NZME Education Central Issue 2 - May 2018

EducationCentral.co.nz/FutureFocus An NZME custom publication

Thursday, 24 May 2018 | 1 Issue 2 | Thursday, 24 May 2018

Education Future Central Focus

Higher-level learning ICT Grad Schools closing skill gaps

Flexible study the key to success

Informs. Inspires. Educates. | EducationCentral.co.nz/FutureFocus

By Tina Moore, Head of Social Media.

SOCIAL MEDIA AS A CAREER?!

It’s hard to believe that my job is, in fact, a job.

I am the Head of Social Media at NZME. I oversee all things social media for our very broad range of print, digital, radio, and e-commerce brands. There are something like 175 social media channels for our various platforms, reaching millions of people very week; a number that is always evolving as social media trends change with the times.

It’s certainly not a career move I ever saw coming, or aspired to. In fact, it didn’t even exist as a career until a few years ago.

Before this, I was an editor, director, agency owner and founder, creative strategist, and all round get-shit-doneperson. Who needs titles, anyway?

I graduated from the University of Auckland with a Bachelor or Commerce and a Bachelor of Arts, in 2005. I freely admit that I completed that combo because I had no idea what I wanted to do, and my Mum was insistent that I get something ‘useful’ under my belt. I had zero passion for anything I studied, and I struggled for many years to feel any passion about anything I worked on.

It was a chance encounter that changed things for me.

Shortly after graduating, I accepted a job at a Top 4 accounting firm, but I didn’t feel easy about it. I told a friend that I was feeling this way, and he said to follow my gut. My gut said, ‘Don’t do it!’ So, I didn’t accept the job.

With no job forthcoming I soon found myself sleeping on a mattress in a cold, damp apartment in Auckland CBD, reality hanging heavily over my head.

The same friend said, ‘I know someone who could do with some help with his accounts.’ That person was the owner of Remix Media, who turned out to be one of the most influential people in my working life so far.

That’s how I went to work for Tim Phin, who had created an empire out of his magazine and events, and he taught me a great deal about work ethic.

In a few short years I went from coding receipts to editing the magazine and running the largest parties in the country, and I learned everything from Tim. I was never afraid of hard work. I was never above fetching coffee, typing notes, calling debtors, couriering stuff from shoots, or anything that needed doing. I learned how to work hard and to do whatever is required. I learned how to give and receive critique. I worked insane hours writing, shooting, editing eat, sleep, repeat.

That gave me an incredibly varied set of skills, and a tolerance for the heavy workload that is required of anyone in modern media. I won’t lie, it’s an industry that you need to love in order to stay. Crushing deadlines are balanced by the ecstatic moments of seeing your work come to life, enjoyed by thousands of people.

Over the course of my career, I’ve also had the ability to provide a launch pad for other creatives, and it’s something I’m immensely proud of. I think one of my strengths is identifying talent in others, before they even see it themselves. Giving a hand up to those on their way is one of the greatest benefits you can give to another in this industry, where sometimes who you know matters more than what you know.

To anyone wanting to dip a toe in the crazy waters of modern media, first of all, I salute you. The world needs you more than ever. We need skilled multimedia storytellers. We need people with loud, proud voices. We need you to represent your experience, in video, pictures, and words.

I genuinely can’t wait for you to tell me why I should ignore 729 emails in my inbox and listen to what you have to say.

Be the loud voice!

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Contents Editor’s note

4: Fees-free study just the beginning

5: Flexible learning – the new normal

6: Grad School closes skill gaps

7: From uni to an adult apprenticeship

8: Life-changing scholarships

10: 2018 is the year of the apprentice

14: Teaching students how to tap into their talents

16: Tertiary research brakes new ground

18: Blending business skills and tertiary nous

18: Aiming for the stars – high expectations crucial for success

20: Choosing schools – the big question for parents

22: Micro-credentials: a sea change for tertiary education

W

elcome to the second issue of EducationCentral FutureFocus.

Now is a time of great change for the tertiary sector.

The challenge is twofold – keeping up with technological change and the new world of work it has brought on the one hand, while equipping students with work-ready skills on the other.

For this issue I spoke with the Minister of Education Chris Hipkins (page 4), who was quick to point out that the government’s introduction of fees-free tertiary study and training is especially helpful for those in non-university settings, such as polytechs, where courses are shorter than those at universities and which qualify for two years of free fees.

A timely move, as at the moment we need plumbers and builders just as much as we do programmers, entrepreneurs and teachers.

We also look at some of the flexible learning options being implemented in the sector (page 5); the days of turning up to lectures haven’t gone, by any means, but many students are now able to access their learning – like their Netflix – on demand.

Universities are also becoming adept at working co-operatively with businesses both in their research programmes (page 16) and in new initiatives such as the ICT Grad School at the University of Auckland and the University of Waikato, which offers master’s students a 10-week internship giving students valuable hands-on experience in the fast-moving IT industry.

Qualifications are becoming streamlined too, thanks to the recent introduction of micro-credentials, which can be gained while working full-time (pages 10 and 22); another sign that the tertiary sector is becoming more responsive to a new generation of learners and a rapidly evolving labour market.

Greg Fleming The next issue of EducationCentral FutureFocus will be published on 9 August.

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Full-time uni students could save between $6,000 and $8,000 this year.

Fees-free study just the beginning

The government has an ambitious education programme to implement over the next three years.

Photo courtesy AUT.

Greg Fleming explains how being a tertiary student just got a whole lot better.

A

s part of the Labour-led government’s efforts to break down financial barriers to post-school training and education, up to 80,000 people are now eligible for fees-free tertiary study (one year free) or training (two years free).

Students this year also have a little extra money in their pockets with the introduction of a $50 increase in student allowance and student loan weekly living costs limits, which will make more than 130,000 students $50 a week better off.

Minister of Education Chris Hipkins has been busy, and there are more changes to come. When we talked last month, he said he was pleased with how the new policy was being implemented.

“Forecasts are that it will start to slow the decline in enrolments we’ve inherited from the previous government and will build again from there.

“But that is not the only aim.

Other key drivers of the initiative are to reduce the cost burden and reduce student loan debt for fees associated with further learning and

Minister of Education Chris Hipkins.

Share your views and ideas through the online survey at https://conversation. education.govt.nz.

training. The majority of people benefiting from the policy will be in non-university settings such as polytechnics, PTEs and on-thejob apprenticeships.

Vocational training is an area that the government is targeting due to chronic skill shortages in many of these areas.”

Hipkins estimates that, on average, full-time university students will save between $6,000 and $8,000 this year and believes that fees are generally lower at polytechnics and wa-nanga, and for certificate and diploma programmes.

What was wrong with NCEA? “NCEA is a widely trusted and respected qualification,” says Hipkins. “We want to make sure, however, that NCEA is right for the future. I hear a lot about teacher workload and kids feeling like their secondary school life is all about assessments.

NCEA, the way it is currently, may impact on teacher workload and student wellbeing.

“Students and teachers have been saying things need to be done in these areas to counter teacher burnout and put more emphasis on actual teaching.

Another significant part of the review looks into the role of each level of NCEA, particularly the structure and relevance of NCEA Level 1 and whether all young people should attempt it.

“Ultimately it’s about strengthening the qualification to meet the needs of young people today.”

When my 13-year-old daughter asked at her school what sort of exams she might be sitting in a couple of years, no-one knew. However, Hipkins says that NCEA is not going to be replaced.

“The review is about modernising NCEA and making the changes [to issues] that are frustrating our young people and teachers.

“Your daughter has an opportunity to have a say in this when public consultation begins next

month. I have released the Terms of Reference for the NCEA review in January so people can have a look at exactly what the review is about.”

Have your say

“I’d also encourage your daughter to join in the Education Conversation, which the Prime Minister launched last month. I’d like to hear about what changes she’d like to see to the education system more broadly. She can share her views and ideas through the online survey https://conversation. education.govt.nz.

“The majority of people benefiting from the policy will be in non-university settings such as polytechnics, PTEs and on-the-job apprenticeships.”

“One of the most important things for me is to listen to those currently in the education system.

That’s why I really do encourage her and her friends to contribute.”

Hipkins says we can expect to see more changes from the early learning sector as well as the tertiary sector.

“We’ve got an ambitious education work programme over the next three years. This year we’ve begun the consultation phase where we hear about what’s working and what’s not before we embark on the implementation phase next year.”

“I want to make sure that our education system is modern and responsive to the needs of learners.”

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Flexible learning – the new normal Study when it suits you. By Raewyn Court.

R

alph Springett, president of the Flexible Learning Association of NZ (FLANZ), says choosing a flexible programme of study has a range of benefits for learners.

“It enables them to fit study into busy lives.

They can learn on their own terms in their own environments, learn when geographically isolated, learn at times that suit them and learn subjects that are not available locally.”

Springett says these benefits mean increased flexibility for learners is likely to be in the majority of education providers’ strategies, but notes the popularity of flexible learning is dependent on how well designed the learning and teaching provision is.

“A well-executed but simple provision of flexibility will be more popular than a poorly provided, highly flexible experience. The learner needs to feel supported and part of a community. Recognising prior knowledge and having opportunities to learn skills, discuss with others and collaborate are examples of good learning design.”

The most common tool used to enhance flexibility is an online learning management system (LMS), which includes Moodle, Blackboard and Canvas.

“This allows for information and a range of activities to be accessed anywhere there is an internet connection,” says Springett. “Most organisations use a range of platforms to complement their LMS. Systems like social media, data storage and online whiteboards can be integrated into it.”

The pros of flexible learning Springett says the Open Polytechnic has developed its own LMS, iQualify, which provides a particular experience well suited to distance learning, and platforms such as Google and Microsoft Office provide online services that can complement an LMS or be a complete solution for learning and teaching.

A major benefit of flexible learning is increased access to learning opportunities, often for second chances at learning. Students keen to take a subject not offered at their school can commonly take it online using a blended model of delivery. The Virtual Learning Network connects students online in a virtual classroom, and Te Kura enables students to take an NCEA level over summer. “These are examples of potentially life-changing flexible learning experiences,” says Springett.

In tertiary study, learners can study when geographically distant. “The University of Waikato enables people to qualify as teachers while based in communities. Flexibility means constraints relating to being physically at a place or present at a particular time are reduced.”

Countering the cons A high level of flexibility doesn’t suit all students, however. Some learners need structure and direction, and less experienced learners may struggle with self-direction and motivation. Springett says the growing digital divide has the potential to cause inequity through differences in access to the internet and browsing tools.

“Poor digital literacy can also increase differences in access to education, even though learning online has been shown to be a great tool for teaching digital literacy.”

There is also a potential loss of a sense of community, bringing feelings of isolation, but a well-designed flexible offer will often see digital provision supporting heightened engagement when learners get face to face, notes Springett.

As to a future where digital learning completely takes over from classroom or lecture hall learning, this seems unlikely. Springett says education providers are wary of the necessary transfer of responsibility to the learner that increased flexibility often requires.

“When the provider has a financial stake in the learners’ success, the provider may be reluctant to give more flexibility – and responsibility – to learners who may not succeed without traditional hands-on delivery and face to face support.”

He says our education future is likely to be a mix of fully digital distance provision, structured face-toface learning, blended delivery and flexible learning.

“For independent learners, increased flexibility with support and community in place will work for most. Blended models are already being termed ‘the new normal’.”

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Grad school closes skill gaps Programming and real-world experience combine at Auckland’s ICT Graduate School.

Greg Fleming talks to the school’s director Gillian Dobie.

I Visit www.ictgraduate school.ac.nz for more information.

The ICT Graduate School opened up a new career path for Jack Wan. Photo by Ted Baghurst.

n 2014 the National-led government allocated $28.6 million over four years for the development and delivery of ICT Graduate Schools in Auckland, Waikato, Wellington and Christchurch.

The aims were to develop ICT skills and provide students with real-world learning experiences, create clear pathways into employment for students and reduce search costs for businesses seeking skilled graduates.

The Auckland school opened in 2016 (the Waikato course is a collaboration between Auckland and Waikato University). Already it has strengthened relationships between businesses and tertiary providers and given businesses greater visibility and access to top academic talent.

The initiative has been a huge success, says Gillian Dobie, director of the Auckland ICT Graduate School.

“In two years the number of students who have completed either a transitional postgraduate certificate or a Master of Information Technology at the school has gone from zero to more than 200. Students have readily taken to this industry workfocused study option and future numbers show no sign of decreasing.

“The IT industry has also taken up the opportunity of working with work-ready graduates and, with industry support, we are able to satisfy the growing numbers of internships each year. Industry also provide support and direction through the Industry Advisory Group, hosting events for their networks to promote the school and providing speakers for student workshops on workplace expectations, ethics and professionalism.”

Companies that have taken on interns from the Auckland school include BNZ, Deloitte, Kiwibank and Datacom.

What’s the entry process?

“The postgraduate certificate requires a student to have a bachelor’s degree in a subject area outside information technology, i.e. not computer science or software engineering.

“Students gain fundamental skills in software development, including up-to-date knowledge of objectoriented programming and design, web technologies and databases, and version control, which complement their existing critical thinking and communication abilities,” says Dobie.

Do most students have an IT background?

“We offer two qualifications, the postgraduate certificate for those transitioning into IT, and the Master of Information Technology for those with an IT background. Both qualifications can be taken as full-time or part-time programmes. The postgraduate certificate students have a bachelor’s from a broad range of subject areas, including biomedical, law, and engineering, and are looking to add a new skillset to their existing portfolio. [Those taking] the Master of Information Technology are

looking to add more advanced technical skills, alongside work-relevant skills. The part-time students are typically working in industry and are looking to upskill.”

Which key ICT areas do you offer?

“The aim of the programmes is to balance professional development with technical skills. The students can focus their study in areas like software development, security, networking, artificial intelligence, data management and internet computing.”

What’s different about NZ’s ICT industry?

“In New Zealand there are typically two types of tech companies: those that offer IT services and those that develop IT products. There are also companies that are IT consumers, although many of them are seeing themselves more as developers of IT products now, such as banks.

“The IT product companies are typically home-grown and not as large as the service companies. A lot of New Zealand companies, ranging from Pingar and Booktrack to Air New Zealand, are taking an interest in artificial intelligence.”

Jack’s story...

Jack Wan, 22, who is just completing his Master of Information Technology, says the ICT postgrad school opened up a new career path.

He is a biomed graduate with an interest in computers and IT. It seemed he was destined for med school until he took the ICT postgrad course last year.

“The PG Cert teaches basic web technologies,” says Jack. “It closely mimics the development environment in the real industry.

“It’s a 10-week course with lots of practical time coding. At the end of the 10 weeks there’s a big project where you develop a product.”

In contrast, the master’s programme focuses more on project management and innovation and is more academic based, covering research areas within IT as well as business, management and enterprise. It ends with a 10-week internship where students get hands-on experience in the industry.

Jack interned at Liverton Technology, a local company that works in technology solutions, where he worked on a Smart Check automation system for hotels.

The experience gave him experience around web and app development, skills he hopes to combine with his background in biomedicine to solve problems in the New Zealand health system.

Thursday, 24 May 2018 | 7

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From uni to an

adult apprenticeship Kelly Adam, who recently won the James Douglas Medallion at the 2018 New Zealand Plumbing Awards, credits his previous university experience with helping him achieve success. Diana Clement reports.

A

chance remark by Kelly Adam’s marriage celebrant led to him to quitting his former career and becoming a plumber.

The celebrant, a plumber himself, was chatting about various aspects of Adam’s upcoming nuptials when he sprung the idea on the 31-year-old husband-to-be.

“We were just having a casual conversation before the wedding and he asked me how my work was going. I said it was terrible and he suggested becoming a plumber. I said, ‘Nah, I’m too old’.”

When Adam was at school at Kaikorai Valley College, everyone expected he would go to university.

The school itself had speakers in from Otago University, but none for trades or other alternative careers.

It wasn’t a surprise, therefore, that Adam signed up for a Bachelor of Commerce degree, which he duly completed. He never actually worked as an accountant, despite quite enjoying the latter years of the degree.

“I picked up a job at Gardens New World supermarket and worked my way up until I became a manager,” says Adam.

Then aged 27, he headed overseas for four months,

NZ Herald Tertiary Edu Supp_May 2018.indd 6

then worked in a golf shop for the next few years, which wasn’t highly lucrative.

Adam had never considered plumbing until the chance conversation with the celebrant.

It stuck in his head, however, and he did what he describes as “light-hearted research”, he says. “I got the impression that if you are under 25 it is easy and over 25 it is hard.”

He was still toying with the idea when he started chatting with a friend who happened to be a plumber.

“He said to me: ‘This is the road for you and we can offer you a job’.” Next thing, Adam was starting his apprenticeship.

The experience of having been to university helped Adam with his study through the Masterlink apprenticeship programme from Master Plumbers.

Other students looked to him for help to get through their exams.

Although he fell into the career change from business to plumbing almost by accident, Adam loves the job and says what he enjoys most is the problem solving and the autonomy he has on the job. He works on high-value contracts with Fonterra, Speights and his old university.

Kelly Adam (centre) came late to plumbing, but has excelled in his new trade.

Top newly qualified apprentice Adam, who did his apprenticeship through Impact Roofing & Plumbing in Dunedin, has recently won the James Douglas Medallion at the 2018 New Zealand Plumbing Awards, making him the top newly qualified apprentice across plumbing, gas fitting or drain laying in New Zealand.

Masterlink mentor Roger Herd nominated him for the award, noting Adam’s strong work ethic, attention to detail and Industry Training willingness to assist other apprentices.

Federation statistics The judges commented that with show that 10 per cent of an accounting degree under his New Zealand’s apprentices belt, Adam is well placed to run his own plumbing business someday. and trainees already had a He wins a Career Development tertiary qualification before Scholarship. they started their trades When he reflects on the choice training. he made as a teenager in going to university, Adam says he doesn’t regret it, even though he left study with a $28,000 debt. “University gives you critical thinking and that will help me in the future and has done in the past.

I certainly don’t regret university,” he says.

17/05/2018 10:11:19 AM

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Scholarships can be life-changing Diana Clement talks to Teagan Hansen, one of around 900 AUT students who are recipients of the many types of scholarships available.

T

eagan Hansen was the first in her family who ever wanted to go to university. But she wondered how on earth she, and her hardworking single mother, would ever afford it.

“It was a big stress, but I have always known I wanted to go to university,” says Hansen.

Hansen’s grades were good, but a merit endorsement in Year 12 didn’t put her among the academic elite and she didn’t think she would qualify for a scholarship.

Thanks to her careers adviser at Tuakau College, she applied for several scholarships at AUT and Victoria University. Schools have access to the givME database run by Generosity New Zealand, which lists more than 4,000 scholarships.

Landing one of the AUT University New Horizons Scholarships, which pays $6,500 per year, has been life-changing for Hansen. In the biomedicine student’s first year, the money has paid more than half of her rent at AUT’s Wellesley student apartments. Next year it will be credited towards her fees. By then she expects to be in a position to work part-time to help pay her living costs.

Hansen is one of around 900 students at AUT on one form of scholarship or another, says Philippa Hay, AUT’s head of scholarships.

Academic excellence not a prerequisite Like many institutions, not all of AUT’s scholarships and grants require academic excellence, although recipients do need to be good students, says Hay. The university recognises that well-rounded people make successful students and the assessment process looks at the whole person when considering who to award scholarships to.

The largest single category is the Vice Chancellor’s Significant Student Scholarships for undergraduates, of which 150 are handed out each year. Some of those scholarships are for academic excellence; however, others include the New Horizons Scholarships for students from decile 1 to 4 schools and Kiwa Scholarships for Ma-ori and Pasifika students.

Hansen believes her application was helped by the fact she had been a prefect at school, helping organise events such as the school ball, and her volunteer work for the surf lifesaving club at Port Waikato.

Scholarships provide benefits to both student and university. The benefit to AUT of providing scholarships is that it brings in a high quality of student and will eventually help create a strong alumni body.

There are many other awards at AUT, such as the Woolf Fisher First In Family AUT Scholarship, which covers the student’s full fees for the term of their qualification.

Since 2014 the Woolf Fisher Trust has provided up to 13 three-year scholarships for full-time undergraduate study to “break the cycle” and encourage students from families with no history of degree-level study to get a university education, says Andrea Vujnovich, AUT’s assistant vice-chancellor corporate.

Part of the partnership with the Woolf Fisher Trust is that AUT provides mentoring, says Vujnovich. Once accepted, the students receive what Vujnovich calls a “wrap-around blanket”, to make their transition to university life easier.

The world of scholarships is fraught with potential issues. For example, in the past students had to prove financial difficulty. That approach did at times favour students whose parents had a good accountant rather than those who are truly cash-strapped and may be too ashamed to admit it, says Vujnovich.

This is one of the reasons that AUT targets decile 1 to 4 schools, adds Hay. The scholarships staff members also look long and hard at the student’s statement and the referees, which often gives a truer reflection than the accountant’s figures.

All scholarship applications at AUT are online and there is no need for personal interviews.

Scholarship recipient Teagan Hansen. Photo by Ted Baghurst.

Trade training scholarships Scholarships aren’t just for academic courses. The government-funded Ma-ori and Pasifika Trades Training Auckland (MPTT), for example, has provided 815 full-fee scholarships this year for trade training through MIT, UNITEC, Te Wa-nanga o Aotearoa and NZMA aimed at students for whom fees might prove a barrier to studying pre-trades programmes at those institutions.

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Cutting a successful business path L

ike many business owners, Peter Wells’ entrepreneurial spirit was obvious before he left school. Cutting his friends’ hair in the toilets might have planted the seed for a successful business, but the skills he developed on the way have been the making of him.

Peter’s Mum agreed he could leave school at 17. After a year of study, he started his apprenticeship training.

On the job training Doing perms and sets for women might have put some young men off hairdressing, but Peter says they were essential skills for him to learn at that point in his training.

An apprenticeship is designed to ensure the apprentice learns the full range of skills required to work in a range of professional roles.

In his third year, Peter wanted to learn more complex colours and fashion work, so he moved to a salon in a more central location with clients wanting more modern styles. After proudly completing his National Certificate in Hairdressing (now the New Zealand Certificate), he graduated to a senior stylist position.

By 21, Peter was keen for a change of scene, so he and his friends packed up a car and headed to the South Island.

“We did an apple picking season in Nelson. I definitely appreciated hairdressing after that – it was so monotonous.”

It wasn’t long before he was wielding scissors again, though this time in a barber’s shop.

Peter and friends arrived in Wanaka when skiers had taken most of the jobs, and flats.

“After knocking on doors for two days and getting refused, I decided I should think about hairdressing again.”

A hairdresser turned him down, but two doors down was a tiny barber shop.

Valuable skills The barber was planning on taking a holiday and needed someone to hold the fort of his one-man band Ali Baba’s.

“After testing me with clients, and teasing me about cutting like a hairdresser not a barber, he said you can look after the shop – you pay me $250 a week and the rest you can keep.”

“At first I thought this was a bit rough, but it got me thinking how much he might be making. I had never made so much money as that fortnight. I think I cleared $1500 after paying him. I was pretty stoked, especially after apple picking.”

When the barber returned from holiday, Peter continued working in the shop, renting a chair from him.

Peter faced a steep learning curve working for himself, particularly the tax implications that came with it. But he was quick to see a business opportunity – convincing owner Ali to open the shop on Saturdays.

“It took about six months for Saturdays to become constantly busy. I didn’t mind – I’d go in and watch cartoons and read the paper. As it got busier Ali would come in and help me.”

After a year of renting a chair, Peter bought the business.

“I remember being told it’s a great career, you can travel with it, all that. But there’s so much more. You get to meet some awesome people. And to provide a service for a town is a real privilege.”

Business growth “That’s when I got into training. A lady had come in a few times, determined she wanted a barbering apprenticeship.”

Peter has since trained six apprentices for his business.

Ali Baba’s (Peter kept the name) now has four chairs and a steady turnover.

As the business has grown, so have the responsibilities.

“The business stuff has been what’s kept me stimulated.

I’m constantly improving the business. I’ve developed better banking habits, electronic reporting and linked payroll systems. As the business grew it became more about managing people because that’s what I had to do.”

Training apprentices has helped him keep pace and kept his own skills fresh.

“I feed off their passion, their enthusiasm, their connection to a younger group where trends are getting followed. Having them keeps your skills at the top – you can nail that latest haircut.”

Though he didn’t set out to become a barber, Peter has enjoyed the different directions his career has taken and the role he plays in the local community.

“I remember being told it’s a great career, you can travel with it, all that. But there’s so much more. You get to meet some awesome people. And to provide a service for a town is a real privilege.”

“There are great business opportunities. If you surround yourself with humans, you’re not going to run out of work.”

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2018 is the year New government policy, a growing appreciation of apprenticeships and a serious skills shortage are leading Kiwi businesses to invest in on-thejob training and explore new ways to upskill their employees, writes Fiona Kingsford, chief executive of industry training organisation Competenz.

A

n on-the-job training movement is gaining momentum and we see 2018 as the year for businesses to capitalise upon the growing acceptance of apprenticeships and other industry training programmes as valid, successful career pathways.

It is crucial that New Zealand companies address the impending skills shortage and look to invest in ambitious, smart and tech-savvy people – whom they already employ.

To make on-the-job training more appealing to employers, the government recently introduced a new ‘two years fees-free’ policy for industry training. This makes on-the-

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Thursday, 24 May 2018 | 11

EducationCentral.co.nz/FutureFocus

of the apprentice job learning more affordable and easily accessible for employers, as well as for those looking at an apprenticeship or workplace training programme.

Micro-learning gains traction 2018 is also the year of ‘micro-learning’. While formal qualifications will always have a place in our economy, we are witnessing employers increasingly seeking new ways to develop a skilled and adaptable workforce.

“Gone are the days of trying to plug a square peg into a round hole.”

Micro-credentials or nano-degrees allow learners to upskill without completing a lengthy programme and it is expected that this format of learning will play a major role in education systems both here and overseas in the coming years.

In late 2017, the government launched three microcredential pilot projects, including a self-driving car engineering programme, demonstrating its commitment to the kind of innovation in the tertiary education system recommended in the Productivity Commission’s report.

Many New Zealand industry training organisations already offer a range of micro-learning options. In 2018

we expect a significant rise in the number of micro- and on-the-job learners.

Both micro-learning and apprenticeship programmes allow businesses to be nimble and responsive to advancements in technology. Businesses can train their people armed with the latest equipment and machinery right in front of them. Often university degree programmes use technology that is redundant by the time a student graduates.

Learning on the job and working with the latest technology in an ever-evolving digital world is a compelling argument for the benefit of workplace training models.

Operating in 36 industries, our employers include mechanical engineering, manufacturing, and forestry companies, which recognise the need for highly skilled and technical roles in a digitally evolving workplace. In today’s job market employees with practical intelligence can have just as much earning power as academic intelligence.

And let’s not forget, this style of education is achievable while people are fully employed and productive.

Microand onthe-job learner numbers are expected to rise sharply this year.

indicated it wants the tertiary sector to be more flexible and responsive to better meet our changing labour market.

One way it is doing this is through the Roadmap 2030 project, which aims to engage collaboratively with institutes of technology and polytechnics to explore and test different options for change and one outcome may be to support more workplace learning initiatives.

Gone are the days of trying to plug a square peg into a round hole – we need to deliver learning that is right for the employer, the learner and the demands of the economy to ensure Kiwi businesses remain competitive.

Relevant training key Whether it’s an apprenticeship, a workplace learning programme or a nano-degree, the nature of work and learning is constantly changing. Tertiary education providers from whom employers can source their employees are under threat. In 2017 funding and financial challenges combined with falling enrolments led to restructures at several tertiary institutions throughout the country.

The entire tertiary education sector must ensure education and training remains relevant and contemporary and I am encouraged by the new government that has

Fiona Kingsford, CEO of Competenz.

Find out more at neverstop.ac.nz

*QS Graduate Employability Ranking 2018

UOA 0886 Education Central vĆ’.indd 1

18/05/18 11:40 AM

Here’s just one evolution of a teaching graduate from the University of Auckland - New Zealand’s top-ranked University.

Studying to become a teacher is a career pathway with unlimited potential. As well as preparing you to be a great teacher, a degree from the University of Auckland can set you up for a variety of career options beyond the classroom. It provides you with the ability to earn a great income, and lead a respected career where you can be certain that every day will be different, and every day you will make a difference.

A teaching qualification is one of the most practical degrees offered by the University of Auckland. Students get to experience working with young learners from the moment they start their degree.

This provides our graduates with a diverse range of learning experiences and prepares them to take full leadership of learning in the classroom or centre before they graduate.

It’s an ever-changing world that demands teachers to prepare young leaders for a future we don’t know, jobs we can’t yet imagine. That’s why we develop adaptive expertise in our teacher graduates – so they can grow, inquire, learn and adapt to the changing world - and help their students to do the same.

Studying to become a teacher means you’ll be studying complex problem solving, people management, collaboration with others, emotional intelligence, judgement and decision making, negotiation, caring and how to help learners develop knowledge and ideas that will change their lives: expertise that can be transferred to many settings and careers.

New Zealand needs great teachers to lead our young people into the future.

Our graduates are preferred by employers (QS World University Rankings 2018).

Make an educated move, join an exciting and diverse profession with a thriving job market at New Zealand’s leading University.

Could this be you? Visit auckland.ac.nz/teaching-education

UOA 0886 Education Central vƒ.indd 2

THE EDUCATION INFLUENCER There’s a variety of options for educators with advanced qualifications. Choose to become an education consultant or educational psychologist, a principal or centre owner/manager, or work in education policy. Educators in top-tier education positions today, 2018, can earn around $150,000 per year.

THE SCHOOL LEADER Become a leader in a school: lead curricular, mentor teachers and students, help children stay in school, work with families and whānau and be a significant part of the community. Leaders in school receive increased salaries from additional management units – earn up to $100,000 per year as a Deputy Principal in a large primary school.

THE EFFECTIVE TEACHER Use your qualification and full registration status to become a teacher who makes a real difference for learners.

A University of Auckland qualification gives you principles and concepts that will underpin your teaching for years to come and make you a sought-after education professional as your career progresses.

THE BEGINNING TEACHER After graduation, you become a provisionally certificated teacher.

Since 2012 almost 6000 students have completed their teaching degree at The University of Auckland and over 85% of graduates gain full-time employment within the first year.

THE COMPLETING STUDENT The University of Auckland works in partnership with a multitude of schools and centres. You will work alongside experienced teachers from the get-go, gaining real-world experience while you’re studying. Before finishing, you will take the driver’s seat in a classroom, and teach children with the assistance of your mentor.

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14 | Thursday, 24 May 2018

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Teaching students to tap into their talents Setting up students for a successful career in the Arts. By Kate Dobbin.

Teeks – aka Te Karehana Gardiner-Toi – is a Unitec music graduate and headlined his first international gig in London this month.

A good education changes people.

A good teacher changes the world.

Education Central .co.nz Informs. Inspires. Educates.

Thursday, 24 May 2018 | 15

EducationCentral.co.nz/FutureFocus

T

he alumni noticeboard outside Dr Vanessa Byrnes’ Unitec office reads like a thespian Who’s Who: Director Amberley Jo Aumua and her awardwinning short film Waiting; artist and designer Lisa Reihana, who was New Zealand’s representative at last year’s Venice Biennale; drama graduate Hanelle Harris, the creator, director and co-lead actor in TVNZ’s comedy web series Baby Mama’s Club; and dance graduate Lydia Zanetti, currently festival director of Auckland Fringe. And then there’s Teeks – aka Te Karehana Gardiner-Toi – Unitec music graduate and award-winning soul sensation, who headlined his first international gig in London this month.

"Artists and makers are essential to the lifeblood of a healthy community," says Byrnes. “Art and great design can change lives.”

Artist Lisa Reihana, a Unitec alumni, was New Zealand’s representative at last year’s Venice Biennale.

Interested in studying the creative arts at Unitec? Visit www.unitec.ac.nz/ career-and-studyoptions for more information.

“We encourage our students to take risks – to take the good with the bad.”

Byrnes maintains that creativity is a skill and a craft that can be both learnt and taught. Unitec is a hotbed of applied learning, creating an environment where students have the freedom to generate original thinking, learn how to perform it and connect with an audience in the best ways available. It’s a collaborative, supportive, tribe-like environment where students are taught that it’s okay to fail, as long as they learn from their mistakes.

“We’re authentic – grounded and pragmatic. We also encourage our students to take risks – to take the good with the bad,” says Byrnes, a former actor, producer and one-time assistant director at London’s Globe Theatre.

“But at the end of the day, quality sustains our profession,” she says, “even more so when we’re competing with the likes of Married at First Sight for audience attention.”

In Byrnes’ view, entertainment is not the same thing as art, creativity, or brilliant design. She believes that everyone has the ability to create their own work but is adamant that in order to have a successful career in New Zealand, students need to know how to run as a business entity, how to collaborate and how to multitask.

“A lot of our students won’t walk into traditional jobs,” she says. “Rather, we’re teaching them to create their own work and are increasingly developing our programmes to be culturally and industry responsive so they’re in touch with what’s going on.”

Most Unitec courses run over three years, which Byrnes says gives a student enough time to find their own voice and develop the courage to put it forward.

Unitec operates a selection process, so the assumption is that students are starting off with a certain degree of

talent. And once they are there, Unitec offers a unique and broad range of creative programmes, many of which enjoy international credibility. The world-renowned Beijing Dance Academy has sent a group of students to study contemporary dance performing arts at Unitec and hopes to formalise an annual exchange programme in the near future.

In her role as custodian, Byrnes feels privileged to be able to follow what she views as a gift. But she’s also a pragmatist.

“In our profession you need to be bloody good,” says Byrnes. “There’s no such thing as a second-rate dancer or actor. Our job at Unitec is to encourage our students to bring out the best in themselves, but they also have to make some big sacrifices.”

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16 | Thursday, 24 May 2018

EducationCentral.co.nz/FutureFocus

Tertiary research brakes new ground

Dani Wright investigates the growing international interest in New Zealand tertiary research after the launch of a world-first brake power meter for mountain bikes.

M

assey University sport and exercise scientist Dr Matt Miller and his supervisor Dr Phil Fink spent years researching the importance that braking has on mountain bike race performance and rider fatigue.

Their subsequent invention, the Brake Power Meter (BPM), which automatically measures braking power and time spent braking while you ride, has become a world first and is eliciting international interest from bike riders from the United Arab Emirates to the United States.

“We first showed the BPM in September 2016.

Pretty quickly every major industry publication caught wind and featured the device in some way online and in print,” says Miller.

The invention allows cyclists to accurately quantify braking, analyse their braking patterns, and use the data to train their braking style to shave minutes off their lap times, so it’s no wonder professional cyclists are keen to get hold of it for a competitive edge.

New Zealand bike manufacturers and suppliers are also interested in the product and Miller has been working with a Danish company to refine the Brake Power Meter, which is patent protected.

In 2017 Miller was awarded $20,000 from the Emerging Innovator Fund from KiwiNet, which allowed him to travel to trade shows to explore other applications for the technology.

There are an estimated 200,000 mountain bikers in New Zealand.

The importance of tertiary research Professor Giselle Byrnes, assistant vice-chancellor research, academic and enterprise at Massey University, says tertiary research is extremely important because it can be inquiry driven, as well as industry linked.

“University researchers use the knowledge and skills to feed into their teaching [and vice versa],” says Byrnes.

“Most universities also provide very efficient research in terms of public funding; that’s an important consideration given that we are public institutions.”

“Most universities provide very efficient research in terms of public funding; that’s an important consideration given that we are public institutions.”

C-Dax Pasture Robot Another tertiary research project gaining international interest is the C-Dax Pasture Robot, developed in conjunction with mechatronic students and a range of staff at Massey University.

It helps precisely measure pasture autonomously, saving both labour costs and the over-fertilisation of land.

Byrnes is excited by the ‘real world’ impact the research is having on people’s lives and their communities, as well as the value that pure research has alongside more applied research.

“There is room for both. Given that the research

that universities undertake is publicly funded, it needs to have a clear impact in terms of the benefits of our work,” says Byrnes. “But universities are also places where research is conducted for its own sake: for the purposes of discovery and creativity. No other institutions in our society have this responsibility or capacity.”

For the Brake Power Meter, the boost from tertiary research is game-changing for the cycling world and Miller predicts a time when meteredout bikes will be the norm.

New hub encourages innovation Last month the University of Auckland launched the Unleash Space, a new innovation and entrepreneurship hub to grow ideas into ventures.

The student-led hub is managed by the university’s Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, based at the Business School, and will support students through all stages of the innovation and entrepreneurship life cycle, from idea generation and prototyping to product commercialisation.

Centre director Wendy Kerr says the space is unique internationally. It comprises a state-of-the-art maker-space as well as areas for workshops, collaboration and other support.

“Students can design and create anything they can imagine. If they choose to, they can use their prototype to see if they could start a business with their idea,” she says.

“We have wrap-around support and leading edge equipment, and we also have experiential programmes and events that can help them grow their idea to a successful venture.”

In the coming year, the Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship will offer more than 150 workshops, seminars and events to more than 2,000 students at the Unleash Space.

These are designed to build innovative and entrepreneurial mindsets and capabilities enabling graduates to thrive in their careers, whether they choose to work in a large corporate, join a start-up or begin their own business.

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18 | Thursday, 24 May 2018

EducationCentral.co.nz/FutureFocus

Blending business skills and tertiary nous Is the world changing so fast that skills learned at university will be redundant in future?

Lawrence Watt investigates.

A

s technology advances, skills are becoming obsolete faster than ever and a more broadly educated graduate is needed. Part of the solution might be for universities to work closer with businesses, and they are closely managing the communications process, even employing specialist staff.

In his book The Fuzzy and the Techie, Google executive Scott Hartley reckons the best new products and technology come from innovations that are a blend of the arts and sciences.

“We need context and code, data literacy and data science,” he says.

Deloitte says the business sector both now and in the future needs workers who possess a blend of problem-solving, social and technical skills.

The Auckland ICT Graduate School is an example of close co-operation between universities and businesses, producing broadly skilled graduates with practical experience in a business.

Across the road at AUT, its Department of Management also works closely with firms and recruits some graduates who have

“We need context and code, data literacy and data science.”

already worked in the corporate environment.

Professor Jarrod Haar, a human resources specialist, reckons most graduate students on his courses have already worked full-time. Thanks to their work experience, they are more likely to ask questions like “What does it mean?” and “What can I learn?”

A smorgasbord of options Haar says returning from the corporate world to study can result in wider opportunities when students go back on the job market.

In future, Haar says, universities may offer programmes in which people can stay at a job for longer, choose from a smorgasbord of full- and part-time options, and structure a course for their own needs. For example, he suggests, some students could start their degrees with a block course

(say, eight papers over 18 months) and then find jobs, finishing their degrees over slightly longer periods than today.

Of course, many students will still opt for the regular, threeyear, full-time degree and be recruited by firms afterwards.

Haar himself is working closely with an employer – a new move for both parties, he says. He recently began a study with Perpetual Guardian, a Kiwi firm trying out a four-day working week, paying staff the same money.

From the university’s point of view, it does mean that research projects may be more practical than before.

Haar says the Perpetual Guardian project is an example of how universities are trying to move on from being places that people drive past thinking, “Hey there are some smart people working in there”, but are unsure what they do.

Aiming for the stars A culture of high expectations is among the critical factors for Ma-ori and Pacific secondary school students to go on to tertiary study and training, according to the latest research by the Starpath Project at the University of Auckland. Jude Barback reports.

S

tarpath is one of the longest-running and arguably most important educational research projects in New Zealand.

For more than 12 years the project, which is based in the university’s Faculty of Education and Social Work, has been dedicated to improving Ma-ori and Pacific success in our schools.

Its final piece of research is providing answers to the enduring problem: what will enable significantly more Ma-ori and Pasifika students from low socio-economic schools to achieve University Entrance (UE), which allows progression into degree-level study?

“UE is the highest qualification that can be gained from school. No matter what students’ immediate post-school plans are, gaining UE opens opportunities for future study and employment,” says Starpath Director Dr Melinda Webber.

Over the years, Starpath has worked with nearly 40 midto low-decile schools, implementing a data tracking, target setting and academic counselling initiative to raise NCEA pass rates.

“In most Starpath partner schools, the shifts in Level 1, 2 and 3 NCEA rates have been quite high, between 5 and 20 percentage points. We are confident our evidence-based initiatives have contributed to this shift, along with the hard work and commitment from our schools to see their students achieve,” says Webber.

“For UE, however, schools generally did not make large improvements to their pass rates across the same time period.

For this reason, UE has been the main focus of our latest phase of work.”

For the past two years, Starpath has worked with a smaller set of nine secondary schools in Auckland and Northland to understand and improve UE pass rates. Starpath researchers spent many hours inside these schools gathering data, observing academic counselling, and conducting interviews to better understand why UE remains a challenge for Ma-ori and Pacific students.

At the same time schools were encouraged and supported to create ambitious UE targets based on student aspirations; to closely track and monitor student progress; and to maintain a culture of high expectations.

What has Starpath found?

The findings have been divided into two categories: the enablers and the barriers to success.

Enablers included having effective teaching practices, robust use of data and academic counselling, and wha- naungatanga and manaakitanga.

“Effective classroom teachers provide individualised instruction, support, encouragement and specific feedback to their students. They are committed to their students, will go

For more information about the Starpath project, visit www.education. auckland.ac.nz/en/ about/research/ starpath-home. html.

the ‘extra mile’ at lunchtimes and after school and have high expectations for behaviour and achievement,” says Tania Linley-Richardson, Starpath’s Professional Development Facilitator.

“Wha- naungatanga means having a sense of belonging to a supportive community and schools engaging with iwi and hapu, for example teachers who are genuinely interested in their students’ lives outside of the classroom. In the context of our research, manaakitanga was identified as a school culture of giving and generosity, including giving time and expertise.”

The barriers came down to ineffective teaching practices, perceptions of poor attendance and literacy, lack of academic counselling and data tracking, and teacher workload, among others.

What does this mean for schools and parents?

Starpath’s findings and recommendations have been compiled into a report that lays the foundation for schools wanting to build a culture of success and high expectations.

Among the recommendations is that schools a) establish a data team who have responsibility for data management and analysis, b) enable evidence-based decision-making and c) ensure evidence-based discussions are held about the educational pathway and opportunities to learn for every student.

Schools also need to carefully monitor course design to ensure students have opportunities to learn for UE Literacy, which is a key stepping stone to gaining UE, which can sometimes be missed.

“This research has allowed greater insights into what works, and what doesn’t, for Ma-ori and Pacific students to succeed at secondary school,” Webber adds.

“We are especially grateful to our partner schools for allowing us to observe and gather extensive data for this ambitious project.”

EducationCentral.co.nz/FutureFocus

Thursday, 24 May 2018 | 19

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We live in an age where solo-moniker female artists such as Adele, Sia, Beyonce and Rihanna dominate the recording industry, but the same can’t be said for the other side of the glass wall…

n few industries is the gender gap as obvious as it is in the field of audio engineering, where just 5% of workers are female.

SAE Creative Media Institute wants to change that statistic.

As explained by Campus Director Dr Suzette Major, “we can actively change the face of the audio industry by changing the number of females being trained as audio engineers.

Indeed, as a tertiary institute, I believe it is in part our responsibility” To help reach that objective, SAE Auckland runs ChicMix. Set up in 2016, ChicMix is a one-day audio engineering workshop, run by women for women. ChicMix will run for its thirdyear next month on Saturday 9 June.

“All male staff and students are kicked off campus”, explains Suzette. “It’s a women-only zone for that one day and its remarkable how many females sign up to see inside a professional music studio.”

Over the course of the day, participants cycle through a series of hands-on workshops covering topics such as recording techniques, mixing and mastering, audio post-production and electronic music production.

ChicMix has been a sold-out event each year. Numbers are limited so that participants

get a chance to get their hands-on the gear and learn some basic audio engineering skills.

Attending ChicMix helps participants realise the potential of audio engineering as a viable career option. For many they may have never considered it, in part because of a lack of female role models.

Mona Sanei (25) is an audio engineer who works at SAE and freelances in the film and music industries. She says working in such a highly male-dominated sector often presents challenges.

“It can be funny, you can get questioning looks! I was recording Stan Walker’s concert and while I was setting up my gear, I had someone ask whether I was a groupie. And at another job, I asked a staff member where the microphones have been moved to, and she said ‘I don’t know, ask the sound guy.’ I replied; ‘I am the sound guy.’”

While Mona says this doesn’t happen often, she does wish that female audio engineers were more of a familiar sight out in the field, something she confirms is changing slowly.

“I definitely have seen the number of women in the audio industry rise in the past couple of years, and I hope it continues. I hope that women aspiring to be audio engineers know that there are so many great opportunities

in the audio industry, and everyone is very supportive of each other. The work is always exciting and personally, I couldn’t be happier with the path I took.”

ChicMix is held at the SAE Studios located in Parnell, Auckland. Tickets are available via Eventbrite.

SAE is a leading global tertiary educator, operating over 50 campuses worldwide across 27 countries. SAE has the one campus in New Zealand, located in Parnell, Auckland.

SAE Auckland is NZQA accredited and rated as a Category 1 provider. The Auckland campus offers internationally recognised audio qualifications at degree and diploma level, as well as workshops in Music Production.

Job prospects for audio engineering graduates are diverse and include recording studio engineer/producer; live sound technician; audio production for theatre, television and film, and all facets of the radio industry.

20 | Thursday, 24 May 2018

EducationCentral.co.nz/FutureFocus

Choosing schools Lawrence Watt looks at one of the big questions for parents who want the best for their children: “What school should I send my teenager to?”

T

he first challenge for the discerning parent is that school zoning makes it difficult, although not impossible, to send your children to a state school that is out of your zone.

There is only a small chance of working within the zoning rules, which are available on the Ministry of Education’s and many schools’ websites.

These include your child having a sibling who has attended the school; if you are an ‘old girl’ or ‘old boy’; if you or your partner work there; and if you sit on the board. You may have the best chance if, say, you have moved out of the area, your children already attend the school and you want another to attend.

Some people have used ‘dodgy’ or perhaps fraudulent practices to get past the system, including buying an apartment within the zone, using a business address as their home address and even using a friend’s address as their postal address.

Secondary Principals Association of New Zealand president and Pakuranga College head Mike Williams advises that if you really like a particular state school, you should consider changing areas – and paying the extra money to own a house nearby. But for many people, if not most, that will be unaffordable.

However, he also points to the research by expat Kiwi and top education expert Professor John Hattie (NZOM). Now Director of the Melbourne Education Research Institute, Hattie has concluded there are actually more differences between the performance of similar children within a school than between different schools.

Do your research Both Williams and Hattie advise visiting the school to do your own research. Any good school will have an open day or evening, with teachers and students being present.

Also, what do you find when you look up the ‘Rate my Teachers’ website?

You may find schooling has changed a lot since late last century: there may be a broader range of subjects available, including philosophy and photography, as well as other subjects to support post-school technical qualifications.

“You can’t sum up a school with a number.”

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EducationCentral.co.nz/FutureFocus Williams says many problems are now solved in groups, reflecting the modern workplace.

“For most employers today, the lone wolf is a liability,” he says.

Hattie, who has four grown-up children, has prepared some advice for discerning parents, including asking if you can sit in on a lesson.

Some of his advice may surprise you as it is quite different from what so many parents focus on. The main premise is that good teaching is the key – so it’s what the principal does to make good teachers better that matters. He also advises finding out whether teachers collaborate within the school – the idea being that teachers get better by working together.

Open days On an open day, Hattie says, “Focus on the school’s attitude to teachers and teaching.”

Does the school have ‘open doors’ so other teachers can offer them feedback on their work?

“Do teachers observe one another’s teaching and give each other constructive feedback?”

Assessment is an idea Hattie turns on its head.

The idea behind it is not to ‘judge’ but to provide feedback to the teacher– so that they can adjust their teaching to suit.

Hattie says schools should also learn from each other, as is actually practised in many New Zealand schools. The question to ask, he says, is “How much professional development is available to teachers?”

There are also cultural differences between some of the grammar schools, other state schools and integrated Catholic and fully private schools.

You may wish to consider a single sex school for a girl. Some research suggests girls may have more chances to be leaders at single sex schools. Most grammar schools, integrated Catholic schools and private schools are single sex.

Some schools offer accelerated programmes for their top students, such as those gifted in mathematics. Williams recalls a 14-year-old boy who had achieved Year 12 maths in Year 10. They advised him to take other subjects for a while “but he still snuck in some maths”. He later received a scholarship.

Size may mean more choice Some larger schools may offer a wider range of subjects, such as more options in languages and science and more extensive music programmes, for example, than smaller schools. With a good school play, says Williams, “students may learn more there than in maths for a few weeks … [although] it might be heresy to say it”.

Some schools, such as Auckland Grammar and Macleans College, offer the English ‘Cambridge’ exam system as an alternative to the state’s NCEA system.

Consider what your teenager is like. Are they self-disciplined? Many people who are high achievers at school fail their university exams because they are not motivated enough to study unsupervised. And then there is the partying.

Go Catholic Catholic schools are a significant alternative to the state system. According to the Catholic Education Office’s website (www.nzceo.catholic.org.nz), New Zealand has 15 Catholic secondary schools and 43 primary schools. Most are smaller than state colleges, although Sacred Heart College (for boys) and Baradene College of the Sacred Heart (for girls) both have rolls of more than 1,200.

Some Catholic schools accept a percentage of students who are not practising Catholics – although Catholic Education Office CEO Paul Ferris says it is expected that all students will attend religious classes.

Catholic schools have changed since last century.

Some (state-integrated) Catholic schools have firstclass facilities – arguably better than nearby state schools.

Ferris says only about 40 per cent of teachers are practising Catholics and only a handful of religious staff are still teaching. Most parents are Catholic, but not all practise regularly. Fees are a fraction of those in private schools – Ferris says the compulsory element is $800 a term, plus donations, which vary widely.

The Metro magazine schools issue, containing league tables on schools’ exam results, came out recently. It’s good reading but Williams cautions: “You can’t sum up a school with a number.” So do your homework.

Questions you should ask It’s good practice to attend an open day or evening at the school you are considering.

Talk to students and teachers and question, question, question. yy What do the students think about their teachers? Does the school try to stretch them academically? yy Is there a ‘whole child’ policy (such as teaching everyone a musical instrument) or is the school purely into getting good exam results? yy What are the wall displays in the classrooms like? yy Does the school use regular assessment, and adjust their instruction to suit, such as offering ‘catch-up’ classes in maths? yy Does the school offer a broad range of subjects, including all the sciences, chemistry, physics, and biology? And does it offer a wide range of foreign languages? yy How much are both the compulsory and non-compulsory fees? yy When was the last time the teachers went to a professional development course? yy What formal programme does the school have for teachers to obtain feedback from teachers elsewhere? yy Does the principal value professional development and collaboration between teachers? yy Can you sit in a period? yy How extensive are the sports programmes? yy Does the school have its own pool, with watersports teams?

22 | Thursday, 24 May 2018

EducationCentral.co.nz/FutureFocus

Micro-credentials:

For more information about EduBits, visit https://edubits.nz/about/ edubits. More information about the Young Enterprise Scheme is available at http://youngenterprise. org.nz.

a sea change for tertiary education Annie Graham-Riley looks at the new bite-sized qualifications that look set to change the relationship between work and study.

N

ew Zealanders young and old are about to benefit from a new qualification pathway that will formally acknowledge skills and study at a level other than that of certificates, diplomas and degrees.

Micro-credentials are, at their core, certifications offered for taking courses and developing skills in specific areas. Sometimes called badges, nano-credentials or nano-degrees, these credentials promise recognition for workforce upskilling and reskilling.

The component of learning undertaken is validated in a micro-credential and is important in itself; it is not simply a stepping stone to any subsequent qualification.

NZQA is currently running a pilot programme (running from 1 August 2017 to 30 June 2018) and is working alongside Otago Polytechnic, The Lion Foundation Young Enterprise Scheme (YES) and Udacity to co-create programmes and ensure that the skills taught align with those deemed essential by employers of the future.

Exciting potential Micro-credentials have exciting potential and may change the direction of tertiary education in New Zealand.

It’s anticipated that micro-credentials will be deemed invaluable by employers in the future, who will quickly be able to ascertain whether a potential employee has the skills required for a role. Moreover, employers will be able to encourage employees to upskill in a quick and timely manner, should the nature of their roles change.

Micro-credentials are more specific than other tertiary qualifications. They generally require a lower level of commitment and are less intense than a traditional degree programme, but are intended to serve an important role in acknowledging skills that may be otherwise missed in traditional education. Oftentimes micro-credentials can be attained while the recipient continues full-time work or other education, such as secondary schooling.

Whilst still in the preliminary phrases in New Zealand, micro-credentials may be able to offer opportunities for professionals wanting to explore alternative career options and impress employers with more specific knowledge.

Udacity leads the way

Skills employers want

New Zealand’s first micro-credential, issued by Udacity, became available in August 2017. Online education provider Udacity offers a range of nano-degrees and credentials in partnership with international companies including IBM and Mercedes-Benz to provide present- and future-designed courses.

Udacity spotted a gap in educational services and realised a need to acknowledge skills that are not always taught or recognised by traditional training providers. Those who are interested in developing virtual reality applications or exploring robotics may be marginalised by university education but can be accredited through Udacity at the completion of an online course.

Interestingly, the first micro-credential offered in New Zealand by Udacity, announced by Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Phil Goldsmith, is a self-driving car nano-degree. The programme is assessed by NZQA and provides 60 credits at Level 9 of the New Zealand Qualifications Framework. As with any micro-credential, this credential would be documented on an individual’s record of learning and could be easily accessed by a potential employer.

“YES has morphed over the last 24 years. We recognise those skills that are not necessarily taught in the classroom but are the future [in terms of] what employers are looking for. It’s very good that NZQA recognises what employers are saying they are looking for,” she says.

YES is hoping to continue its close relationship with NZQA, anticipating that, from July 2018, students completing the YES programme will be issued with 24 Level 3 credits under the NZQA framework.

“Currently, YES is only acknowledged as being ‘equivalent credits’ so it doesn’t appear on the record of learning under NZQA, but a micro-credential will appear, so it will be recognised in a broader sense,” says Shubkin.

“We’re talking about building lifelong learners, but a lifelong learner isn’t always going to stop what they are doing to do a three-year degree.”

No need to leave the workforce Importantly, such a micro-credential may mean that young New Zealanders don’t need to spend three or four years out of the workforce, studying full-time, in order to have recognisable qualifications: “We’re talking about building lifelong learners, but a lifelong learner isn’t always going to stop what they are doing to do a three-year degree,” she adds.

YES, which is supported by The Lion Foundation, BP and the Ministry of Youth Development, praises the fact that NZQA is keeping up with the times and leading the way when it comes to formally acknowledging non-traditional forms of education.

“We [New Zealand] are definitely keeping up with the global trend of acknowledging learning that is not traditional,” says YES Head of Curriculum Yolande Rosario.

Future-focused Shubkin has applauded NZQA for “looking to recognise 21st-century skills that are not normally taught in the classroom”.

“Gone are the days when you needed a multi-year degree,” she notes.

Source: EducationReview.co.nz

EduBits joins in After liaising with NZQA, Otago Polytechnic is now the leading tertiary education provider for micro-credentials in New Zealand, with their micro-credential service, EduBits. Otago Polytechnic and NZQA now jointly award micro-credential EduBits, which recognise sets of skills and knowledge and have the potential to provide ongoing upskilling and reskilling.

NZQA has also been working closely with YES, which will soon begin offering micro-credentials to those taking part in the hands-on learning experience.

Terry Shubkin, Young Enterprise Chief Executive Officer (also known as ‘Chief Excitement Officer’), acknowledges it has been important for them to remain relevant and up to date since first beginning the YES in-school programme 36 years ago. She believes micro-credentials are the perfect avenue through which to do this and was thrilled to be able to take part in NZQA’s pilot.

What are micro-credentials?

Micro-credentials are not simply stepping stones to any subsequent qualifications. They allow people to upskill and explore multiple career pathways while continuing to work, complete other study, or even parent, while not having to commit to a full-time course load or face-toface classes.

Micro-credentials can be delivered in a variety of different ways and may include short courses delivered online, in the workplace, or at training institutions face to face. Micro-credentials can be at any level of the qualifications framework and individuals would typically be awarded between five and 60 credits.

Importantly, micro-credentials will be acknowledged formally on an individual’s record of learning.

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