Members of the public have an opportunity to look into the complex and often beautiful world of fine arts photography at the Whanganui UCOL Fine Arts Photography exhibition, Photosynthesis 2011, which opens next week at the Federal Hotel Gallery.
Photosynthesis 2011 features creative applications of photography by Whanganui UCOL lecturers, Fine Arts students and other exhibitors, including secondary school students..
Tags: Arts, BFA, Federal Hotel Gallery, Gelatine Silver, Holga Plastic Camera, Photography, Quay School, UCOL
View CommentsUCOL Nursing students Kelly Harding and Danica Thompson have taken a little boy’s fight for life to heart.
The pair has organized a fundraiser for two year old Chase Topperwien who is fighting a courageous battle against acute myeloid leukemia.
The Hamilton toddler is undergoing chemotherapy but it is expected his only hope of survival is to get on a drug trial overseas.
Neither Kelly nor Danica personally know Chace or his parents. “We have never met but hope we can do something to help, even if it’s some money to help them with everyday expenses,” says Danica.
“We both have four year old children’” she says. “We can only imagine what Chace’s parents are going through. We would hope if we were in the same situation, even strangers might want to help.”
The fundraiser idea started as a modest sausage sizzle but as more people heard of the generous gesture, more sponsors have come on board with raffle prizes and vouchers.
Donations to help the family can be made at any ASB branch to the Chace Topperwien Fundraising account, number: 12 3217 0163111 00.
WHERE: UCOL Atrium, Princess Street entrance.
WHEN: Wednesday 27 July, 11.00am – 2.00pm
Wairarapa Classroom Visits 16 June
I travelled over to Masterton on 16th June. I don’t know why it has taken so long to write up what I saw because it was a really good day and I was able to see a number of classes in action.
We are pretty aware that this campus is operating really well, with good student satisfaction and very good course completions. Spending the day here reinforces this view and I was able to see some of the reasons those good results are achieved. I spent time in:
The day had its surprises and mostly what I experienced was very good teaching, very intelligent teaching practice, and engaged students. I did get a bit more of an opportunity to talk to students than I have so far, that that was very useful for me as well. Because I make it a practice not to take pen or paper in to the class, I have to rely on memory and any brief note I scribbled down before I headed back to Palmy. But the highlights are pretty clear in my head.
National Certificate Early Childhood Education and Care L3, Maryanne Corrigan
Students were working in small groups, in tables clustered to promote this. These students were clearly focussed on their goals near the end of the one semester programme. One student had enrolled in the degree programme through the Open Polytechnic. One student was a refugee from Christchurch and came to complete her qualification, bravely leaving members of her family behind. The students were articulate, evidence of their work, research, writing and art was everywhere in the classroom. The students identified that they had gained skills and confidence in the course and were looking to continue or to find work. Maryanne had made the learning that much easier by supplying necessary set up things such as felts, scissors so when students arrived, they could get on with the learning.
Certificate in Exercise Sport Performance L4, Jon Bailey
Jon Bailey is a new lecturer, a tall rugby player, who has the street creds to work with sport mad students. I caught up with this class twice, once doing research in the computer lab and at the end of the day, in the Sport and Fitness Centre which the students use for part of their practical work.
The research work was well under way and I didn’t want to disturb the good work going on for long. The students were focussed on their work, mostly working on their own. Jon guides them and supports them but by June they know their way around the computer. Jon has a quiet, friendly approach that seems to go well with his students. I think he said he had lost a good student recently who joined the army. Another TEC non-completion but a success story for the student.
One other student has left to play rugby in Australia but everyone else is set to come back for Semester 2. Some students are completing placements in the two gyms in Masterton whilst one has gone further afield and is undergoing a placement in Lower Hutt. Other students have lined up some sports coaching work with Sports Wairarapa over the 2 week break.
When I saw them at the end of the day, they were hard at work in the fitness centre. Jon makes it possible for students who might have missed an element to catch that up. He seems to have a Coach’s approach to teaching which works anywhere but especially well with his youthful students.
As I left the centre, I caught up with one of our graduates from the programme who in a very short time has become the manager of the centre. He is very positive about what the course did for him. He is there as a role model for our current students.
Certificate in Hairdressing (Salon Support) L3, Simone Hewson
Simone Hewson manages a very professional salon with a great student team.
This was one of my surprises. I went in to watch, but one of the student’s clients had failed to show up, so my head was on the line or in the wash basin not long after I entered the room! I wrote later to compliment Simone and her team of hairdressers on the friendly and professional treatment I had. My student did a great job from start to finish, the ‘student hairdressers’ looked smart and professional in their uniforms, and the salon was a lively and fun place to be.
I noticed the teaching mnemonics around the room. I heard good things from the students about the learning they have and how much they enjoy the programme. My student mentioned how useful it was to take the “head” home and when I came back to leave later that day, I saw a few students head off with the mannequin head under their arms. The ‘client skills’ the students demonstrate are mature and professional. I know good teaching plays an important role in this.
I was very impressed with Simone’s teaching, commitment and willingness to adapt the programme to the needs of the learners. I will certainly be up for a return visit if I should be so lucky to strike the right time on the day. I left feeling relaxed and pampered.
Youth Tec , Certificate in Tertiary Skills, AMP’D, Trish Morrison
This programme is specifically for students who are at risk, who have stopped fitting into the secondary system and who usually have not achieved much in the way of credits. This was probably the most structured session I saw. Trish explained that choice didn’t always work well with this group of people. They actually preferred structure, a set task, and support in the task.
The work they were doing was quite specific in terms of language and worksheets. But the students were well engaged and wanted to complete the task. They stuck to it even when they were told they could take a break.
This programme is constructed as a sort of taster course and it vastly different than it used to look two years ago. One of the outcomes of the broadening of this I saw in the posters for the event of the day before. The students had done a lot of baking, as part of their work, then they held a stall with baking and coffee which was available for staff and students to purchase. The students had to organise the whole event, make posters and do publicity, do the baking, set up and clear up. They were earning unit standards as they did this. It had been a big success. Too big for some. One student had eaten so much cake that that night he felt pretty ill and had a sort of cake hangover the next morning in class. Life can be tough.
Certificate in Business Administration L3, Deborah Rolston
This class was totally focussed on the task, students working in small pods or on their own. Deborah Rolston uses the systems such as Moodle, websites, to enable students to submit work, have it marked, and eliminate paper. These students, thanks to Deborah’s teaching, were functioning as independent learners, getting through the work, preparing themselves for the next challenge such as more study or looking for a job. I spoke with several who had no computing skills or experience when they started the course. They were now confident users of Moodle, the internet, and were working to develop their own websites. I had a look at some of the websites they developed. They were purposeful and well designed. The students, all women, showed pride in their achievement and a number said they had come a long way in a short time.
This was a very impressive classroom with some great teaching and learning going on. Deb has put thought and challenge into the teaching and she is always there to support the students. The students showed very good independence and confidence but this was not where they started. Deb is able to track each student’s progress in real time in the class and later look at completed work. There is direct teaching as well, but it is the springboard for the student to then experience what the learning from this will be.
Certificate in Automotive Engineering L3 with Gary Esler
Most of Gary’s students had gone for the day, but three were taking the opportunity of the peace in the workshop to complete assessments. I chatted with a couple who said they really enjoyed the course and like the support they got from their lecturers. Gary has a lot of teaching experience and his work with students shows he has a patient and student focussed approach, with high expectations for his students’ learning outcomes. He takes pride in the facility and is adapting it to make it even more useful for students and staff.
Certificate in Relaxation Massage L4 with Angela Ashby
I will need to pay another visit to take in the work going on here. I left the salon with my newly washed and blow-dried hair and went into the massage room, but there were a lot of bodies there, getting massage and treatment. So I will come back (and book in!) to experience the students’ work.
Certificate in Professional Cookery L3 with Carmel Hughes
I went to the kitchens after the students had finished though three students were cleaning up after the day. There was a STAR class next door and I took the opportunity to have a conversation with Carmel about her programme. Carmel receives consistently good feedback from her students and her work has really turned this programme around when it looked like Wairarapa might lose this programme.
Carmel had some concerns about some student behaviour that created issues in the kitchens. I have spoken with some of the people who could help at enrolment if there are concerns from the past that need to be clarified before a student starts class.
UCOL Kids staff and students
To round out my day I dropped in on UCOL Kids. Carolyn and her staff and the little people were having their afternoon tea. I noticed a set of miniature rugby uprights and a rugby ball on the ground when I came through the play area. All was revealed as staff told me the early education centre was organising a Rugby World Cup Day called Rippa Rugby for a number of centres, children and staff. The kids knew all about it and are using the uprights to practice their skills.
This centre is a delight. The staff, it seems all of them are artistic and have used their design and art skills to create an attractive place where children are happy. I am going back in September to see the Rippa Rugby. These littlies will be showing the All Blacks the way.
Thanks Wairarapa for a good day with lots of good things happening with students. Before leaving, I said good bye to Angela Hewitt, Campus Manager and then drove back on the Track to Palmy.
The International Year of Chemistry is being marked at UCOL this coming week, as it hosts the National Chemical Education Conference.
ChemEd 2011 Celebrating the International Year of Chemistry, brings together chemistry educators and researchers from across sectors to learn from each other and celebrate the wonders of chemistry.
On the ChemEd conference web site, Conference convenor Craig Steed describes Palmerston North as “a hub of scientific endeavor and research. Alongside important tertiary institutes such as Massey University and UCOL, Palmerston North is home to a wide variety of research institutes and scientific companies, providing a perfect atmosphere of discovery and enterprise. The venue for the conference will be the modern and architecturally inspiring Universal College of Learning (UCOL) located in the heart of the city centre.”
Photo by Manawatu Standard - Daniel Oppatt, of Palmerston North, left, with judge Marcus Waldman, of the Mad Butcher in Palmerston North.
The regional competition to find New Zealand’s top Young Butcher and Butcher Apprentice was held at UCOL last weekend.
UCOL Chef lecturer Nigel Sadler was one of the three judges for the Alto Young Butcher and Retail Meat Industry Training Organisation Butcher Apprentice of the Year competition.
Daniel Oppatt, of Moreish in Palmerston North, won the Young Butcher category, while Lance Thompson, of Cameron-Harrison Butchery & Deli, in Wellington, won the Butcher Apprentice category.
Both will now compete against finalists from four other regional finals around the country.
As well as completing a verbal examination, they had to do compulsory cuts from beef, pork and chicken.
Then the contestants were able to do something creative with the rest of the beef rump, pork shoulder and whole chicken.
The judges were hospitality lecturer Nigel Sadler, Marcus Waldman, of the Mad Butcher in Palmerston North, who previously represented New Zealand against Australia, and Weltec butchery tutor Tui Bradbrook.
The regional winners in each category will contend for the title at the Grand Final on August 16 in Auckland.
The winner of the Alto Young Butcher of the Year will be awarded a study tour to the UK, and an Australian study tour will be granted to the RMITO Butcher Apprentice of the Year.
Posted by: Samantha Polatsek Filed under: News & Announcements, Palmerston North, Wairarapa, WhanganuiUCOL is sponsoring a new award for Māori Business achievements in this year’s Westpac Manawatu Business Awards.
UCOL’s Director – Māori, Te Atawhai Mataira, says the Māori in Business Award confirms UCOL’s commitment to celebrating Māori success in the Manawatu region. “This award covers all areas of Māori business success, whether it is hospitality, design, engineering, computer technology, beauty, sport and exercise, or any other areas.
“We know that once people have completed a qualification they need continued support to succeed in business.”
UCOL’s Chief Executive Paul McElroy says the creation of the new award reflects initiatives underway at UCOL to further boost study success rates for Māori students. “No matter what they study at UCOL, a high number of our students will end up either in business or owning businesses. Celebrating business success shows them what can be achieved – what their hard work can turn into.”
Read More: “UCOL supports Māori success with new Business award”…