blog

Open Polytechnic students win prizes in New Zealand Law Society exam

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:26:14 +1300

The Open Polytechnic is celebrating the achievements of its students in the 2011 New Zealand Law Society’s Legal Executive Diploma examinations with students winning five out of seven prizes for top marks in their individual exams.

Each year students from seven different tertiary providers around the country sit one or more of the six examinations that make up the New Zealand Law Society Legal Executive Diploma.

Melanie De Munnik, an Open Polytechnic student living in Mount Maunganui, says she was pleasantly surprised with her mark in the Introduction to Law Office Practice exam.

“I was very thrilled, very proud of all the hard work I put in. I actually had to read the results several times just to be sure,” says Melanie.

Open Polytechnic Legal Executive Programme Leader, Cedric Hunt says he was very pleased with the results of last year’s exams.

“It is very rewarding and delightful to see that so many students did so well in the 2011 exams. Our admiration and congratulations go out to every one of them,” says Cedric.

All five winning Open Polytechnic students will each receive a $150 prize from the New Zealand Law Society for their efforts.

New science qualifications will build primary teacher skills

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 14:26:50 +1300

New graduate qualifications offered by distance learning at the Open Polytechnic will give primary school teachers the skills to inspire children to engage in the world of science.

The Graduate Certificate in Primary Science Teaching (Curriculum) and the Graduate Diploma in Primary Science Teaching are now open for enrolment for Trimester 1, 2012 for practising teachers. The Graduate Certificate in Primary Teaching (Leadership) will open for enrolment in Trimester 2 next year.

Open Polytechnic Chief Executive, Dr Caroline Seelig, says the new qualifications will help the Government achieve their goal of increasing engagement in the sciences in the classroom.

“Primary school teachers who have the ability to confidently and enthusiastically share their knowledge of the sciences with their young students are in big demand as part of the Government’s commitment to increase the focus on science teaching in the classroom.

“The younger we can engage and inspire children to investigate the world of science, the more likely we are to see more New Zealanders choosing science as their future careers,” says Dr Seelig.

The Open Polytechnic consulted key science leaders when developing the qualifications including the Royal Society, the New Zealand Society of Science Educators, as well as the New Zealand Teachers Council.

All of the courses are taught by distance learning, meaning teachers can fit their learning around their other commitments. The courses are delivered online and make extensive use of video and online quizzes to reinforce key learning materials.

The Open Polytechnic is New Zealand’s specialist provider of distance learning and one of the largest polytechnics in the country. Each year the Open Polytechnic enrols around 29,000 mainly adult learners who are fitting their studies in around work and other commitments to upskill themselves for current or future careers.

For more information on the graduate qualifications in primary science teaching, or to enrol, go to: www.openpolytechnic.ac.nz/campaigns/primary-science-teaching/.

DEANZ conference 2012 promises focus on key education themes

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 11:13:25 +1300

The Distance Education Association of New Zealand (DEANZ) is calling for submissions to present at their bi-annual conference ‘Shift Happens – Resilience, Relevance and Reform’.

To be held in Wellington, 11-13 April 2012, the DEANZ conference is New Zealand’s premier event for leaders and practitioners involved in open, flexible and distance learning.

“The choice of the conference theme reflects the context distance educators must practice in”, says Mark Nichols, DEANZ Executive member and Open Polytechnic Executive Director of Faculty.

“The tragedy of the Christchurch earthquakes and how that affected tertiary education providers and their students, the call for accountability through education performance indicators, the need to embrace the future and other changes all point to the importance of a conference considering resilience, relevance and reform in and through distance education.”

A line-up of leading international and national speakers will be presenting at the event including Dr Diana Oblinger (EDUCAUSE), Professor Paul Bacsich (Matic Media Ltd), Professor Kwok-Wing Lai (University of Otago), and Ken Kay (EdLeader21).

“The speakers will appeal to all sectors involved in distance education – secondary and tertiary providers and industry practitioners. Networking with others involved in distance education, from instructional design and management right through to online and distance teaching, is also a prime focus of the conference,” says Mr Nichols.

DEANZ are also calling for non-refereed papers, posters, workshops and refereed papers to present at the conference and papers accepted for the refereed stream will be published in a special issue of the DEANZ Journal in 2012 immediately after the conference.

Calls for presentations close 16 December 2011.

To find out more about the conference and how to apply, please visit the DEANZ website: http://tinyurl.com/deanz2012.

The event is proudly sponsored by Open Polytechnic (platinum), Ako Aotearoa (gold), and Massey University, Otago Polytechnic and Southern Institute of Technology (bronze).

Open Polytechnic wins business award

Thu, 17 Nov 2011 14:16:55 +1300

The Open Polytechnic took out the award for Excellence in Professional Services at the 2011 Westpac Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce Business Awards held last night (16th November).

The Lower Hutt-based distance tertiary education specialist is one of the largest educator’s of New Zealand’s workforce, enrolling around 29,000 mainly adult learners every year.

The Open Polytechnic won the Excellence in Professional Services award for the contribution it makes both regionally and nationally to helping upskill Kiwis through tertiary education.

Two-thirds of Open Polytechnic students fit their studies around their work commitments, using the flexibility of distance learning to gain the skills they need to get ahead in their current or future career.

Open Polytechnic chief executive Dr Caroline Seelig says the Polytechnic is delighted with its award win. “New Zealand has a number of skills challenges ahead of it as we work towards building a more productive economy. It’s fantastic that the Open Polytechnic’s contribution to helping build workforce skills has been recognised at a regional level through this award.”

A standout in the winning Open Polytechnic entry was the major role it played in helping upskill thousands of advisors in the financial services industry around the country ahead of legislative changes implemented recently.

Aside from the national contribution the distance learning organisation makes, the award also recognises the strong relationships the Open Polytechnic is forging internationally to provide distance learning consultancy and distance learning delivery in the field of technical and vocational education.

In the last twelve months the Open Polytechnic has signed an agreement with the National Institute of Open Schooling in India, which has cumulative enrolments of 1.9 million students, to see how the two organisations can work together in open and distance learning up to pre-degree level and in vocational education and training in India.

An agreement between the Vancouver-based Commonwealth of Learning (COL) and the Open Polytechnic has opened the way for the two organisations to collaborate on educational opportunities for disadvantaged groups to help increase skills’ development. As a first step, the Open Polytechnic modified existing learning resources in conjunction with COL to help teachers build literacy and numeracy skills while delivering trades training in the Pacific Islands.

Over 230 representatives from Lower Hutt businesses and community organisations attended the 2011 Westpac Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce Business Awards to celebrate the achievements of local business and the contribution they make to the regional economy.

Open Polytechnic Internship Programme 2011-2012

Tue, 08 Nov 2011 10:56:37 +1300

The Open Polytechnic is New Zealand’s specialist provider of distance learning and is internationally recognised in its field. We strive to support vocational lifelong learning and national development goals through innovation and excellence in open, flexible learning.

The Polytechnic is trialling a summer student intake designed to provide tertiary students with an opportunity to gain work experience on a real-time project that is relevant to their field of study, within one of the teams in our organisation.

This programme will run for 7 weeks from Monday 28 November 2011 through to Friday 27 January 2012 and invites applications for the projects listed below:

Project Details	Work Area	Applicant Requirements	Expected Output
Analysing Learner Qualfications	Strategy and Analysis	A student studying towards a Bachelor of Arts or Commerce who has completed at least two years of study, who has a keen interest in business analysis.	Development of appropriate processes to support learner qualification outcomes.
Analysing Product Breakdown of Learning Materials	Learning and Teaching Solutions	A student who is at least in their 3^rd year of study towards a qualification in business, majoring in marketing.	Creation of a practical framework that can be used to break down cost components of Open Polytechnic learning materials.
Researching Employment Conditions and Benefits Across the Education Sector	Human Resources	A student who has completed some level 3 papers in employment law or employment relations.	A report for the Open Polytechnic’s approach to employment benefits and terms and conditions of employment.
Identifying Professional Development Needs for Managers	Faculty	A student who has completed their second year of studies in HR with an interest in leadership development.	A report that identifies leadership needs across various roles within the polytechnic.

To apply for one of the above internships please send your CV, cover letter and latest academic transcript to recruit@openpolytechnic.ac.nz

Please note only electronic applications will be accepted.

Internship applications close at 4pm, Thursday 17 November.

How to Interpret Performance Indicators

Thu, 25 Aug 2011 13:00:00 +1200

It’s important to note that the indicators do not measure the quality of the qualifications offered by an institution. Rather, they measure student success across four criteria:

Successful completion of courses
Completions of qualifications
Student progression to higher level of study
Students retained in study

The TEC says that the indicators do not provide a definitive view of an institution’s performance in supporting student success. They are one source of information that students can use when deciding their study options.

More importantly, a range of other factors also need to be taken into account when interpreting the results.

For example, the TEC says that “part-time and extra-mural [distance] students often have work or family commitments and cannot devote as much time and energy to their studies. They may also have different study goals. This can be seen for example with the Open Polytechnic of New Zealand which has a large distance learning roll.”

Ninety seven per cent of the Open Polytechnic’s 29,000 students are part-time and 100% are distance learners. They are all Kiwis making the commitment to upskill themselves in their own time, the majority on top of work and other demands in their lives. Sometimes, those extra demands can get in the way of study success.

At the same time, the Open Polytechnic is absolutely committed to providing our learners with excellent distance learning support so that they are best able to achieve their study goals. Our course and qualification completion results show that the work we are carrying out to continually improve our student support is resulting in increased study success for the distinctive constituency of learners we serve.

The student outcomes supplied by TEC are one of several measures that should be considered when choosing a tertiary education institution. Another key measure of institutional performance is student satisfaction.

Results from the Open Polytechnic’s independently conducted student survey shows 93% overall student satisfaction with our services, 94% of our students would recommend the Open Polytechnic, 84% say their study is valuable for their current job, and 93% say their study will be valuable for a future job.

External accreditation and validation is another key measure of performance. All Open Polytechnic programmes are NZQA accredited, and are recognised by many professional and industry bodies for the purposes of membership or professional accreditation. The Open Polytechnic also enjoys an international reputation in open and distance learning.

Open Polytechnic results

Distance Learning

Distance learning makes education accessible in flexible ways to huge numbers of people who wouldn’t otherwise have the opportunity to study. They are much more likely to be in work, paying taxes and applying their new skills immediately in the workplace.

Distance learners typically study part-time on top of work and other demands in their lives and may have different study goals than learners studying full-time at a face-to-face institution.

Internationally, distance learning is the fastest growing type of education in the world, with millions of learners enrolled. Studies show that distance learners do just as well as face-to-face learners in their course and qualification academic outcomes when they are retained until the end of their study.

International comparisons show that distance learning does have lower course and qualification completions than traditional face-to-face study. That’s because distance learners are most likely to be adults juggling their study around work pressures, family or community commitments, and sometimes their circumstances change and they have to put their studies aside.

Seventy per cent of Open Polytechnic learners fit study in around work commitments. The main reason our students give for not completing their study is that they have had competing life demands and events on their time, and that has affected their ability to study.

No one type of learning or learner is ‘better’ than any other. The key is that a tertiary education system is able to meet the diverse learning and upskilling needs of people as they move through the different stages of their lives.

Successful completion of courses

The Open Polytechnic’s overall course completion results compare well with the best distance learning universities in the world , including leading United Kingdom university the Open University, and with the extramural course completion results at Massey University in New Zealand.

The overall aggregate figure for successful completion of courses provided on the TEC website doesn’t provide the full picture about our student’s success rate. The results at each level are more meaningful, and show that our higher level courses have higher completion rates.

Completions for our open courses are lower, however, pulling down our overall course completions rating. Open courses are typically offered at lower levels, with higher proportions of students with few or no prior educational qualifications. They give the student the freedom to decide when they will submit their assignments over the term of the course.

Open courses are especially popular with second-chance learners and are therefore an important part of the Open Polytechnic’s role in maintaining access to educational opportunity for broad constituencies of the population. Improving student success in our open courses is therefore a key focus for the Polytechnic, and we are already starting to see improvements in course completions as a result of the measures we have introduced during the last year. Because our open courses can be enrolled in at any time, and take up to 32 weeks to complete, it takes time for the initiatives we have introduced to fully come into effect, and we expect student success in these courses to continue to improve.

Completions of qualifications

Distance learners usually take longer to complete a diploma or degree because they are balancing their study around many other commitments and are not able to take on the same study load as a full-time student.

We also have many learners who enrol with us to complete one or more courses to give them just-in-time skills to help them in their job or career. They may have no intention or need to complete a full qualification which could be made up of several courses at certificate level or 18 courses at degree level.

The Open Polytechnic also has a number of students that enrol with us from other training providers, or for courses that will complement a qualification they are taking with another institution. Their qualification completions are recorded with the organisation that awards the final qualification, which may not be Open Polytechnic. We see this as a valuable service the Open Polytechnic can provide to complement the offerings of regional education providers around the country.

The qualification indicator used by in the educational performance measures is therefore especially complex when applied to the Open Polytechnic. Our students may have no intention of completing a full qualification and yet they will be recorded as a ‘fail’ by this measure. The measure also doesn’t clearly highlight the fact that because distance learners are part-time and balancing many demands they will take a lot longer to complete a full qualification compared to full-time students studying with face-to-face providers.

Whether or not a student completes a full qualification it is important to recognise that all of the courses they have completed will have contributed to their skill set, or helped them achieve their study goals.

Other results

Student Progression: While we encourage our students to consider moving on to a higher qualification it is their choice whether or not they want or need to move on to higher study. For example a student may complete a certificate in small business management to gain specific skills. They may not be immediately interested in studying towards a business diploma or degree.

Many Open Polytechnic qualifications are stand-alone qualifications which are the highest level of qualification a student will need for their field of employment. Therefore we would not expect the student to immediately progress to a higher level qualification. The New Zealand Law Society Legal Executive Diploma and the National Certificate in Pharmacy (Technician) offered by the Open Polytechnic are examples of this.

The flexibility of distance learning means that a student can complete a certificate, take a year off studying, and then come back to study to enrol in a higher level diploma or degree. Because they have taken a year off they will not be included in the measures reporting student progression.

Students retained in study: The Open Polytechnic provides access to vocational training to give our learners real world skills for real world jobs. For many, completing a course or courses meets their needs. They may not want or need to continue further study.

Value for money

One of the Government’s key aims is to ensure value for money from the taxpayer’s investment in tertiary education. Student outcomes are one part of this picture, and there are other aspects which should also be taken into consideration.

While part-time learners have lower completion rates than full-time learners because of the other competing demands in their lives, the majority are in the workforce earning a living and helping grow New Zealand’s economic productivity while they study
Adult part-time learners are more likely to be in employment, paying taxes, accessing fewer student loans, and contributing their learning directly into the workplace than full-time students
Part-time adult learners are usually making the commitment to upskill themselves in their own time at their own cost, benefiting employers and the wider economy.

Help making your enrolment decision

Read in the right way with the right context, the education performance indicators are an additional source of information to help people make study choices.

Learning in your own time and place offers a lot of flexibility, and the Open Polytechnic provides high quality learning support. Distance learning also places extra demands in terms of self motivation and time management, especially when you are combining study with work and/or other commitments.

If you’re a new student considering study with the Open Polytechnic, it’s important to make sure you enrol at the right level with an appropriate study load. We recommend that you look through our brochures and website to find out more about the course you are thinking of studying, and contact us on 0508 650 200 to talk to one of our customer service representatives, learning support staff or tutors if you are not sure whether distance study is right for you.

If you would like to read more about the Open Polytechnic’s educational performance results please go the Tertiary Education Commission website.

Background – About Open Polytechnic

Open Polytechnic is the only single mode open and distance learning provider in New Zealand. We provide flexible learning for over 29,000 mainly adult learners studying part-time, the majority combining work and study. All our courses are quality assured and accredited by NZQA.

Our students have some unique characteristics, and as a distance learning provider our mode of delivery is different from other tertiary education institutions in New Zealand.

Mental health workers study what makes the Crusaders so tough

Wed, 13 Jul 2011 10:22:40 +1200

How can the Crusaders be such champions in a time of such stress?

In February, the deadly Christchurch earthquake made AMI Stadium - their home stadium - unusable.

The team endured thousands of nerve-racking aftershocks that disturbed their sleep and sapped their energy. And they had to play every game of the season away from their home ground.

Yet they went on to make it to the Super 15 rugby final, in a display of resilience that stunned not just rugby fans, but anyone who was watching.

How did they do it?

That will be among the topics of discussion when the New Zealand Association of Positive Psychology holds its first annual conference in Auckland in September.

Attracting psychologists, therapists, counsellors and other mental health workers from around New Zealand, the conference will look at why and how some people thrive and prosper during adversity, while others wilt or crumble.

Speakers will present on issues such as:

Do mobile apps claiming to make you happier actually work?

How to make adolescence a time of exciting growth - not years of turmoil and anguish

How employers and employees affect each other's wellbeing

And how positive psychology can help the people of Christchurch recover from its tragic earthquakes.

"Positive psychology is a relatively new school of psychology that has profound implications for all of New Zealand," says association president and Open Polytechnic Psychology Lecturer Dr Aaron Jarden.

"It holds the key to improving relationships, business performance and even sporting performance.

"Instead of studying why people become mentally unwell, like traditional psychology, we study what it is that successful, happy people do that makes them successful and happy. We rigorously test all hypotheses scientifically, and develop proven, robust methods for improving wellbeing and happiness."

Conference presenter Jamie Ford of the Foresight Institute said the Crusaders were a perfect example of what could be achieved through Positive Psychology.

Over the past three years, Ford has worked with the Canterbury Rugby Football Union and the Crusaders to develop and implement a resilience programme for the team.

"They have totally integrated Positive Psychology and resilient thinking to their culture, to the extent that not even earthquakes and destruction can stop them from achieving their goals," he said.

The New Zealand Positive Psychology Association conference will be held at the AUT Akoranga Campus, on September 9-10.

It is sponsored by the Open Polytechnic, AUT University, the University of Auckland, the Mental Health Foundation and the Foresight Institute.

Registrations are open at http://www.positivepsychology.org.nz/conference.html.

Open Polytechnic welcomes new Council members

Wed, 29 Jun 2011 11:30:56 +1200

The Open Polytechnic Council has appointed two new community representatives to Council.

Open Polytechnic Council Chair, Graeme Hall, says new members Glenis Philip-Barbara and Sue Sutherland bring a wealth of tertiary education relevant sector experience and specialised skills to their new roles.

Glenis Philip-Barbara is currently the Chief Executive of the Māori Language Commission. Previous to this she was the Director of Business Development at Tairāwhiti Polytechnic in Gisborne. Glenis has held teaching, research, student support and leadership roles in the tertiary sector since 1998 spanning university and polytechnic organisations. She has served Kōhanga Reo, Kura Kaupapa Māori and community organisations as Board Chair and Board member in Palmerston North, Auckland and Gisborne.

Sue Sutherland is a consultant, having just completed a term as the Acting Chief Executive and National Librarian for the National Library of New Zealand. Previous senior management roles at the National Library include as Deputy Chief Executive, and Director Policy and Information Democracy. She was also the Libraries Manager for Christchurch City Council, and was an elected Council Member at CPIT from 2003-2008. An Associate Fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Management, Sue is also an honorary life member of LIANZA and a former trustee of the 2020 Communications Trust.

Mr Hall also thanked retiring community representatives Neville Baker and Cliff Daly for their valuable contributions to the Open Polytechnic Council during their terms.

The Open Polytechnic is New Zealand’s national provider of open and distance learning, enrolling an average of 29,000 part-time students each year. The majority of students are adult learners combining work and study, making the Open Polytechnic one of New Zealand’s major educators of people in the workforce.

Educational Video

Wed, 29 Jun 2011 08:44:42 +1200

The Open Polytechnic is developing a range of learning videos. The first video is taken from the Accounting 71100 course in the Bachelor of Business degree. Click on the link to be taken to our Online Campus to view the video.

Open Polytechnic opens applications for Student Advisory Group

Mon, 27 Jun 2011 13:16:31 +1200

The Open Polytechnic is forming a Student Advisory Group to provide the organisation with direct feedback on a range of student-related topics, and to act as a critical sounding board on new initiatives and existing Open Polytechnic services.

The group will consist of 12 students from across the Open Polytechnic student body who will be able to contribute to the group through a special forum on the Online Campus, with occasional on-campus meetings with relevant Open Polytechnic senior managers and the Open Polytechnic Council. Members will be appointed for an initial two-year term but may be reappointed for a maximum of three terms.

Members will be selected on the following criteria:

•   Have an interest in distance education;
•   Currently enrolled at the Polytechnic, and will have been enrolled for at least 24 weeks at the time of appointment;
•   Have access to the Internet in order to participate in online discussions; and
•   Show in the nomination form their qualities and skills that will enable them to contribute to the Open Polytechnic Student Advisory Group

The Student Advisory Group Terms of Reference and application form are attached. If you have any questions about the Terms of Reference or application form please email sagroup@openpolytechnic.ac.nz

If you would like to apply, please complete the application form and email it to sagroup@openpolytechnic.ac.nz by Friday 15 July. Please note that by submitting your application form you agree and accept the Terms of Reference.

Innovative distance learning delivery sees Open Polytechnic named a finalist in public sector awards

Tue, 21 Jun 2011 08:24:03 +1200

The Open Polytechnic, the nation’s specialist provider of distance learning, is a finalist in New Zealand’s premier public sector awards being held in Wellington this week (22 June).

Sponsored by Gen-i, the IPANZ Public Sector Excellence Awards recognise the best initiatives and projects from across New Zealand’s public sector.

The Open Polytechnic’s nomination in the awards comes as a result of its rapid response to the up-skilling needs of the financial services sector.

The Open Polytechnic developed a suite of innovative and interactive distance learning materials for the National Certificate in Financial Services (Financial Advice) in a short-time frame to help advisors meet tight professional registration time-frames introduced under the Financial Services Act.

Using the economies of scale of distance learning, the Open Polytechnic was able to offer the courses without Government funding last year to stay within its enrolment cap. As a result it enrolled around 2,000 individual financial advisors in 8,100 course enrolments in 2010.

Open Polytechnic Chief Executive Dr Caroline Seelig says the Open Polytechnic’s distance learning services provide a range of solutions for industries and employers who need access to flexible up-skilling options to suit their workforce.

“We have been developing learning solutions to suit New Zealand’s workforce for 65 years. We are proud of the suite of online learning materials and resources we developed to suit the financial services sector, and that we were able to deliver them rapidly and in the most cost-effective way for the sector and the Government.”

The Open Polytechnic was able to offer extra value to corporate clients by customising learning materials to suit their internal training regimes. “It’s an example of how we are aiming to work with organisations in more customised ways”, says Dr Seelig.

Enrolling around 29,000 learners nation-wide each year, the Open Polytechnic provides access to vocationally applicable courses and qualifications to mainly adult learners who are upskilling for a current or future job, and need access to flexible learning in their own time and place.

The winners of the 2011 IPANZ Gen-i Public Sector Excellence Awards will be announced on 22 June.

Open Polytechnic students receive taxation prizes

Tue, 14 Jun 2011 09:12:27 +1200

Two Open Polytechnic students received $1000 awards from the TaxAgents Institute of NZ Inc (TINZ) recently for top marks in their respective taxation courses.

“We are delighted with our relationship with the Open Polytechnic. Part of TINZ’s objectives is to foster tax knowledge in New Zealand and to provide bursaries and scholarships for education,” says President of TINZ, Pene Johnstone.

Bachelor of Business student David Stark and NZ Diploma of Business student
Beverley Wheoki both say they were pleasantly surprised by the news.

“I was very happy to hear that I was the top student in the tax paper. Of all the papers
I was required to take, it seemed to be the most applicable to the career that I was planning on,” says David, who works as an accountant at Mead Stark in Cromwell.

“The flexibility provided by distance learning was great, although at the same time, in order to be successful I found that I had to be very disciplined in my studies,” he says.

Beverley, who is an accountant at Credit Union Baywide in Hastings, says having work experience in the field made studying a bit easier.

“I wanted to gain a qualification to validate my work experience in accounting and managerial roles that I have gained over the past 25 years,” she says.

“Distance learning can be challenging especially when a particular topic or concept is difficult to grasp and there is no opportunity for immediate discussion and feedback as in a classroom situation. However the advantage is the need to develop self-teaching skills and there is great satisfaction that comes from that achievement.”

Completing the papers through the Open Polytechnic in order to meet academic requirements of the New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants (NZICA), David wants to build a career in accountancy in Central Otago.

“I have seen a good part of the world and I am confident in knowing that this is where
I most want to be,” says David.

Beverley, who received her NZ Dip Bus at the Open Polytechnic graduation ceremony in Wellington this month, and presented with her award by the President of TINZ, says she is now weighing up her options.

“I’m deciding whether or not to continue onto the degree. Perhaps I will relax a bit and enjoy more time with my grandchildren,” Beverley says.

An incorporated society since 1976, TINZ represents tax practitioners and has more than 280 members throughout New Zealand.

“Both David and Beverley should be proud of their achievements and we wish them well with their future endeavours. Well done to them,” says Ms Johnstone.

The Open Polytechnic is one of the largest Polytechnics in the country, and is New Zealand’s specialist provider of open and distance learning, offering a wide range of courses and programmes on a national basis.

Open Polytechnic and New Zealand Career College to collaborate

Tue, 07 Jun 2011 10:55:29 +1200

The Open Polytechnic and New Zealand Career College are joining forces to extend early childhood teacher education options in Auckland.

Under a new agreement, students studying pre-degree early childhood education qualifications at the New Zealand Career College (NZCC) will be able to pathway into the Open Polytechnic’s Bachelor of Teaching (Early Childhood Education).

The Open Polytechnic is New Zealand’s specialist provider of distance learning. NZCC, a private tertiary college in Auckland, offers several early childhood education qualifications, including a National Certificate in Early Childhood Education and a Diploma in Early Childhood Education (Pasifika) in a face-to-face setting.

As part of the collaboration, students will receive course materials and tutor support from the Open Polytechnic, while still being able to access additional NZCC tutorial support, library and computer access and classroom facilities.

Open Polytechnic Chief Executive Dr Caroline Seelig says she is delighted that the two organisations have been able to collaborate for the benefit of students.

“We’re excited about the new relationship we have formed with NZCC and see it as a way of providing extended choices and opportunities to early childhood education students in the Auckland region,” Dr Seelig says.

“New Zealand Career College are thrilled to be working with the Open Polytechnic to prepare students for successful careers in Early Childhood Education and continue its mission to nurture and challenge students to realise their greatest potential”, says Feroz Ali, Chief Executive of NZCC.

The Open Polytechnic is one of the largest polytechnics in the country, offering a wide range of courses and programmes on a national basis.

International Wellbeing Study shows New Zealanders doing well

Tue, 07 Jun 2011 08:21:56 +1200

The latest results from the International Wellbeing Study (IWS) are producing interesting results, including that older people are happier, people in relationships are doing well, and New Zealanders’ level of happiness compares well with other countries.

Regarded as one of the most in depth wellbeing studies in the world, the IWS involves over 70 researchers globally, has been completed over 10,000 times in more than 100 countries, and is available in 16 languages.

“The IWS is unique as it assesses wellbeing on an international level as well as the components that make up wellbeing, such as strengths, meaning, engagement, relationships and personal values,” says Dr. Aaron Jarden, President of the New Zealand Association of Positive Psychology and lecturer in psychology at the Open Polytechnic.

The study began in March 2009 and is ongoing taking in new participant every three months. The latest findings are based around the scores of 6,487 participants (with a New Zealand cohort of 1,558 participants) answering the same 208 questions every three months for a year, and then yearly thereafter.

“Through the initial findings we’ve found that men and women differ quite substantially in regards to their levels of wellbeing, their range of wellbeing, and importantly the components that made up their wellbeing”.

“Analysis shows that while females scored higher in areas such as personal growth and mindfulness, males indicated they were lonelier, worked more, and were more satisfied with life in the past,” says Dr. Jarden.

“In terms of relationships, people who were single reported more depressed mood while those in relationships reported much greater life satisfaction, highlighting the importance of positive relationships for wellbeing.”

Age also showed variance in reports of wellbeing with the older a person was, the happier they were, although this is already a robust finding in the literature. “Younger people, on the other hand, reported more depressed mood, more rumination and that they were searching for meaning in life more.”

Countries differed on a number of wellbeing indicators for example, people in Russia reporting the highest levels of depressed mood, people in the Philippines reporting the highest amount of time being happy, and people in Mexico reporting the most satisfaction with their lives.

“By and large New Zealanders reported in the top end of most wellbeing indicator scales, such as for positive emotions like joy, but interestingly did not use their strengths as frequently. Using your strengths is usually a factor strongly associated with higher wellbeing,” Dr. Jarden says. “Countries that are high in strengths use are generally much more productive and have better performing economies.

Some of the most interesting findings to come out of the study to date highlight the importance of both living in alignment with personal values and being satisfied with time use, and how these both strongly predict wellbeing.

The IWS is supported and funded by the Open Polytechnic, Victoria University of Wellington, and the New Zealand Association of Positive Psychology.

The study was developed by six key researchers in New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States, and in China: Dr. Aaron Jarden, Professor Ormond Simpson, Dr. Kennedy Mclachlan, Associate Professor Todd Kashdan, Dr. Alexander MacKenzie, and Associate Professor Paul Jose.

Results of this study are set to be published in the International Journal of Wellbeing (www.internationaljournalofwellbeing.org) towards the end of 2011. The International Wellbeing Study is currently open to new participants until the end of June.

To view the Close Up story on the International Wellbeing study go to: http://tvnz.co.nz/close-up/new-zealand-s-happiest-person-5-28-video-4207682

Open Polytechnic Annual Report highlights transformational pathway

Fri, 03 Jun 2011 15:05:50 +1200

The Open Polytechnic released its 2010 Annual Report this week, detailing the transformational pathway the organisation is on as it drives for continual improvement as a flexible learning provider.

New Zealand’s specialist provider of flexible distance learning services, the Open Polytechnic is one of the largest polytechnics in the country, enrolling around 29,000 mainly adult learners a year from across the nation.

Alongside a strong financial performance, which saw the Open Polytechnic return a surplus of $5.17 million, the organisation carried out a significant upgrade of its information technology infrastructure and equipment to ensure that staff and students benefit from a range of new online services which began being delivered at the end of 2010 and will continue into 2011.

“The Open Polytechnic is one of the largest educators of New Zealand’s workforce, and we are proud of the significant contribution we make to helping upskill Kiwi’s for their current or future career”, says Open Polytechnic Chief Executive, Dr Caroline Seelig.

“Seventy percent of our learners are studying while in employment, fitting their studies in around work and family commitments. Having access to increased online services, which are accessible in the learner’s own time and space, is one way our organisation aims to help our students’ achieve their learning goals.”

Student satisfaction with the Open Polytechnic’s services remained high in 2010, with an overall satisfaction rate of 93%. Eighty four percent of students said their study would be valuable for their current job, and 93% said it would be valuable for a future job.

Open Polytechnic Council Chair, Graeme Hall, says he is pleased with the organisation’s progress. “The Open Polytechnic’s capability as New Zealand’s specialist provider of distance learning continues to strengthen.

“The strong enrolment demand we experienced in 2010 highlights the role the Open Polytechnic plays in providing access to high quality tertiary education that fits around the time constraints placed on adults to gain skills to help them in achieving their career aspirations while continuing to earn a living.”

Highlights for the Open Polytechnic in 2010 included the rapid development and delivery of courses in the new National Certificate in Financial Services (Financial Advice) which saw around 2,000 financial advisers enrol in the qualification to help meet new registration requirements as a result of legislation changes introduced that year.

Forming partnerships with large organisations also saw the Open Polytechnic develop customised learning materials for the National Certificate in Financial Services to suit internal training regimes.

The Open Polytechnic also increased its offshore activities, signing memorandums of understanding with the Commonwealth of Learning in Canada, and the National Institute of Open Schooling in India, to facilitate access to vocational education and training through open and distance learning for developing nations.

“The strength of distance learning is the ability to deliver high quality education solutions on a large scale in a cost effective manner,” says Dr Seelig.

The 2010 Open Polytechnic Annual Report is available for download at: www.openpolytechnic.ac.nz/about-us/corporate-publications

Open Polytechnic celebrates Auckland graduation

Thu, 19 May 2011 08:23:42 +1200

As part of its nationwide graduation ceremonies, the Open Polytechnic is proud to be holding its Auckland graduation ceremony today (19 May).

Over 110 graduates will receive their diploma and degrees at the Auckland ceremony which is being held at the ASB Theatre at the Aotea Centre. Guest speaker for the evening will be Auckland Councillor, Penny Webster.

The nation’s specialist provider of distance learning, the Lower Hutt based institution holds ceremonies in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch each year.

Over 600 students will receive their diplomas and degrees from the Open Polytechnic this graduating year.

Open Polytechnic celebrates Wellington graduation

Mon, 16 May 2011 08:30:15 +1200

As part of its nationwide graduation celebrations, the Open Polytechnic will hold its Wellington graduation ceremony today (16 May) at the Michael Fowler Centre.

Starting a National Diploma in Architectural Technology at 17, Open Polytechnic graduate Kevin Hagen originally intended on going to university but changed his mind after being offered employment which allowed him to train on the job instead.

“It was a fantastic opportunity, my employer Prenail Frames and Trusses offered to take me under their wing, train me for their business, and also support me in working towards the qualification I wanted to do,” says Kevin.

“Although part time study meant making some sacrifices, I’m grateful because I gained years of invaluable work experience in the construction industry that I would not have got elsewhere.”

Kevin says he is looking forward to the special occasion and his employer, family and wife will be there to celebrate alongside him.

“It is a great feeling to have finally finished the diploma, having juggled my work commitments throughout.”

Nearly 80 graduates will receive their diploma and degrees at the Wellington ceremony. Guest speaker for the evening will be Phil O’Reilly, Chief Executive of Business NZ.

Over 600 students will receive their diplomas and degrees from the Open Polytechnic this graduating year.

Open Polytechnic celebrates Christchurch graduation

Mon, 09 May 2011 08:49:43 +1200

The Open Polytechnic is proud to be celebrating success with its students today (9 May) at its Christchurch graduation ceremony.

The nation’s specialist provider of distance learning, the Lower Hutt based institution holds ceremonies in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch each year.

The Open Polytechnic is proud of the accomplishments of its Canterbury students who have completed their studies during the stressful circumstances of the recent earthquakes, and is looking forward to celebrating with nearly 60 graduates in a ceremony at The Chateau at the Park.

Open Polytechnic chief executive Dr Caroline Seelig said this year’s Christchurch ceremony would be especially moving following the 22 February earthquake.

“We have 700 students in the city and we’ve been doing everything we can to support them during this very difficult time.

“They will be very much in our thoughts.”

Bachelor of Arts (Information and Library Services) and Christchurch graduate, Zac Harding says he’s looking forward to the ceremony and plans to celebrate the special day with his family.

“It feels like it’s been a long time coming. It will be great to finally have something in my hands,” he says.

While his home wasn’t directly affected by the Canterbury earthquakes, his work at Christchurch City Libraries was, and as a result, he is now travelling around the region as an outreach librarian.

“I’m going around schools and reading to children. Particularly after the earthquake, it’s good to be cheering them up and giving them something nice to think about.”

Guest speaker for the evening will be adventurer and entrepreneur Mark Inglis.

Over 600 students will receive their diplomas and degrees from the Open Polytechnic this graduating year.

Open Polytechnic finalist in 2011 Wellington Gold Awards

Fri, 15 Apr 2011 15:23:00 +1200

Lower Hutt-based distance learning provider the Open Polytechnic is celebrating being named a finalist in the 2011 Wellington Gold Awards.

Announced this week (13^th April), the Open Polytechnic is a finalist in the ‘Supporting Gold’ category.

Enrolling around 29,000 learners nation-wide each year, the Open Polytechnic provides access to vocationally applicable courses and qualifications to mainly adult learners who are upskilling for a current or future job, and need access to flexible learning in their own time and place.

The Open Polytechnic’s entry for the Wellington Gold Awards focussed on its national provision as a distance learning provider, its innovative and rapid response to industry upskilling needs, the international connections it is forging in the field of distance learning, its sustainable business practices and the financial contribution it makes to the Wellington region.

Open Polytechnic Chief Executive Dr Caroline Seelig says she is proud of the contribution the organisation makes to Wellington and the nation.

“It’s wonderful to see that contribution recognised with this award nomination. The Open Polytechnic has been dedicated to helping Kiwis achieve their goals through access to high quality distance education for almost 65-years.

“We pride ourselves on finding innovative and sustainable ways in which we can continue to offer access to the very best in distance learning resources and teaching support, and provide value to our learners and the Government.”

The winners of the Wellington Gold Awards will be announced at a gala dinner on 18^th May.

Open Polytechnic students' prize-winners in New Zealand Law Society exam

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 09:01:04 +1300

The Open Polytechnic is celebrating the achievements of its students in the 2010 New Zealand Law Society’s Legal Executive Diploma examinations with students winning four out of seven prizes for top marks in their individual exams.

Each year students from seven different tertiary providers around the country sit one or more of the six examinations that make up the New Zealand Law Society Legal Executive Diploma.

Sally Steven, an Open Polytechnic student living in Canterbury was particularly surprised with her mark in the Property Law and Practice exam as partway through the exam they sustained a substantial aftershock, following on from September’s 7.1 Canterbury earthquake.

“It was very frightening and our desks were shaking. It was 40 minutes before the end of the exam too so I thought I had done very badly. I was very surprised to see I had passed the exam let alone received the highest mark,” says Sally.

All four winning Open Polytechnic students will each receive a $150 prize from the New Zealand Law Society for their efforts.