ED » Training Opportunities

News 11/8 – UE Changes. Student Games. Old Loans.

Dave Guerin — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 20:14:11 +0000

UE Changes NZQA has changed University Entrance (UE) requirements, sparking comment from Business NZ, the Tourism Industry Assn (dislike) and Universities NZ (support) and stories from RNZ, Dom Post, TV3, NewstalkZB and NZ Herald – the latter is the best one, with some good comments by NZUSA..
Student Games 12 Massey students are part of a 62-strong group heading off to the World Uni Games. Such stories always make me think why University Sport NZ isn’t making a release about it.
Head of Meds Prof Allan Merry has been appointed the Auckland Uni Head of School of Medicine – he currently works in the School.
Government Cuts Phil Goff is rehashing his bad industry training stats and adding in some Training Opportunities cuts to come up with $146m less in skills training. Personally, I’m not sure I would die in a ditch over Training Opportunities issues as they have been presented – it’s not just an issue of “money with YMCA/Sallies good, money elsewhere bad” and this is a reallocation.
Buses & Trains Roger Sowry, Wellington uber-chair of ITPs, is backing student discounts for bus and train fares – the whole issue seems to be gathering steam, even though hardly anywhere else does it in NZ.
London Riots Canterbury’s Bronwyn Hayward has both provided insight into the London riots and warned of risks here. She has also received a $1.1m research grant with colleagues for a project on youth in Norway;
Old Loans The Nelson Mail has done some more investigation of loan repayments by older students – it’s not good.
ITF Conference Review Colin King, National Party MP, has written a review of the ITF conference – will be of interest to those in ITOs.
Disney A Massey grad’s experience at Disney World.
Pacific Youth The PM gave out six Pacific Youth Awards yesterday and Auckland Uni students or alumni won five of them.
Marine Designs Lots of people checked out designs by EIT students for Napier’s Marine Parade.
Plagiarism Otago Uni has changed its plagiarism policy.
Quake Stuff Light rail might go out from the CBD to Canterbury under a Council draft plan. Canterbury geologists David Bell and Marlene Villeneuve on homes threatened by rock fall. A CPIT tutor is helping to organise his local Christchurch community. Canterbury’s Julia Ruckridge has found that micronutrients might help with post-quake stress. And another story about NMIT’s new building and how Christchurch should be rebuilt with exact copies of it (or something like that – really, architects and engineers have been pushing this for months but haven’t generated one sale to boast about yet!). On a related note, Otago Uni’s Michael Bourk has found that Sri Lankans are still coming to terms with the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami (TVNZ).
Short Bits A pro-VSM blog post and Labour’s Nanaia Mahuta is anti-VSM. Otago Uni: a rowing eight did very well in a Chinese regatta; major genetics project on multiple sclerosis; Bryce Edwards on David Parker’s Epsom goals; academics on boarding houses (turns out it was Kate Amore). BCITO-related school project. Auckland: Ro Lange on friendship bullying (Auckland Now, NZ Herald); Christine Stringer on fishing boat conditions; Paul Henry chats to Rhema Vaithianathan about bad bosses; Mike Lee on Adidas’ marketing efforts. New Open Poly Council member and award for BOPP Council member. Canterbury: Eric Crampton gets support from ACT’s Heather Roy, Bronwyn Hayward has received a $1.1m research grant with colleagues for a project in Norway; classical play translated by Robin Bond. AUT: grad up to win fashion award. Victoria: Janet Holmes on whether men or women talk more; a student helping to knit the periodic table. Massey: Gary Hermansson on RWC anxiety; Albany open day. Lincoln: school science projects. Waikato: student in Australasian piano contest. Wintec’s new wharenui is taking shape. Otago Poly’s top teacher Peter Bilous.

News 9/8 – Training Opportunities Cut. Plumbing Leaks? See Ya Roger!

Dave Guerin — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 22:01:52 +0000

Training Opportunities Cut TEC has reduced Training Opportunities funding by 500 in the wake of a decisions last year for MSD to take over 40% of the funding previously allocated to the area. The NZ Herald has a story quoting TEC and various providers, while releases have been put out by the YMCA and the Salvation Army (two large providers in the area). It looks like a concerted effort by the providers to raise the profile of the issue, but given that it’s Simon Collins writing the story, he could well have researched it himself. This area of tertiary education doesn’t get nearly enough policy, academic or media attention and it’s sad this is the only time it makes the news.
Plumbing Leaks? The NZ Herald has run a story highlighting big concerns about unit standards awarded by the Plumbing, Gasfitting, Drainlaying and Roofing ITO. NZQA’s written a report with the details, but the ITO disputes the figures. The investigation stemmed from a complaint by ex-Unitec (and now ex-MIT too, it seems) tutor Garry Cruickshank. I think I’ll wait till the final report comes out, if it does, before commenting. But I am very tempted to guess at who might release a draft report, presumably released to the relevant parties for comment. I can’t see why NZQA would do it or why the ITO would do it, which leaves…
See Ya Roger! Roger Field, Lincoln VC, will retire in April 2012. He’s had a good run and I’ve always enjoyed dealing with him. He’s spent 40 years at Lincoln!
Copyright Law Impact Auckland and Unitec are raising concerns about the costs of new Internet copyright protection laws.
Tourism Work ATTTO has released a workforce research study on tourism.
Bad Bosses Auckland’s Rhema Vaithianathan says NZ bosses are really bad.
RWC Comics A Massey accountant is also a cartoonist and will be doing a weekly comic strip on the Uni’s RWC website (yes, they do have one). A sample is below.
Top Teachers Peter Bilous at Otago Poly. Short ODT story about Dunedin winners. Auckland’s Michael Walker.
Fishing Report Auckland academics are launching a report on Thursday about conditions on foreign fishing boats in NZ waters. It should make a splash!
Canty Student Named The Canterbury student who died on campus last week has been named as Christopher McPherson (NewstalkZB).
VSM Etc Student Choice says that VSM is NZUSA’s fault. Radio One’s non-sale (media release). A blogger on last week’s Dunedin protest.
Spinal Research Auckland is launching a new centre focused on spinal injury research (NewstalkZB).
Going West Massey Albany staff and friends used the new motorway opening in Auckland to promote Massey Albany to West Auckland.
It’s Not OK Unitec is becoming part of the It’s Not OK campaign.
Dyson Awards A Massey grad, a Massey student and a Vic student are in the finals of the NZ Dyson Awards – cool designs, so check them out.
Short Bits Wintec: hosted a big charity event. NMIT: staffer, mum and basketballer. Otago Uni: Bryce Edwards says Mana needs to brand itself as left, not Maori; melanoma risk for older people. Auckland: Hawkes Bay people respond to research on sanctuary fences; Stephen Hoadley on big helicopter crash in Afghanistan; Edwin Mitchell on babies in bed. Waikato: economic research in Hamilton. Massey: hosting “green” students from US; three minute thesis winners; self-esteem therapy; poultry award; visiting academic on privatisation; hosting a research trust. Victoria: obituary of a student killed in a car accident; review of NZ School of Music production (also Massey). Canterbury: Kenneth Kuhn recognised by IBM. Unitec: forum on public broadcasting. The NZ Rugby League has AUT and Auckland academics on its medical board. Waiariki helped host some Japanese quake victims. Rural GPs want bonding extended to other medical fields. Free chiropractic care in the Cook Island. NorthTec’s hospitality success. Toilet paper dresses.

News 7/10 – ITO Funding, Waiariki Cuts, Tim Shadbolt, WISA…

Dave Guerin — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 21:04:28 +0000

ITO Changes and Cuts Steven Joyce and TEC announced yesterday that new ITO operational policies would come into effect to tighten up on trainee progression and achievement, with a resulting cut in funding. The policies broadly reflect what has been applied to tertiary education providers, but I haven’t been through the details yet, which I’ll do for ED Insider. One major change is that they actually seem to be removing funding, which they haven’t done so explicitly for PTEs yet. Anyway, I haven’t gone through all the details yet and I’m doing some paid work in the area, so I’ll leave it there at the moment. Guest posts welcome! (You can also read an NZPA story, media releases from the ITF and Business NZ.
Audit Covered Some weeks after being released, UC’s academic audit has been covered by The Press.
Gisborne Concerns A Gisborne PTE, Turanga Ararau, is concerned about the impact of performance-based access to loans and Training Opportunities changes.
SIT & Shadbolt SIT has been dragged into the Invercargill elections (again) over payments to Tim Shadbolt. The payments seem fine, but the place is so small that everyone works with each other.
Waiariki Cuts? Waiariki’s CE Pim Borren is claiming that hundreds of students will be turned away next year due to a 10% drop in EFTS, but without full data and without funding negotiations completed, I wouldn’t put too much faith in the numbers in the story. It is, of course, negotiation season, when CEs claim poverty. What’s more interesting is that the MOE’s Ben O’Meara responds, rather than TEC, reflecting shifts in policy responsibility, I assume.
WISA Silliness Whitireia’s students’ assn silliness continues with the fool who claimed to be the president now making tax-related allegations about the real acting president.
Chch Repairs …are almost done at Lincoln, UC and CPIT.
Good Fellow Prof Richie Poulton, who heads Otago Uni’s Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study, has been elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand
Media Mentions Super City elections and exit polls (AUT), testing a horse (Massey, of course), Dunedin elections - and again - and taxi cameras and genes (Otago Uni), quake economic impact (Lincoln)
21st Dance Unitec’s dance programme is celebrating 21 years.
Top Nurse The EIT head of nursing has won a Fulbright scholarship.
More Wananga? Waiariki MP Te Ururoa Flavell thinks there could be more than 3 wananga. TWOA head Bentham Ohia says wananga are now ready to grow.
Scarves Massey students are making scarves to fundraise for Downstage theatre’s new furnishings – why don’t they just make the furnishings
Autism Study VUW and UC students are carrying out a research study on communication by autistic children.
The Blues Massey’s top sportspeople have been honoured (full release).
Short Bits Owen Glenn is funding a chair in cancer at the Uni of Auckland. A Unitec grad is Young Landscaper of the Year. An EIT student is off to Italy for a month to study wine. The NZ Food Awards are sponsored by Massey. The Sophie Elliot Foundation has been launched. Whitireia is running a writing competition. A Lincoln academic is on the government’s Biosecurity Committee. A UC academic is running a conference by videoconferencing (including the participants).

News 18/8 – Trades Academies, Whitireia and Problems for Refugees

Dave Guerin — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 20:09:54 +0000

Trades Academies There has been reaction to the announcement of the funded Trades Academies. They’re a bit sad in Gisborne, but 100 students will benefit in Wellington from WelTec’s academy. The Press has a story on Christchurch’s trade academy.
Whitireia Students’ Missing $$ The Young Nats have jumped on the Whitireia bandwagon while Kiwiblog continues to argue for VSM too. Newswire has a story on Whitireia’s willingness to help out and a good article on legal responsibilities and practices at other students’ assns.
Refugees Stuck on the Dole? Changes to Training Opportunities courses announced last week will leave refugees permanently stuck on the dole, unable to work or develop new skills, according to TESOLANZ, the national association of ESOL Teachers. I’d agree with their analysis of the wider problem, which is even that the old system didn’t adequately address ESOL needs. I remember when Labour announced an ESOL strategy, maybe around 2005. It had great rhetoric (and good on them for at least thinking about it) but I was well aware that it would have needed $2-300m pa to really make a dent in the needs.
Chaucer An Otago Uni academic has identified academic interest in Chaucer in the 19th century, whereas most had apparently thought that Chaucer was a 20th century interest. I did not know that (about the interest in Chaucer being recent).
Digital Pet Some Vic researchers (and a Penn State academic) have developed a digital pet, with a real microorganism inside – you should read it.
NMIT NMIT staff and students are baking animal-themed cupcakes to raise money for the SPCA (I saw AUT are doing the same thing and I’m sure others will be too). Students were also protesting against course cuts.
EIT-Tairawhiti Merger There are some frank comments form Tairawhiti Polytechnic CE Judy Campbell here on the proposed merger with EIT.
Alcohol
ResearchA study with Otago Uni involvement has identified a gene associated with vulnerability to tuberculosis (TB) in African populations. Otago Uni has also bought a new benchtop DNA sequencing machine, and will be starting a CSI-styled ad campaign to replace their Take Your Place in the World ads (half of that sentence is false).
Bits and Pieces Massey’s Professor Kevin Stafford has been made a fellow of the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists. Learn from Otago Poly how to marinate a fish. A new Otago Uni draft policy does not ban relationships between staff and students. A Chch partygoer, believed to be a Lincoln student, pointed a gun at police - Lincoln is looking into it, but the police have charged the guy.

News 6/8 – Top Teachers, New NZVCC Name (and Quiz 4 U), Canty Excludes 350

Dave Guerin — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 20:10:28 +0000

Tertiary Teaching Excellence Ako Aotearoa held their annual Tertiary Teaching Excellence Awards on Wednesday night. Here are the releases by the winners’ institutions. There are no media stories yet. I think it’s a mistake by Ako Aotearoa to rely simply on the local releases to drive local stories about the winners – this is a big awards ceremony and is intended to support public recognition of top teachers. If no-one outside the tertiary sector knows of the overall awards, doesn’t that weaken the rationale? There will be stories over the next couple of days as local reporters pick up on local winners, but it would be nice to see some national coverage of the winners.
- UCOL’s Marty Vreede (who also won the PM’s Supreme Award)
- The University of Waikato’s Te Kahautu Maxwell and Dr Alison Campbell (she’s also a prolific blogger)
- University of Canterbury’s Emily Parker
- Weltec’s Scott Bregman
- Bay of Plenty Polytechnic’s Kelly Pender
- University of Otago’s Dr Phil Bishop
- Otago Polytechnic’s Maxine Alterio
- Massey University’s Angie Farrow
- University of Auckland’s Margaret Henley
- No releases yet (that I have seen) in regard to VUW’s Sara Kindon – what’s up Vic???!!!?
- NZUSA also congratulated the winners.
Universities New Zealand The NZVCC have changed their name to Universities New Zealand. It’s a simple name and a nice logo (at left), but I have a quiz for readers. What birds would best represent the vice-chancellors (or the universities) and why? You may well make fun of them, but let’s keep it seemly.
Canterbury Excludes 350 Students But not because of caps, but due to poor academic progress. This is something I was thinking about last night actually (before seeing the story). As new academic progression standards come in, the debate about people refused entry will shift from “the government won’t fund them” to “their marks weren’t good enough”. It doesn’t matter that the impact will be quite similar in many cases – the debate will shift by early next year and funding caps are unlikely to be an election issue. If you look at this story, the students’ assn supports the proposal.
TO Funding Goes In the age-old struggle between education and welfare, Training Opportunities funding is being split 60/40, with MSD getting 40% for short-term programmes. Business NZ supported it. I’ll have more analysis in ED Insider.
Adventure Protest Students are speaking out against the proposed cut of NMIT’s adventure tourism course.
Export Education There was another story on the English language school census and on Education NZ’s conference.
Tooth Grinder A dentistry student found a tooth grinder research subject in her own flat.
The Night Withers No, it’s not morning, but night classes in Waikato have apparently withered away this year.
Otago Changes Otago Uni’s business school might lose 10 jobs from a departmental merger. OUSA and Otago Poly have come out in support of keeping neurosurgery services in Dunedin.
UCOL News UCOL academics have been researching interval training, while an “all-girl” team is getting ready for the Nestle Toque D’Or competition.
Online Counselling There was a wee stir yesterday about text counselling and it turns out that AUT has been offering text, live chat, and text counselling since 2005, as part of a wider service.
Ngati Whatua Unitec has signed an education agreement with local iwi Ngati Whatua o Orakei.

New MOE Research – Tuition Fees, Productivity and Training Opportunities

Dave Guerin — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 01:22:16 +0000

The Minister of Education has published three new research reports. I have a soft spot for the MOE’s Tertiary Sector Performance Analysis and Reporting team and I regret that there is not a bigger market for research-based evidence in tertiary education policymaking. To help make up for that, I’ll promote their work!

Comparing university tuition fees with PBRF performance,by Warren Smart, shows that bachelors degree tuition fees and research quality are positively linked, but only weakly (0.09 regression factor). This is no great surprise, as universities generally kept fees at similar levels in the 90s (Victoria and Otago had them a bit lower) and fee increases have been heavily constrained in the period since the PBRF started to measure research quality. This is one for the policy diehards only, but it is good to see research published that just tests a hypothesis without startling results – too often this stuff gets hidden, but it all helps outr understanding.
Training Opportunities: Exploring what happens two months later, by Paul Mahoney,shows that the most important factors in gaining positive outcomes (employment, further education and training) are credits achieved per week, region, employment history and course field – gender had a very small impact. There are some ‘obvious’ findings, such as those that achieve credits and have been in long-term employment previously are more likely to get a job. But some fo the detail is quite interesting, such as what outcomes are more likely for different course fields. I think this research is very relevant to both policy-making and TEC contracting decisions – it may help target successful providers, but also identify what groups Training Opportunities work best (and worst) for. This is a great example of how research can support programme improvement and it would be great to see a TEC response on reports like this, even a few months down the track.
Tertiary education, skills and productivity, by David Earle, is an update of a 2007 article. In summary, tertiary education matters, but only if you use it right – this issue is dear to ED’s heart (see the sidebar). The paper is well worth reading as an overview of the topic.