National Tertiary Learning and Teaching Conference - 2014 day 1

At the annual National Tertiary Learning and Teaching Conference, at Southern Institute of Technology (SIT), Invercargill for the next 3 days. Looking forward to catching up with many NZ staff developers and gathering new ideas to share with CPIT colleagues.
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Day one begins with traditional Maori Mihi whakatau, welcomes from conference MC, Sally Dobbs - Academic and Relationship leader (SIT) and SIT CE - Penny Simmonds, Invercargill mayor, Tim Shadbolt. First keynote from Dr. Kerry Reid-Searl - Professor of Nursing from Central Queensland University, with an extension on her keynote from last year. This year, 'Anywhere, anytime: a simulation teaching strategy preparing learners for real world practice beyond the classroom walls'. Challenged teachers to try different and innovative ways to engage students with learning. Introduced the classroom in a small suitcase - based on -simulation - to have a realistic programmes with fidelity and believable. Did a role-play similar to one last year with an elderly patient. Extended on simulation with pedagogical framework - how relationship to 'person' and hearing his journey helps students learn respect and see things from a different perspective. Many dispositional skills including need to learning how to listen and empathise. Mask Ed simulations introduces 9 characters who carry through the 3 years of the nursing programme. Learners build up relationships with the characters, learning by stealth (the hidden educator).

After lunch, attend Aidan Bigham, Trudy Harris and Jackie Messam on 'course design for student centred learning,'. Changed brought about by move into new facilities. Modified OTARA to OSCAR - objectives, success criteria, context, resources. Learning spaces fully flexible with a central 'street' to use whole space or divide into smaller spaces. Team teaching with project based / student based learning. Need to prepare for teaching in a different format, not just concentrate on content. Learning activities are more important to work through than content. Learning around a one semester project to solve engineering problem. Problems based on real-world scenarios or a design brief to be completed by a 'client'.

Then afternoon tea, followed by my keynote on CPIT's experiences with technology enhanced learning (TEL) post-earthquakes with emphasis on our 'project surface tablet' titled - 'flexible and mobile delivery @ CPIT post-2012: Shaken, stirred and poured'. Presentation stressed need to plan, identity learning objective, select pedagogical approach, prepare students and teachers and  evaluate and improve as project progresses.

After keynote, a series of 3 sessions. Firstly, Terry Kapua from Waiariki (Rotorua) with 'mobile device education: tino rangitiratanga for learners'. Introduced an iPhone app to learn Maori allowing for pronunciation to be checked. Correct pronunciation provided. Learner records their version and sent best one to learning management system to mark it. Trialing with 80 students and learning pitfalls and ways to help meet the challenges.

Next, John Hitchcock and Gerry Duignan from Weltec on 'growing 21st century tertiary teachers through a career pathway model'. Discussion groups identified professional development as beginning, intermediate ( 1 - 4 years) and 'experienced' (more than 5 years) teachers. Pattern of -how can I be a teacher, how can I understand learning and for more experiences, how can I understand learners and what can I do to help learners learn?? Discussion on what is 21st century learning. From discussion, introduced an academic staff career framework to try to capture and frame professional / capability development for polytechnic tutors.

Last up today, Cath Fraser and Ruth Petersen with 'getting connected: principles and theories that mean any time anywhere works for students'. Introduced the Goalpost resource produced as an Ako Aotearoa resource for tutors. A just in time resource for new tutors to get them up and running and a follow-up from the Signpost resource  which was a first stop resource for people starting out as tutors in the NZ polytechnic, wananga and private sector. Two resources are supported by Teaching tips 1 and teaching tips 2 workshops to provide interactive sessions.

Conference that headed to the SIT downtown campus for a'night market' set up by students to showcase their work.