CPIT research month week 3 day 1 - Tuesday 20/8

A selection of topics today around the theme of 'aftershocks' with presentations from CPIT projects completed since the 2011 earthquakes.

Gleaning ideas and perspectives to enhance journal articles being prepared from Ako Aotearoa funded project completed on 'institutional programme-design strategies supporting forced change'.

First up Ada Campbell, Jane Maidment, Raewyn Tudor and Karen Whittaker from nursing  and human services, on 'role of craft post-earthquake. Post earthquake saw a flowering of art, creativity and community. Craft played a role in contributing to positive mental health of individuals and their families and social cohesion. The project studied crafters and spectators of craft. Interviewed 20 crafters and 4 focus groups of 6 people in each of spectators.

Then, an Ako Aotearoa funded project with Drs. Judy Yarwood and Phillipa Seaton. The departments experience of managing, sustaining, and future proofing educational provision following large scale disaster and disruption. Others involved include Irene Absalom, Dr. Lesley Seaton and Melanie Ryan. Data gathering across 2 years to assess implications of various decisions made at time of the event. Interviews and survey of academic, teaching, management and corporate staff. Model of interconnecting themes distilled from data. Individuals had to deal with competing tensions. Department leadership a key with communication across all staff important. Recommendations on immediate reactions, coping with ongoing disruption and moving on.

Libby Gawith from Humanities presented on 'Christchurch two years after'. Summarised where we have got to. In for long haul and a marathon, not a race. We are only at the beginning the 20 years physical model of reconstruction and 5 years psychological model of recovery from disaster (Gluckman). Surveys summarised include CERA 'healthy Christchurch welbeing survey (2013). In 2014, a campaign to assist, 'are you alright' will begin.

Cpit staff PD day - going forward together

All staff convene for a one day professional development event at the Wigram event centre. The day opens with a mihi and karakia from Hana O'Regan. Joe Bennett MCs the occasion and begins with a warm up keynote. Then Stephen Collins representing the CPIT council provided a short welcome and acknowledgement of CPIT's staff commitment over the course of the last few years. CE Kay Giles then provided overview of CPIT's efforts over the last few days and the need to go forward together. Reiterated need to move from teacher and content focus to student and learning focus. Individual learning plans, student led through virtual and asynchronous flexible delivery.

To set the scene, a keynote for Dominic Thurbon from chief creative officer from change labs. In times of change, we must identify and challenge our assumptions. Put forward 3 assumptions to challenge and provided examples / case studies (mainly from U S of A) of how those challenges were met. Assumptions included: what if knowledge was not valued? What is sitting down killed education? What if students took responsibility for their own outcomes?
Then a call for all to contribute to innovation through individual transformation and action.

All staff were then organised into groups to discuss how to best go forward. Each group convener then had to collate items discussed and put up on Yammer. Dom and Kay provided short summary of their group walk about while staff groups were discussing.

After lunch, video presentation from Mark Solomon. Call to raise the aspirations and qualifications of Maori and Pacifica. By 2050, over 50% of the NZ population will be Maori, Pacifica or Asian. Responsibility rests with our generation to play a part. Used the earthquakes as an example of how the community can pull together and the importance of keeping the sense of community.

The Loons contributed to the next session, with a series of displays (juggling and hoops) and practice and build up to a mass group activity session. The activity featured an action song - the 'hi ho hi ho, its off to work we go' song from the cartoon Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs - and  a passing the parcel sequence. The scaffolding towards the final massed performance will be an interesting 'case study' for reflection in our teacher education courses :)

CPIT excellence awards were then presented by John Mote, CPIT Council member. Excellence in teaching practitioner awards were presented to Tracey Coulhart, Linda Mcketrick, Andrew Massie and John Morgan. Awards for emerging excellence in management award to Jann Lay and Michael Edmonds. Rising star awards for administrative staff went to Sam Hegarty and Mandy Jones. Sustainability awards to Heather Teage, the payroll team and the international admissions team. Excellence in management award went to Karen Te Puke.

Kay provided the summation presentation, thanking the Council and planning committee. In all, a good opportunity for bringing together the whole of CPIT and a bit of a reward for the many trials and tribulations over the last two plus years courtesy of the Christchurch earthquakes. The event reiterates that the institute as a whole is in good heart. All staff are keen to make a contribution, so it is important to provide conduits for crowd sourcing and to support innovative ideas that will make a difference. As Kay put it, we are a small institution but have been put into a unique position to contribute to the major NZ history making role of rebuilding our city. Therefore, Going Forward Together, is a apt slogan. CPIT's major challenge now is to continue on the work begun on Friday, to collate the many good ideas put forward by staff, to prioritise and action the ones that will make a difference to students (and staff) and to maintain momentum of continual improvement in trying times.

Cpit research month 24 august

Cpit research month 24 August

A range of presentations from department of humanities and academic division presented today, starting at 11. 20am and progressing to 2.40 pm. I and to miss some of the lunch time presentations from Te puna wanaga as I had a focus group to conduct for Another project.

First up, Libby Gawith presents on " Christchurch and how we are coping with our earthquakes" based on recently published paper. Canterbury was unexpected, lasted a long time, impacted a large area. Apart from aftershocks also coping with physical financial and workload pressures at home, work, through the community and across social networks. We are now in the restoration and reconstruction phrase requiring long term resilience. 2.6% population lost, divorce rattle up, births down and increased flu admissions. There is still uncertainty and worry. New behaviors due to experiences. Recovery means retuning to normal can be difficult. Rebuilt and positive focus important.

I then presented on the net tablet project " situated technology enhanced learning: using net tablets to help students construct their own eworkbooks".

Hemi Hoskins presented on progress with his masters studies. He uses hunting as a context to study the changes in Maori language. How old terms related to hunting and gathering in pre-European times. How the language had to form new terms for new huntingmprocesss, cultural changes and how language evolves to cope with change plus integration and synthesis etween old words and new uses for the.

A group presentation followed from tutors and students to model the teaching and learning approaches at Te Puna Wanaka. Included revitalisation on kiorahi (a traditional ball game)to learn language; a brief overview of how students and staff used the disruption and relocation to a different learning environment /the concepts of Ako, whanuanga, mana whenua, mana tangata, mana atua ; plus transference of knowledge through waiata and through leadership and personal knowledge.

Dr. Sandra Arnold then reflected on the writing of her book " sing no sad songs" with "writing as catharsis". A creative writing study as part of her PhD detailing her experiences of the death of her daughter from cancer 10 years ago. The power of language to assist with the integration of thoughts and feelings the articulate sorrow on the death of a loved one.

Kerstin Dofs presented on the ongoing project - some supported by Ako Aotearoa, learning and growing as learners : innovative use of strategy instruction to enhance language education. An approach based on developing a set of resources in the form of student work books and tutor guides to encourage self directed and life long learning with students learning English as a second other language.

Martin Jenkins and I then presented findings from the ako Aotearoa project " institutional strategies to support forced change". This is one of several commissioned by Ako Aotearoa in the wake of last year's earthquakes. A summary ofthe experiences of our staff and students through a tumultuous 2011 as a result of the earthquakes.

The last session was with Martin, Robin Graham, Julie Batchelor and Denise Holling with their summaries of presentations from the recent HERDSA conference. A range of presentations on student support, evaluations, student centred learning, assessments and feedback.

Cpit research month 2012 opens

The annual research week now a research month. An interesting range of projects are being presented from today to Tuesday 28th August. Most of the sessions will run across lunch time each day, so I will take notes and post on to blog as I am able to attend since I will be fitting the various activities around the usual work commitments.

Today, at lunch time, the month is officially opened firstly by Dr. Margaret Leonard, CPIT research manager and Kay Giles, CPIT CEO. Kay spoke of the importance of doing research in the areas we have strengths in; connecting with industry and assisting with informing industry on innovations; and using research to update and keep us fresh in our teaching.

A presentation by Dr. Mark Quigley from University of Canterbury, provides a topical beginning to research months over 60 plus presentations (including several other Christchurch earthquake focused ones). Mark presented on 'The seismic story of us: Ongoing research into the Canterbury earthquakes'. Provided a flavour of the range of projects UC is currently involved in to study and understand why/how the earthquake occurred. For instance the probable 8 faults that started things going in Sept. 2010. He presented on - what controls the volume and spatial extent of liquefaction ejecta in major earthquakes; how the earthquake faults behave; and the paleoseismology of the Canterbury plains/Chch. historically. A really interesting presentation of the science underlying the event tempered by Marks' personal experiences as much of the data was gathered in his own backyard of his now red-zoned home.

The first staff presentation is from Andrew Massie, who blogged extensively at the beginning of 2011 about his experiences while on academic study leave with Connectics - a cable jointing company undertaking extensive repairs to Christchurch electrical supply after the February 2011 earthquakes. Andrew presents on 'High voltage academic study leave during the Chch.earthquakes'. With an hour to present, Andrew could extend on his presentation by providing details on the methods he used to collect the photos/videos etc. archived on his blog and provide background details of the cable jointing process before launching into the effect the earthquake had on the electrical supply infrastructure and the processes required to repair.

In the afternoon, presentations from the Department of Nursing and Human Services with a selection of industry, work placement and teaching/learning projects.

Review of 2011

This year is clearly one to remember. The earthquakes of September 2010, followed by the damaging February 2011 and large June 2011 aftershock, created a great deal of disruption for many and huge lose and sadness for large numbers of Christchurch residents. At work, we also had disruptions caused by two large snow storms (in July and August) and strikes from one of our teacher unions (September, October). So it has been a hard and trying year for students and staff. A year of having to continually cope with change. The good things that have flowed out of our experiences are the sense of community and solidarity that has arisen both at work, in our communities and with our families.


The challenges of rebuilding the city and its infrastructure continue. We are surrounded by constant reminders of the huge task ahead. Each day I view the shattered Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, situated across the road from CPIT. Workers steadily take it apart and carefully label and put aside each removed piece. For me the Cathedral represents what has happened over the year, shattered by the earthquakes but still symbolising that life goes on and that there is a future ahead involving the need to think creatively and to work hard at putting things back together again.

For me personally, the challenges of the year have been to complete projects, help staff cope with the disruptions and logistical issues brought about by losing access to CPIT for over 6 weeks. Completing these, along with completing final work on the PhD have been trying at times but rewarding now that all have been accomplished. Completing the ‘net tablets’ project with Katrina and Peter and their students has been particularly satisfying. This project has assisted much in building technology and research capability.

Over the year, I have also been supporting the writing of a new programme for approval both internally through the CPIT programme approvals committee and externally through NZQA. Despite the many starts and stops, the programme has now been approved and I am now working with the tutors on mapping the programmes’ learning activities and assessments.

A relatively quiet year for conferences but I managed to attend and present at the ones that were the most relevant. It was also good to be able to introduce Flip to the vocational education research circuit as we presented at the ITF NZ vocational education research forum and the NCVER no-frills in Coffs Harbour. I also did some good networking at the INAP conference that I hope to continue with.

As a whole, work on research outputs did slow down but one book chapter and one journal article (both on mlearning projects) have been published and there are two journal articles (from using video and multimodal discourse project) in press for next year. So overall, a good year to settle into my various roles as programme designer, staff developer, researcher and elearning advisor. I am now looking forward to a ‘thesis writing free’ summer with plans for several long tramping trips into the NZ Southern Alps / Mount Aspiring National Park.

Andrew Massie's presentation on reconnecting Christchurch's electricity supply after earthquakes

Andrew Massie, one of my Diploma in Tertiary Teaching and Learning students who is an electrical trades tutor. Andrew is completing a project, recording the learning garnered during his academic study leave and then using the data to write a curriculum document for training electricity supply industry trades people, working as linesmen, specifically for cable jointing and line mechanics.

Andrew recorded most his learning through a blog and collected a range of industry pertinent photos and videos, recording the work he undertook. The timing of his academic leave coincided with the Canterbury earthquakes. Therefore, his blog and it's contents are now of interest to a much wider audience than just Andrew and myself!

I attended the presentation which was well attended by industry, the people Andrew worked on his attachments and a few of Andrew's family. The main objective was to assess Andrew for about 3/4 of the negotiated learning outcomes for his course, but the information presented was also of interest for finding out how a part of Christchurch's infrastructure was reestablished after the major earthquake events.

Much of the presentation focused on the technical details of different types of heavy duty cables used and how these are installed or repaired. For me, the really interesting part was to capture a glimpse of the distinctive work culture and practices of a specialised type of work. Andrew mentioned how putting up power poles was done with little verbal communication and yet accomplishing a highly technical and complicated task efficiently. How do we help our students enter such a tight knit community of practice and learn the required skills? 

Earthquakes in Christchurch - again!!

Well, just as we thought things were settling down and people were preparing for a long and hard winter, the earth decides to move again (as forecasted). On Monday, we were hit by a long, rumbly 5.5 (upgraded to 5.6) just after 1pm. All the people in my office were beavering away at our computers and when the rumble started to increase and the shaking intensify, we all dived under our desks. One of my colleagues two monitors crashed on to the ground and desks were covered in the usual white dust that comes off the ceiling panels. After the shake subsided, all of us got together to figure out if we should evacuate. The alarm did not go off, so we continued as per normal, working through another small aftershock before we were told the polytechnic was closed. I left on my bike just after 2pm.

The 6.0 (upgraded to 6.3) came on just as I was cycling past the public hospital. The shaking was strong enough to cause me to come off my bike and pedestrians near me all fell to the ground. I could see the road ripple and the buildings and trees sway plus feel the earth shift beneath my feet! After making sure an elderly women pedestrain was OK, I made my way home, through traffic jammed Riccarton Road with all the traffic lights off and people milling around on the footpath as their buildings and the Westfield Mall were all evacuated (from the first quake). Got home to find out how strong the quake was and to txt my son and daughter to make sure they were both OK. Then rang friends out Sumner way (no replies but yesterday found out they were OK but very shaken about).

There have been a host of earthquakes since, keeping everyone on alert with many occuring in the early hours of the morning (a 4.7 yesterday at 3am) and a 5.0 this morning just after 6.30 am, visually displayed here for each day. The Eastern suburbs have weathered the main impact with liquefaction and flooding adding to no electricity, water or sewage facilities. Living on the Western side of town, it all seems to be a long way off :( No work yesterday and today but should be back to work tomorrow to help with the usual tidy up (books fell off shelves in the library) before students return to the campus on Monday. Using the time to catch up on a large pile of journal articles, collected over the summer, many through a Routledge 'open access' month in April? for education journals.

Projects for next semester and beyond

Slight hiatus in blogging over the last week or so as busy getting several research proposals off to various external grant agencies.

Funding for two through Ako Aotearoa Southern Hub, now confirmed for next semester. One with Flip Leijten to extend on work we started last year with the 'using videos to study workshop or workplace based trades learning'. Flip will now carry out an investigation into aspects of peer-learning across workshops in joinery, painting and decorating, electrical and welding/structural steel. It will be interesting to find out how workshop organisation, sometimes based around workshop conventions from each trade, impacts on how students interact with each other.

The second is with Martin Jenkins, manager of the Centre for Educational Development. We will be investigating the 'impact of forced change' brought about by the February 22nd earthquake on our institution, the tutors and the students. The findings should be interesting - as a study of change agents and what happens when change is non- negotiable. The staff and students at CPIT have been very resilient but there are signs of stress and strain as the realities of living in a city that has to rebuilt large swathes of the central city and several suburbs, sets in.

I have also put in an expression of interest in this year's Teaching and Learning Research Initiative, to build research capability with trades tutors (across 7 polytechnics) using a 'learning by doing research' approach. The topic we intend to investigate is 'authentic assessments', in particular to explore how to better recognise and celebrate the many multiliteracies in trades learning. We will know by end of June if this project progresses to the next stage beyond the expression of interest.

The last project has gone to the CPIT Foundation to fund hardware in the form of Android OS tablets towards an interactive etextbook project. I hope to work with Peter Sauer from automotive and Katrina Fisher who teaches barista, on this project. Taken that the last Horizon Report indicated mlearning to go mainstream next year and ebooks in the next two years, it is apt that this project covers both bases :) Both Peter and Katrina are capable tutors who have worked extensively with multi-media to support their teaching, so it will be interesting to learn from them, and their students, as the project progresses.

So looking forward to next semester. My large 'first year apprentices' project will be completed by July, so three projects - mentoring Flip, the 'forced change' project and working on the interactive textbooks will take up my research time. I will enjoy the variety and the privilege of working with a great group of people. More importantly, all the topics will add to enhancing student learning in some form or other.

Returning to CPIT city campus

Officially allowed to return to the CPIT city campus from 1st April with some courses starting today 4th April. I had been into the campus several times in the last fortnight, the first time, to collect personal belongings (wallet, cell phone, keys) and then a couple of brief visits last week to tidy up the office and to meet with other staff. Each time, a fleeting visit, with entry via the Moorhouse road entrance and a quick walk through the empty campus with very few signs of visible damage. Attended the staff safety briefing late last week which featured one of the consultant structural engineers. It was very reassuring as he pointed out the few places where there were signs (cracks, fallen plaster, buildings which have shifted up or down in relation to each other) and explained the structural implications.

This morning, a totally different perspective as I biked in via the border of the cordoned off red zone. Many collapsed buildings and the ones not yet demolished, are fenced off. Most of the old brick buildings housing various panel beaters, auto mechanics, familiar cafes and other shops no longer exist physically. So the blocks East (the Catholic basilica, still standing but just) and North and North West of the polytechnic, basically now a wasteland of piles of brick and debris. A list of the over 100 buildings to be demolished featured in the Saturday newspapers.

Options for rebuilding abound, including making the city more sustainable, future transport options, a blog discussing alternatives etc. There will be much to do in the future but old and familiar Christchurch city landscape is now gone.

Telling our stories

Today, it is a public holiday in Canterbury, to allow people to attend a memorial service for the people killed and Christchurch residents badly affected by the 22/2 earthquake. The service will be held in Hagley park but also televised live. For everyone in Christchurch and NZ, it will be a time to reflect on the events of the pass 3 weeks. How the forces of nature can change the way we live and approach our lives. In this, we share a recent experience with others around the world including the recent cyclone in Queensland, floods in Brisbane and the horrendous earthquake, tsunami and potential nuclear fallout in Japan.

Over the past few weeks, I have been humbled and fascinated by the diversity of stories emerging. The NZ Herald has a series of videos  recorded just a couple of days after the quake. Everyone has a story of where they were and what they were up to when the quake hit. Most people were going about their daily routines, travelling on the bus through Lytellton and witnessing the harbour site buildings collapse; driving through the centre of town and just missing being crushed by a falling building; having lunch in the Art's Centre and walking through the damaged city to get back to their cars; crossing the Heathcote river in their best shoes and up to their knees in mud to get home to Sumner with the Ferrymead bridge closed; trying to get home across the boulder strewn Summit Road while negotiating landslips.Through all, there are stories of people going out of their way to help each other, of a stranger going out of their way to provide a lift to an elderly friend through the flood and liquefaction; of young men piggybacking kids and women across the Heathcote; of students spending time not only to clear liquefaction silt but to listen to and provide comfort to elderly folk. All of these stories example the good that has come out of people through a time of uncertainty and adversity.

At CPIT, a series of stories of CPIT staff and students lending a hand is on the website. Telling stories is in many ways cathartic. In sharing our stories, we acknowledge we are more than individuals, but part of a community whereby common experiences bring us together. As classes start to re-convene, it is import for staff and students to have an opportunity to share their stories. It is a good way to build up class rapport, community and increase engagement. Darel Hall wrote about the students of 2011 being 'special' and in a way, everyone who has experienced something momentous in their lives, is changed. The experience, if supported and the good things that eventuate nurtured, leads us to become better people.
Long may the story telling continue.

Using technology to provide assistance to earthquake hit Christchurch

The week since the earthquake has gone by quickly. The central city is still cordoned off and many homes in the Eastern suburbs still without water or electricity. The Christchurch city council earthquake information page makes for sobering reading as the city council works to bring services back to the city. Continuing aftershocks make the recovery effort a challenge and frazzled residents have been leaving the city in droves.

I have kept myself busy helping out with food distribution organised by Comfort for Christchurch (CforC), an offshoot of the student volunteer army (SVA). My son has been helping out with the volunteer army's main effort, the removal of liquefaction from gardens and homes (yes there is liquefaction INSIDE some homes). Both the SVA and the CforC are run by students through facebook pages linked with chat and twitter feeds. SVA runs out of the University of Canterbury Student Association and CforC out of a student flat near the university.

At CforC, they have managed to obtain sponsorship from Telecom and run their database using Google docs, track their activities with Google maps and communicate using facebook and gmail. Two desktops and half a dozen laptops plus a multitude of makeshift 'whiteboards' coordinate the effort. The main objective is to be a collection point for food, water and toiletries and then to distribute these to the people who are in need. Volunteer drivers and mountain bikers from the university's mountain biking club do the distribution into the Eastern suburbs, aged care homes and 4 daily runs to police HQ. We have been deluged with food including 2 truckloads of home baking from students in Wellington and people who bake for another SVA offshoot, the Christchurch baking army (CBA). However, short of containers to put all the yummy food into :( so if you are able to help, please check the SVA facebook page for details.

All the activities above are fine examples of the use of cloud computing, a topic of Derek Wenmouth's blog yesterday. He provided his own example of COREs use of cloud computing, allowing CORE to continue work despite their physical premises being located within the city cordon. There is still no electricity in the central city due to the ongoing rescue / recovery. Today's blog on use of the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) also pertinent as guides to providing blended learning. Some programmes at CPIT may need to supplement classes, once the polytechnic opens, to help students catch up with missed lessons.

I am really enjoying my time with the CforC. The students are enthusiastic and very competent. It is heartening to experience the community spirit NZ is well-known for. Everyone pitches in and things get done quickly and efficiently. The majority of the volunteers associated with SVA, CforC and CAB are young and it is heartening to see how they have engaged wholeheartedly with the work. All bodes well for the future :)

  

Christchurch earthquake on Tuesday 22nd February

Christchurch was hit by another large aftershock just before 1 pm on Tuesday. I was at work and at my desk. The others in my office were having a meeting with their manager in the office. When the sharp shock hit, I knew this was big. There was no forewarning as per the loud roar as in the last one in September just a sharp jerk followed by a violent shake. We all dived under our desks as books and files fell off shelves around us. I could hear students screaming in the library as books fell off the shelves in the library. The lights went out.  when the shaking stopped, we all evacuated to a view of  the fallen towers of the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, the Catholic cathedral. It dawned immediately that this was a very big one. Eventually found out it was 6.4 but very shallow and centred 5km away near Lyttelton.

After evacuation, I located my son, who works in the marketing dept. at CPIT. He had been in the CPIT marketing car, on his way to the other CPIT campus. The car shook violently, he could see the road ripple in front of him and a shop near the car collapsed!! We milled around, viewing the damage to buildings all around the polytech. there were signs of liquefaction in the carpark, we could see the Grand Chancellor Hotel was on a lean and smoke and dust from the collapsed CTV building, about 100m up the street from the polytech.  I was really worried for friends who worked in the city (but yesterday, managed to contact them all and they are well but still shaken from the experience). We left in my son's car to try to get home just before 3pm, giving a colleague a lift as well. I had to leave my car as I had evacuated without keys, wallet or cell phone! Car still at polytech. Took us almost two hours to get home, a drive of 16 kms plus detour to drop colleague off, The roads will choked with traffic but also damaged. Cracks, holes, flooding and a grey sludge over many streets from the liquefaction. A scarry trip as we listened to the radio , featuring calls from people providing eye witness accounts from the city and the eastern suburbs.

At home, no damage to the north west suburbs in Chch. just the usual clean up of books etc. fallen off shelves. Electricity back just after 7.30pm and we could then follow the news on the TV. Only managed to get access to work email yesterday (Wednesday) evening and have been replying to concerned emails from relatives, friends and colleagues from overseas and other parts of NZ. News has not been good, with many people trapped in buildings and the central city in ruins with substantial damage to suburbs East and South of Hagley park. This event will take a long time to recover from. Infrastructure will be a challenge to bring back and this morning, 40% of city still have no electricity and 80% of city have no water. have emailed and will follow up with phone to friends, colleagues who I know have no water. We might be able to assist with providing showers and food etc. as required but the challenge will be getting things to them, or for them to travel to us, as travel into the damaged suburbs is not encouraged.

So priority will be to keep in touch with people. I suspect CPIT will be closed for next week as well as it is within the central city cordon and buildings all around it have either collapsed or are severely damaged. Meanwhile, I will have to work out a way to get access to my work drives so that I can work on various articles that are partway through.

Earthquake effects and use of technology to keep up to date with aftershocks

Finally back at work, after a week. The impacts of the Canterbury earthquake, 7.1 richter scale, early on 4/9 will still be felt many months into the future. All well, as my home on the North West of the city, is build on relatively stable and solid river gravel. The house had an almighty shake but came through without any damage. I, along with most Christchurch residents will be forever grateful for the foresight of city engineers who set up earthquake proofing legislation just after the Napier Earthquake of 1931.


CPIT, which is situated in the city, came through relatively unscathed. Just a few broken windows. Even the shelves in our library stayed up, when compared to the ones in the University of Canterbury library. The CPIT library shelves were braced top and bottom, there were books on the floor but no toppled shelves.

I got in to work early on Wednesday and experienced the 5.1 after shock just before 8 am as I just finished clearing my emails. Headed under my desk as it was a very hard shake but apart from some white stuff falling from the ceiling, everything kept together. CPIT was closed soon after and I wended my way home on my bike, taking the opportunity to have a look around the areas of the city not condoned off. Many older brick buildings have collapsed and there was rubble strewn through some streets.

Back at work on Friday, where there were a few, relatively smaller aftershocks. CPIT staff who were at work were briefed on plans for the coming week when students would return to class, including a thorough briefing on what to do in the event of a large aftershock.

The week away from work provided me with time to complete final edit of my theses (yeah). Also catch up on reading for the ‘perspectives of first year apprentices project’ and draft the report / guidelines for the ‘multimodal study of apprentice learning’ project. So all, in a good opportunity to have some ‘contemplation’ time and to catch up on things which never get done on my to do list. In particular, to review my research journals to work out anything I might have missed, forgot to do or need to still catch up on.

After the 4/9 event, we had no power for almost 8 hours. I had to resort to using our one and only transistor radio which did not have very good reception, and our neighbours’ reports, to keep up with what was happening in the city. Once the power was up, the internet and TV provided good information. There was a flurry of emails and telephone calls from overseas, concerned at the damage my relatives / friends had seen on the news. It has become a very small world indeed. An article in the local papers reports on how everyone is now a journalist as facebook, twitter and bloggers provide updated news on aftershocks, damage and other events. We have been checking the GNS Geonet site after each aftershock to guage intensity. Generally, I feel most above 4 at home but the need to be at least 4.5 to be felt at work.

Aftershocks have now decreased in intensity and frequency, so hopefully, things have settled down. The experience sure reminds you what the important things in life are, family, friends, neighbours and pets, all living, breathing, cuddly entities.