroom answer questions and provide clarity around subjects raised. Working alongside students in relatively small groups, they support learn-

“the flipped learning model deliberately shifts the focus to the learner; and class time is dedicated to exploring topics collaboratively.”

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model has been introduced gradually, and in conjunction with the opening of the new Manukau campus last year. While flipped learning is present in other tertiary education facilities around the country, Owens says MIT is putting increased emphasis on the teaching model.

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ing by working with students on complex issues that arise during the initial engagement with the teaching resource. This allows for deeper understanding of the subject and provides students with an accessible forum in which to raise questions.

Tessa Owens is the academic director of Manukau Institute of Technology. She says that the flipped learning

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dence, and homework loads were increasing. They’ve had to make tough choices about which other sports and extracurricular activities to drop and time management has become the biggest hurdle.

While there are times when each feels they might be missing out on parties and outings, Bailey sums it when he says if he wasn’t chasing the dream he’d forever wonder what might have been.

But many sporting codes find promising teenagers quit.

Sport NZ, High Performance Sport NZ and 14 regional talent hubs around the country have joined forces on Pathway to Podium to help more youngsters make it on the world’s sporting stage. The goal is for some participants to win medals at Olympic/Paralympic Games or world championships, usually around 8-10 years after starting their Pathway to Podium journey. That in itself is further proof that participants, who are selected to join by national sporting organisations, recognise the long-term nature of their goals.

Tayla and Bailey are on the programme and especially enjoy workshops about mental preparedness, time management and the more practical aspects of their lifestyles, like nutrition. They appreciate that it teaches life skills applicable to the non-sporting world and that it includes workshops for parents to help them better understand what’s involved.

“It’s about support, growth and development and not just winning,” says Alex Chiet. “The chances of success vary from sport to sport but let’s not lie. Not many athletes make it to the very top in their chosen sport, so it’s also about teaching transferrable skills. We talk about managing relationships, team work, time management and the wider opportunities which exist around the sports they’re involved with.”

7

TERTIARY

WHAT IS FLIPPED LEARNING? • Shifts focus to the student • Students prepare before class via internet, books, video or podcast • Teacher encourages collaborative classroom discussion

“Pockets of other universities and polytechnics are doing flipped learning. But MIT is doing more of a push here. We understand that it gives students advanced learning opportunities that they may not otherwise gain.”

Owens has a particular analogy she uses to illustrate the flipped learning education model.

“It’s like baking a cake,” she says. “You can come to class and listen to the instructions for the recipe, or you can read it beforehand and start baking as soon as you get into class. This is where the advanced learn-

ABOVE: Students in the flipped learning model initially engage with topics via videos or other learning resources in their own space and time.

Picture / Getty ing begins, when the application begins.”

Owens says that flipped learning came about due to dissatisfaction around traditional teaching hierarchies. Developed in the early 2000s, flipped learning places the more of the onus of responsibility on to the students, who must actively engage with the topic before they enter the classroom.

“The students have to watch a lecture

or listen to a podcast before they enter the classroom. This gives them a deeper understanding of the topic being explored prior to meeting with their lecturers. They can then discuss queries and issues with their contemporaries — this creates a truly shared learning experience.”

For many students, the traditional lecture/ tutorial model can be intimidating. “Students are often nervous about speaking up in front of their contemporaries; worried about asking ‘stupid’ questions,” says Owens.

“In the flipped classroom, students can discuss and consult with each other; the tutor is there in a more supportive role.”

Another aspect of the flipped learning experience is the development of collaborative learning. While assessment is currently carried out through essays and exams (as in the traditional model) she hopes that there will be more group-based assessments in the future.

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“The ability to work together well is incredibly important in the employment environment. Developing these skills at university can help students when they embark on their careers.”

The class sizes in the flipped learning tertiary environment are smaller than in a traditional lecture theatre. Ranging from 12 to 25, this allows for closer engagement with other students and tutors on the course.

The model works well within subjects like social science and business, where there is more of a theoretical focus.

“For practical courses, in-class learning is obviously necessary; but the flipped learning model can you used for more theoretical teaching,” says Owen.

The flipped learning model also allows the educator to develop further skills within the classroom. They are called upon to continually observe their students, providing them with relevant, on-the-spot feedback.

Owen says that it is too early to tell how successful the flipped learning model has been working for students, but says that feedback from students will be a key component in measuring this. She says that international experiences indicate that the flipped classroom is a useful way in which to engage with new knowledge and learn in a collaborative, non-threatening environment.

It also enables teachers to work alongside students with different learning styles and support them with any difficulties they may encounter. “Teachers can respond to different learning styles and they can respond to questions the students might have had in the past, once they leave the classroom.”

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RAISING DIGITAL STANDARDS Despite years of lobbying by teachers and industry, many New Zealand schools are still struggling to teach technology in a coherent way. By Adam Gifford

THE RESULTS OF the new NCEA standards are starting to come through with top students making connections with Silicon Valley and universities reporting that last year’s intake have a better idea of what computer science is about.

But if you look on the Ministry of Education or Te Kete Ipurangi websites for resources, you could be hard pressed to turn the NCEA standards into classroom lessons.

Gerard MacManus, the president of the New Zealand Association for Computing and Digital Technology Teachers, says a lot of what is available to teachers comes from sharing resources with other teachers, or from universities putting on short seminars with industry funding.

“The question may be asked is ICT broken, or is not enough information coming out of the ministry in the form of guidance for courses based on the standards?

“We are five years in to this, but the best that is coming out is from other teachers,” says Macmanus, who recently moved

up from Christchurch to establish digital technology strands at the new Hobsonville Point Secondary School.

While ministers say they are putting millions of dollars into e-learning, that is different to spending on programming and computer science.

A question to the ministry on support for the digital technology subject strands highlights the problem.

It also spends about $800,000 a year on the technology online website “dedicated to supporting teachers, students and teacher educators of technology by showcasing examples of contemporary teaching and learning and online discussion forums.” (http://technology.tki.org.nz/) Another $9m a year is spent “to support incorporating the use of digital technologies in learning”.

“We try to get teachers excited as well as teach something practical they can take back to their schools.”

— Unitec’s Dr Mahsa Mohaghegh Graham Stoop, the deputy secretary for student achievement, says the ministry spends about $9 million on professional learning and development facilitators to primary and secondary schools to support specific curriculum areas, including the technology learning area. “The proportion of this spent for technology varies depending on demand” — ie, a small fraction of $9m.

These include something called Learning with Digital Technologies for school leaders and teachers who want to build their capability to use digital technology across all curriculum learning areas, and software training and accreditation programme, Microsoft IT Academy, which is being trialed in 20 schools.

Office productivity all well and good, but

using a tablet to deliver a geography lesson is not going to give us our next generation of technologists.

“They have blurred what we think of as teaching digital technology with the use of information and communications technology,” says MacManus.

That’s annoying for teachers who came up with the “digital technology” label as a way to encompass the various strands without turning off pupils before they gave themselves a chance to find out what was involved.

For now it’s up to the schools and universities to make the running.

Canterbury University software engineering Professor Tim Bell, who lobbied hard for the new standards, says their success can be measured in the number of students coming through and also their diversity, with more girls studying software than before.

Education Ministry figures show 4630 students passed a programming achievement standard in 2013: 3025 in NCEA level 1, 975 in level 2 and 630 in level 3.

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COLLEGE

ABOVE: A lack of support for technology subjects from the ministry means that schools and universities are having to pick up the slack.

Picture / Getty

“What they get at year 13 is the equivalent to about an eighth of what they might learn at university, but the important thing is they know what it is. Imagine if you had never heard of law or encountered a lawyer and you turned up at university to study law. That’s how it used to be with computer science,” Bell says.

There’s a regional bias evident — lots of Christchurch schools have got in on the act,

but Auckland has been slow to adapt.

“The real bottleneck is the availability of staff.”

He says having a good foundation in digital technology at school will have a similar effect as having subjects like physics and chemistry on the curriculum, where students who do well carry on into sciencerelated degrees. “It’s a chance to find out if they are good at it, which is more important

than the base skills they may pick up.”

Canterbury runs a three-day course for teachers each year, and last year attracted 120 teachers.

Other universities have similar offerings, and coordinate so they each offer something different.

Unitec lecturer Dr Mahsa Mohaghegh ran her first course for teachers with money from Google, and last year’s course had

additional sponsorship from IBM, Vodafone and Unitec itself.

“We try to get teachers excited as well as teach something practical they can take back to their schools,” she says.

After running sessions for students at various Auckland High schools, she also started a mobile app building competition for girls, with the prize being a fees scholarship to Unitec.

The response was so positive Unitec ended handing over three scholarships, and it as started another competition open to both female and male students.

John Creighton from the South Island’s largest secondary school, Burnside High in Christchurch, says while such courses are a help they’re also a “sugar high”, getting teachers excited until they get back to the classroom.

Digital technology is compulsory for all of Burnside’s 500 year 11 students, giving them a foundation if they want to focus later on strands like design, multimedia, programming, information management or electronics.

“In years 12 and 13 we move to project based learning, which is where I get my scholarships,” Creighton says.

Three of his students earned scholarships last year, including Nathan James whose automated bulk bin dispenser for supermarkets, designed from a Raspberry Pi computer, also on him a Realise the Dream travel grant to attend the INTEL Science and Engineering Fair in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in May. Another student redeveloped Facebook for improved privacy, while the third developed a career site.

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COLLEGE

DEMYSTIFYING DECILES Politicians, parents, teachers, schools and especially real estate agents are talking about them, but what do they mean and how are they calculated? Donna McIntyre investigates

THE DECILE SYSTEM was introduced in 1995 to provide a level playing field for this country’s schools, replacing equity funding pools. Decile ratings measuring a school community’s socio-economic position relative to other school communities determine which schools required extra resources to meet greater educational needs of students from lower socio-economic backgrounds.

Decile 1 schools are the 10 per cent of schools with the highest proportion of students from low socio-economic communities. Decile 10 schools are the 10 per cent of schools with the lowest proportion of these students. A lower rating generates more funding.

In New Zealand every state school receives a socio-economic decile rating of 1-10 from the Ministry of Education. (Private schools are also rated but they don’t receive decile funding.)

Both the Ministry of Education and the PPTA (New Zealand Post Primary Teachers’

Association) say students from low decile schools can achieve educationally but they also recognise those students start from a disadvantaged position, experiencing significant barriers to learning and most at risk of failing academically. They tend to have parents with limited educational qualifica-

“the intention of using decile funding is great and must not be lost, but the mechanism is now too blunt” — Angela Roberts, PPTA tions, low levels of family income, crowded houses and are more likely to arrive at school with health and learning deficits.

School staffing is not decile-linked.

The ministry’s deputy secretary for student achievement Graham Stoop said schools’ decile ratings did not reflect the quality of education schools provide. “The quality of teaching and leadership at a

school are the most important factors in lifting student achievement.”

PPTA president Angela Roberts said deciles were often mistaken as measures of average parental income for the school, of school wealth, of teaching and learning quality, or as a de facto measure of racial composition in the school.

“Some of the most skilled, dedicated, and experienced teaches work in low decile schools.

However, higher decile schools tend to attract larger fields and have lower turnovers. This might be a consequence of having better facilities and students with fewer socioeconomically derived issues to deal with.”

Last November’s new decile ratings for the country’s 2406 state and stateintegrated schools followed recalculations using the 2013 census information.

“Decile ratings, which take into account five different factors that measure disadvantage in a school community, aren’t perfect,”

said Dr Stoop when the new decile information was released. “But … they are the best tool we have to make sure that the schools in greatest need get extra resources.

There are several reasons a school’s position in the decile ratings may change: • A change in the mixture of students attending a school

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COLLEGE

WHAT IS THE DECILE SYSTEM?

The decile system ranks schools by the socio-economic status of the areas where their families live.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Deciles are based on household incomes, occupations, educational qualifications, overcrowding and the proportion of people on benefits in a defined area where pupils live.

Each school provides a list of student addresses which is used to determine which areas each school is drawing its students from.

Schools are ranked according to five indicators of socio-economic status of communities the school’s students live in.

• Percentage of households with income in the lowest 20 per cent nationally • Percentage of employed parents in the lowest skilled occupational groups • Household crowding (proportion of people per bedroom) • Percentage of parents with no educational qualifications

• A change in circumstances of the community children come from • A change in the school community’s position in relation to all other schools in New Zealand.

Roughly one-third of the country’s schools moved to a lower decile rating, onethird moved up.

ABOVE: Decile ratings simply reflect the socioeconomic make-up of the student population.

Funding will increase from the start of the 2015 school year for schools that moved to a lower decile. For schools moving to a higher decile, funding continues until July,

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when it will move halfway towards the new rate, and the rest of the way in July 2016, allowing schools time to plan for the change.

Roberts said the PPTA and Secondary Principals’ Council (SPC) share the view that the intention of using decile funding is great and must not be lost, but the mecha-

• Percentage of parents receiving benefit support.

Each school receives a score for each indicator and the five scores are added together. This total gives the school’s standing in relation to all other schools, enabling the ministry to place schools into ten groups called deciles, ranked highest to lowest, with approximately 10 per cent of schools falling into each decile.

PROBLEMS

The PPTA has concerns about how the deciles are determined. For instance: • They are based on students from the bottom 20 per cent of income families. (No information on the others 80 per cent) • How many students are from homes which are over-crowded? (Having three people per bedroom gets the same weighting as having eight) • How many students come from families with parents with no academic qualifications?

• Families not on a benefit all score zero on the benefit support criteria, regardless of whether parents are in lowpaying jobs or earning $1m per year.

nism is now too blunt, not getting resourcing to all the students who need it most and too open to misinterpretation and misunderstanding.

The PPTA belies that a wider application of the socio-economic data for each student in the school would give a truer picture of needs.

12

TERTIARY

Thousands of performing arts students will benefit from expanded education opportunities when the Waterfront Theatre opens its doors. By Dionne Christian AUCKLAND THEATRE COMPANY, the driving force behind the new theatre, already runs education programmes that see up to 10,000 students participate annually in activities including matinee performances and post-show forums, in-school workshops, and the Ambassadors Programme, Summer School and The Next Big Thing for young theatre-makers and enthusiasts.

It’s been working alongside tertiary institute AUT, who contributed $5 million to the Waterfront Theatre, to find ways to further develop arts and creative industries education programmes. Spokespeople for both organisations have described the partnership as a game changer for young people, for the performing arts in general and for the live performance industry.

They say it will create new ways for young people to connect with the performing arts, presents opportunities for research and development that have not existed before, and will “explode wide open” the concept of how young people are RIGHT: An artist’s impression of the ASB Waterfront Theatre, which will be home to the Auckland Theatre Company next year.

Picture / Supplied

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TERTIARY

trained for careers either in the performing arts or in other areas.

Recently ATC and AUT brought to town Alex Sarian, director of business development and operations for Lincoln Center Education, the education division of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.

They wanted to hear more about LCE’s arts education and advocacy work and how arts and education can contribute more fully to unlocking potential, creating stronger communities and shaping the creative economy in Auckland.

The Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, in New York’s Manhattan, is one of the world’s biggest arts facilities and includes 30 indoor and outdoor performance spaces spread over a 6.6ha complex of buildings. Founded in 1975, the education division aims to enrich the lives of students, educators, and lifelong

phenomenon where education is all about ‘teaching to the test’, and it’s impacting on the way in which students learn and teachers teach” he says. “It’s concerning that the first things to be cut are the arts and sports, when very often these are the subjects that kids come to school for because they’re fun and they engage students in a different way.

“My personal feeling is that you can’t teach a child if they’re not engaged in school; if bringing the arts into a young person’s life empowers them to take ownership over their own education, that’s a huge win and something we can’t afford to do without.”

He says arts education teaches creativity and original-thinking, skills which are likely to be in high demand in future.

“We talk about preparing students for the future, when we don’t even know what the world will look like in 20 years time. It means the ability for creative problem-solving and collaborative thinking will become increasingly important.”

Alex says while in Auckland, he was interested to see the arts at work in culturally diverse communities with a Alex Sarian range of arts practices. He timed his five-day visit to coincide with the Auckland Arts Festival and used the opportunity to connect with a cross-section of arts practitioners and organisations, educators and agencies working in the sector.

“It’s about getting to know the local community, letting people know that Lincoln Center Education is a global resource, sharing best practices and exploring ways of working together.”

ATC general manager Lester McGrath

“you can’t teach a child if they’re not engaged in school; if bringing the arts into a young person’s life empowers them to take ownership over their own education, that’s a huge win” – learners through a variety of community partnerships, professional development workshops, consulting services and its own performance programme.

Alex says he enjoyed school because he could participate in performing arts which were a much-needed confidence builder.

The performing arts, especially theatre, developed into a passion which set him on a lifelong path and ultimately developed into a career.

“Currently, it’s become a worldwide

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ABOVE: Auckland Theatre Company run regular programmes which that see up to 10,000 students get experience in a range of theatre-related activities.

LEFT: Alex Sarian, director of business development for New York’s Lincoln Center Education.

says he’s been following LCE initiatives for some time.

“I’m a huge fan of the work they do there and have been very, very impressed with their initiatives and programmes,” he says.

“The arts have a far-reaching role to play in the development of young people and

communities. As a regional provider with a regional focus, we are fully committed to our education programmes which are core to our business.”

Those programmes have expanded into wider community engagement initiatives under the umbrella of Participate. This includes working with neighbourhoods and specific interest groups, including industry ones, to support theatre-makers and artists in a range of settings.

14

TERTIARY

Dionne Christian talks to three recent graduates from the University of Auckland who are about to face the uncertain realities of the world

IT USED TO be said that “school days” were the best of your life and the longer you studied, the longer you could revel in those halcyon days. But today’s tertiary graduates face unprecedented challenges: a tough job market, pressure to continually upskill and financial burdens not to mention the ‘tyranny of choice’ created by having so many prospective careers to choose from.

It means real world problems are certainly no longer something to be confronted only when they graduate.

Chloe Lamont (25), Joel Lawson (23) and

Bradley Wood (21) are among the 6662 who graduated from the University of Auckland in May. Despite the challenges ahead, the three are optimistic about their futures and keen to make their mark on the world in their respective careers. Now taking the next steps on their own lifelong journeys, they’re focused, enthusiastic and happy to share their thoughts on what comes next.

Chloe Lamont completed a Bachelor of Engineering BE (Hons) at Massey University where she majored in Chemical Engineering before heading to Auckland to do a Post

Graduate Diploma in Wine Science. She’s now working at Terra Sancta, a boutique winery in Bannockburn, Central Otago in a “unique” graduate position which sees her working in all areas of the business.

“It’s fantastic to see all the aspects of work at Terra Sancta and not be pigeonholed early on in my career,” Chloe says.

The 2009 Dux of east Auckland’s Macleans College, Joel Lawson received one of New Zealand’s most prestigious academic awards, the Premier Scholarship, to attend Auckland University where he received top

ABOVE: Chloe Lamont completed a Post Graduate Diploma in Wine Science and is working at a Central Otago vineyard.

Picture / Ted Baghurst

marks during his Bachelor of Science BSc/ BE (Hons) conjoint degree. Now working as a product development engineer at Fisher and Paykel Healthcare, he and his new wife leave New Zealand midyear so he can complete a PhD at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) which houses NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

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TERTIARY

“I have been very fortunate to obtain scholarships which mean I’m not starting out with five years of debt,” Joel says. “I would not have been able to travel to the United States, where I’ll spend the next few years, without this help.”

Originally from Christchurch, Bradley Wood is now an Honours student at Auckland University’s School of Music where he’s majored in classical performance (piano) under the direction of associate professor Rae de Lisle. He’s gained performance diplomas with distinction from Trinity College in London and performed with the Christchurch Symphony, Nelson Symphony and the Auckland Philharmonia orchestras.

Bradley also received Auckland University’s Janetta McStay Prize for Pianists in 2013, has been a semi-finalist in the Wallace National Piano Competition and Kerikeri International Piano Competition and, this year, was awarded first prize in the Christchurch National Concerto Competition along with the Audience Award. Once Bradley completes his Honours, he intends to study for his Masters Degree (MA).

“Coming from New Zealand, because of the size of its music community, it would easy to thrust out onto the world stage and simply get lost. I want to create an individual path.”

– Bradley Wood “I want to go on to do study which will create further and perhaps more specific vocational opportunities,” he says. “I want to gain more knowledge from my course teachers; I don’t feel I have gotten all I can and I think I will benefit from doing further study. Coming from New Zealand, because of the size of its music community, it would easy to thrust out onto the world stage and simply get lost. I want to create an individual path.”

The desire to take study beyond undergraduate courses is something Chloe, Joel and Bradley share. They say further qualifications, especially those which allow one to gain specific vocational knowledge, are necessary to stand out from the crowd. Given that, they say it’s wise to think ahead.

Always good at mathematics and science, Chloe says she was fortunate to have an outstanding careers advisor at Otumoetai College in Tauranga who helped her decide on study options. She also sought advice from an outside careers consultant.

“It was so important having someone at school who didn’t say, ‘you can’t do that or your grades really aren’t high enough’ but who simply gave me sound and unbiased

ABOVE: Award-winning music graduate Bradley Wood’s aim is to travel and perform at international music festivals.

Picture / Supplied

ABOVE: Science graduate Joel Lawson leaves for the States next month to complete a PhD at the California Institute of Technology.

Picture / Ted Baghurst

advice,” she says. “Careers consultants will often have access to information about courses and employment prospects you might not have heard of.”

Between her engineering degree and PGDipSci, she worked at a wine retailer and says it proved to be a real-world learning experience that helped her decided

to study wine science rather than pursue making natural cosmetics.

Joel acknowledges the flipside of the ‘tyranny of choice’ is that it is easier to change your mind if you find yourself not enjoying what you’re studying in or the career you’ve chosen. He cautions that even with sound qualifications, there’s no guarantee of walking straight into a job.

That’s why he counsels the next wave of prospective tertiary students to research as widely as possible their options, consider alternatives like trades-based training and

look to gain transferrable skills.

Chloe and her husband completed an O.E. travel stint before her PGDipSci -“one of the best things I ever did” — while Joel and Bradley also want to venture overseas.

Bradley may not have a definite plan but, in five years time, he’d like to be performing at international music festivals while Joel sees the opportunity to travel to conferences and research symposia as a powerful incentive to complete further study.

It means they can see the world — a desire shared with thousands of their peers — without too much undue financial stress.

For many, student loans and subsequent debt can mean dreams like this are put on hold. Again, Joel urges careful planning about how to minimise debt while Bradley says a part-time job, especially one that complements your studies, can be fitted into the schedule.

Chloe says looking at paying for your education as an investment in yourself and your future is the best way to think about student loans.

She acknowledges there is a naivety among some graduates about what they will encounter when they start work.

“You can’t expect to walk out of university and into a job and it all to be a piece of cake. Your first job is the next step, you’re still learning.”

16

OUTDOOR

An effort to restore urban reserves turns into a fun science lesson for schools.

By Paul Charman AS DEMONSTRATED BY movies such as A Everyone helped gather specimens of Bug’s Life and shows like Buzz and Poppy plants, fungi and insects; the microscopes — kids love looking at bugs. came out and the scientists were able to tell BioBlitz, an educational event recently the kids all about the tiny specimens they’d held at Orakei, made no apology for exploitgathered. ing this childish love of creepy crawlies.

Up to 2000 people visited the two-day The novel event encouraged city kids event, while at least 850 known species were to get involved in ecological restoration of found (final tally likely to be closer to 1000).

Auckland reserve land.

While new species were identified, It was staged on Pourewa Reserve and several not previously seen in the area Kepa Bush, land recently returned to Ngati turned-up.

Whatua Orakei. Determined to restore this Meanwhile, BioBlitz field trips and the land into a native bush reserve, the tribe schools programmes have been well-attended, saw an educational with comments from opportunity for local both scientists and visschools and families. itors overwhelmingly Ngati Whatua and positive.

Auckland Museum “Our commitment used the BioBlitz as a is to restore the mauri baseline survey of the (life force) of the animals and plants whenua. It’s a priviliving on the reserves, lege to work alongside harnessing local families scientists who can and schoolchildren to do inform this work, and some of the leg work. the community who Bug man Ruud Kleinpaste

“it’s the way these subjects are presented to them that’s the big problem; somehow we scientists have managed to make the subject of biodiversity boring.”

–

g n i o g t e G IN WITH COURSES

are getting behind it,” says the ecological restoration manager for Ngati Whatua Orakei, Charmaine Waipo.

The idea behind the event was to encourage back the myriad of endemic plants, insects, lichens, and fungi once present.

Bug man Ruud Kleinpaste — who fronted BioBlitz — is in no doubt of the value of such events.

“What people won’t be aware of is that scientists have only identified a fraction of what’s around us,” he says.

“We think there are six to 30 million

species of insects on the plant but we have only categorised about one million. So, by finding new species, children who participate in the BioBlitz can be part of extending the boundaries of human knowledge.”

Such knowledge may seem to be esoteric but it’s actually of enormous benefit to young minds, says Ruud.

“Everyone knows that children enjoy watching bugs like ants; they’re fascinated with the micro-worlds around them.

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OUTDOOR

Students from Meadowbank School, explore the local flora and fauna with experts from Auckland Museum at the recent BioBlitz.

Picture / Ted Baghurst

the base of the foodchain. There’s nothing wasted in nature, and all of the animal and plant life is inter-dependant — it’s not about competition.”

Ruud laments that children, particularly city kids, seldom are given an opportunity to observe nature. He feels that this could hamper the uptake of science subjects at school and hence stifle the potential for rewarding future careers relating to biodiversity — including ecology, farming and science.

“At the kids’ level studying bugs and

plants is fun. Of all the kids I’ve ever met — I haven’t met one who does not want to look at a micro-view of the world. In my opinion, it’s the way these subjects are presented to them that’s the big problem; somehow we scientists have managed to make the subject of bio-diversity boring.”

Ruud says in his perfect world city children would be given far more opportunity to get out and take hikes and field trips, so that they can get alongside a range of plants and animals large and small.

He laments the fact that New Zealand has

become one of the world’s most urbanised countries and that children now spend up to 90 per cent of their time playing indoors.

“The way urban life is structured today is not preparing the next generation, who we all hope will grow the food to feed us in our old age and manage our ecological resources so that we’ll be healthy in our old age.

“Today I spend 60 to 70 per cent of my time involved in trying to re-connect children with the natural environment around them.

“Good on Ngati Whatua Orakei and Auckland Museum for organising the BioBlitz.

“Let’s hope we see more efforts like this to bring nature back into education.”

BioBlitz was supported by St Heliers Bay Pony Club and partners include Auckland Council, Landcare Research, the University of Auckland, Unitec and the World Wildlife Fund.

18

OUTDOOR

Outward Bound has been a rite of passage for New Zealand teenagers for years. An opportunity for them to put aside the trappings of modern life and forge new life skills. By Joanna Mathers LOCATED IN ANAKIWA in the Marlborough Sounds, Outward Bound courses have long provided young people with the opportunity for internal growth and development. The distance from friends, family and home comforts can help clarify decisions around the future; allowing attendees to make choices about careers and education without the distractions of daily life.

A recent study commissioned

by Built Environment Training Alliance (BETA) — an alliance of training organisations for the built environment industry — revealed that employees who attended Outward Bound courses returned with a greater openness, maturity and an ability to manage conflict and diverse opinion more effectively.

Such skills are important both in the workplace and at school; the development of these qualities can give those at the end of their schooling life a head start when it comes to their future opportunities.

Harriet Clarke can testify to the change the course has made to her life. Last year she finished Year 12 at Carmel College and found out about Outward Bound through posters around the school.

“I looked it up online and thought it sounded really interesting,” she says. “Then I found out that my mum had done some short courses when she was my age and really enjoyed them — this inspired me too.”

As a sports mad teenager, she’s always loved a physical challenge, and the intensity of the 21 day Mind Body Soul course (targetted at 16 to 18 year olds) really appealed.

“I love pushing boundaries around what I do, and this seemed like a great way of achieving this,” she says.

Rob McLean is the school director of Outward Bound. He says that the Mind Soul Body course for 16-18 year olds is ideal for such boundary pushing.

“Many young people have certain ideas around what they are (and are not)

Since its establishment over 50,000 people have attended courses at the outdoor education centre. capable of doing. This means that they often set limitations that are purely of their own making. The course enables them to realise they can do far more than what they expect,” he says.

McLean says the 21-day course consists of a variety of activities that challenge the teenagers socially, mentally and physically.

There is a gradual progression in intensity (he says that younger people need more support initially) but the ultimate aim in the development of autonomy in the students.

“Throughout the course the students gain independence, as well as working in teams,” says McLean. “They learn to identify their and unlock their strengths.”

The physical challenges are many and varied — sailing, high ropes, rock climbing, kayaking and navigating among them.

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And there are other challenges to overcome — lack of technology, learning how to work with people from a range of backgrounds, late nights and early mornings.

All these components help students challenge preconceptions, gain social skills and increase fitness levels.

McLean says one of the key lessons is how to “live in the present”. He says the lack of technology gives students the opportunity to have a genuine life experience.

“The students don’t have cell phones, or access to television or computers. We don’t want anything getting in the way of the experiences they have on the course.

Such distractions mean that people aren’t present in the moment, and we want them to engage with what is in front of them.”

He says the teens are placed in groups of up to 14 people that they haven’t met before. This means that each comes to the course without existing social status; that the teens can redefine the way they view themselves and others in a supportive environment.

“It’s a very safe social space,” says McLean. “There is no harassment, no bullying. There are very strong friendships forged through the shared experiences and challenges of the course.”

The course also offers students the time and space to consider their future work and study options.

“Without the distractions of technology, family, peer groups and other bombardments, the students can get some real clarity around what they are good at and where they are going.”

He says the challenges of Outward Bound set people up with a raft of skills that can enable them to succeed in both work and further study.

“It sets people up with the ability to deal with the unexpected, to work out solutions to complex problems, to work in a group and independently. It helps them to look at their future in a completely different way.”

Clarke agrees. She says that the Mind Body Soul Outward Bound course increased her confidence and changed the way she viewed herself.

“I learned so much about myself through the course,” she says. “I’m not so focussed on looks or impressing people.”

She says while she hasn’t decided what she wants to do as a career yet, she is looking forward to engaging with her last year of education.

“I wouldn’t say I’m sure of what I want to do, but I’m sure of what I don’t want to do,” she laughs.

She says that she made great friends through the experience: “By the end of the 21 days they were like a family, it was a bit strange going back to my actual family.”

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19

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Linda Zou took the IB diploma and is looking forward to tertiary studies overseas.

ACG Senior College student on an international pathway Choosing an intentional study path that combines well roundedness with academic challenge were key motivators for Linda Zou, when she decided to sign up to the two year International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma programme at ACG Senior College.

When students complete the programme they walk away with a highly recognised international qualification. This was another tick-the-box for Linda, who would like to undertake her tertiary education in the UK or USA. “It’s really a great way to learn.

When I started the IB Diploma I wanted to keep my options open, and this programme does that with its range of compulsory subjects,” says Linda.

ACG Senior College Principal, Kathy Parker says, “International Baccalaureate is quite a different approach to education than either Cambridge International or NCEA. The breadth and depth of the programme really stretches students and with the international approach, the outcome is a first class high school diploma that is recognised at all the major international universities.”

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Luke Prattley has developed a robot to trouble-shoot underfloor problems in houses.

Engineering robots “Electronics know-how and a solid education has turned into a unique business for Bachelor of Engineering Technology student Luke Prattley, who has developed a robot to troubleshoot underfloor problems in houses.

The 21 year-old Bachelor of Engineering Technology electronics specialist, now in his final year at CPIT, has partnered with local builder Gideon Couper, in the country’s first underfloor robotic business.

Their “Cavity Critter”, which Prattley built from scratch, is a remotelyoperated robotic camera unit on wheels, capable of inspecting cavity

sub-floors of homes by capturing structural information such as pile and ground conditions.

“Most of the parts are generic but I’ve had to research and experiment with how the components go together into one working piece,” Prattley said.

His Bachelor of Engineering Technology provided him with the necessary problem-solving and critical thinking skills to apply electronics to diagnostic technology that is helping builders and engineers assess and repair earthquake damaged homes in Christchurch.”

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You’ll experience being part of a vibrant learning community in one of New Zealand’s top tertiary institutes,

and be taught by experienced lecturers who are respected academics and industry professionals. You’ll gain practical experience so you’re ready for the working world.

At EIT you’ll get the support you need to help make sure you get the rewards for your hard work. You’ll learn in classes that are the right size, to make sure that you get the involvement and support you need, and you’ll be supported by lecturers who are here for you.

On the web: www.eit.ac.nz

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