ARA tutor's ASL presentations - session 3

Three presentations today from computing tutors and a performing arts tutor.

Dr. David Weir on ‘agile software development principles applied to academic study leave’. Defined the principles of agile software development, whereby software development is focused on stakeholder requirements and evolve as the environment moves through the life of the project. Shared the Gartner Hype Cycle (2016) whereby there is great fanfare and inflated expectations of the innovation trigger, the reality hits as a peak of inflated expectations comes along followed by trough of disillusionment, slope of enlightenment and eventual plateau of development. Summarised the pitfalls of ‘fast development’ to meet trends but open to flawed or through poorly thought through implementation. Aligned to challenges posed to his original ASL proposal and how applying principles of agile software development allowed ASL objectives to shift.

Dr. Eddie Correia presented on ‘cloud computing in the curriculum’. Defined what is and is not the ‘cloud’ and provided example. Discussed advantages and challenges. One effect is on IT workforce, especially the networking area, with forecasts for two ends of the spectrum – either fewer jobs or many more. IT work moving around from ‘hardware’/ wired networks etc. to more complex understanding of how networks work to allow for better configuration and problem solving. Important to prepare students for skills required to be able to script rather than physically move hardware.

Richard Marrett overviewed the skills of orchestration with ‘Broadway orchestral project’. Project part of an MA (Music) with Wintec. Worked with 6 musicals in Christchurch, Invercargill and New Plymouth and then also worked on dissertation and a collaborative project with a singer. Worked on finding out the values, strategies and methods used by arrangers. Played examples of arrangements to illustrate principles. Provided details on the collaborative project with Liz Callaway.

Three presentations show off the applied nature of our institute. Tutors’ ASL were focused on keeping up with their contemporary discipline knowledge and in turn used to inform curriculum development.