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EIT Tairāwhiti inviting prospective students to learn what’s on offer at information day | EIT Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti

Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti

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3 mins ago

EIT will be holding an information and enrolment day between 9am and 6pm on 16 October at the EIT Tairāwhiti Campus.

EIT Tairāwhiti is inviting prospective students (ākonga) to attend an information and enrolment day next month to see what career opportunities await.

The event will be held between 9am and 6pm on 16 October at the EIT Tairāwhiti Campus. Events will also be held on the same day between 10am and 2pm at the Wairoa and Ruatoria Learning Centres.

EIT Tairāwhiti Executive Director, Tracey Tangihaere, says that EIT is unique in offering people a full range of qualifications from certificates to postgraduate level, with full-time, part-time and online study options available.

“We are part of our community and we offer people of all ages the opportunity to stay close to whānau but still achieve their tertiary education dreams.”

“Whether you’re looking to get qualified, retrain, upskill, or just exploring your study options, come chat to our staff about how EIT may support you.”

Tracey says that EIT has been serving the Tairāwhiti community and local businesses for many years and is proud to have produced many graduates who are now part of a variety of industries in the region.

Check out EIT Tairāwhiti on Facebook and Instagram for more information or phone 0800 CALL EIT.

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School students to be tested at EIT fitness and skills competition in Mahia | EIT Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti

Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti

10 mins ago

Students from Wairoa College and Ngata College Services Academies and the Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti Trades Academy Services programme will test their skills, fitness and resilience in a competition based in Mahia this week.

Students from Wairoa College and Ngata College Services Academies and the Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti Trades Academy Services programme will test their skills, fitness and resilience in a competition based in Mahia this week.

The competition, organised by EIT’s School of Trades and Technology will take place tomorrow and Thursday (18-19 September).

EIT Trades and Technology Head of School, Todd Rogers, says the competition is an opportunity to test the skills the students have been taught in the programme throughout the year.

The competition consists of groups from each academy tackling a 15km course carrying Army packs, logs, steel bars and completing tasks along the way such as a carrying an “injured” person up Mokotahi hill and pushing a vehicle 1km with all their equipment.

Students must navigate to each point throughout the night, with the competition beginning at 5pm and finishing no later than 3am.

“This is the first time an event of this nature combining all academies has been facilitated in our region hopefully we can make it an annual event,” says Todd.

“Not only will these activities test the individuals’ skills and fitness, it will require them to work together and back each under extreme conditions.”

“All the courses are greatly supported by New Zealand Defence Force  recruiting (Defence Careers) and the NZ Police in Mahia and Gisborne.”

“We are looking forward seeing these youngsters show what they are made of.”

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Chinese university staff visit EIT as part of training and mentoring programme | EIT Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti

Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti

12 seconds ago

Staff from Zhejiang Yuexiu University (ZYU) recently spent five weeks at EIT in Auckland and Hawke’s Bay as part of a training and mentoring agreement.

Staff from a Chinese university recently spent five weeks at EIT in Auckland and Hawke’s Bay as part of a training and mentoring agreement.

The visit stems from a partnership that EIT has with Zhejiang Yuexiu University (ZYU). The Joint Education Programme partnership between EIT and ZYU began in 2020. That first year saw 230 students starting on the campus in Shaoxing City, Zhejiang Province, Southeast China.

Approval from the China Ministry of Education and the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) paved the way for EIT to deliver its degree programmes in China. The joint venture supports the delivery of two of EIT’s degrees, the Bachelor of Creative Practice and the Bachelor of Computing Systems, with two majors offered in Information Systems and Intelligent Systems.

ZYU staff visited EIT for the purposes of their training. During their time at EIT they developed an understanding of contemporary New Zealand teaching, learning and assessment methods, while spending time enhancing their English language proficiency.

Earlier this year an EIT delegation visited China where it held joint management, teaching and academic meetings to further the partnership and attended the very first graduation ceremony of EIT Data Science and Communication College of Zhejiang Yuexiu University students, who started in 2020.

A recent visit by Zhejiang Yuexiu University (ZYU) staff to EIT stems from a partnership that EIT has with Zhejiang Yuexiu University (ZYU). The Joint Education Programme partnership between EIT and ZYU began in 2020.

The delegation of senior EIT staff, were joined by the EIT Deputy Dean of the Data Science and Communication College who is a resident in China.

John West, EIT’s Executive Dean: Faculty of Commerce and Technology, says the visit was symbolic of the success of the partnership between EIT and ZYU.

“Visits like this build on the solid basis of the relationship and it was a pleasure to host our colleagues from China in this way and for them to experience our culture, campus life and academic practices.”

“We are pleased that our staff have the opportunity to teach in China and for us to welcome ZYU lecturers with the ultimate aim of providing quality education for all out students.”

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Passion for academia and achieving educational reform for Māori learners important for new EIT Head of School | EIT Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti

Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti

1 day ago

Zac Anderson is EIT’s new Head of School: Education and Social Sciences and the Centre for Veterinary Nursing.

A passion for academia and achieving educational reform for Māori learners are important for EIT’s new Head of School: Education and Social Sciences and the Centre for Veterinary Nursing.

Zac Anderson, who joins EIT from Tamatea High School where she was Deputy Principal, says that the opportunity to work at EIT was too good to pass up.

“I’ve been in New Zealand for twenty years from Australia, and I’ve always known EIT to have a fantastic reputation. I am feeling very fortunate to have been chosen and I think that it is going to be a great job.”

Zac’s role will see her leading a diverse team of social workers, early childhood and primary school professionals, and those teaching in the Centre for Veterinary Nursing.

“The kaupapa of the different departments within the school that I’m head of is all based on care for humans or animals, and teaching others to be the best they can be.”

Before Tamatea High School, Zac held various management positions at schools in Hawke’s Bay and was employed at the University of Waikato for four years. During her tenure at the University of Waikato, she was part of the Poutama Pounamu team led by Professor Mere Berryman, embedding transformative changes in culturally responsive pedagogies in kura throughout Aotearoa.

Zac says she sees her role as building her team, but also getting to know stakeholders in both Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti and getting to know what the community wants and needs from EIT’s graduates.

“It is about building the relationships with the stakeholders and the advisory groups in our different areas. I think this  is going to be really important for me, so I know what they need and then we can make sure that it’s reflected in our teaching and learning programmes.”

“I’m excited that I work across both Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti, because I know Gisborne, in particular, and the surrounding East Coast area. I lived and worked with Wairoa-based communities for so long, and there’s unique needs on the East Coast compared to Hawke’s Bay.”

Zac has a Master’s in Education, where she looked at critical leadership to achieve educational reform for Māori learners, “which is my passion”.

“I’ve been learning Te Reo since I arrived in New Zealand, but I’m nowhere near where I want to be. And I love that learning journey about the tikanga and the kawa of what it means to immerse yourself into te ao Māori.”

“It’s deeply important to me as a non-Māori leader to be very clear about what role I play as Tangata Tiriti in honouring the bicultural intent of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. I am passionate about bringing practical effect to Te Tiriti in my daily practice. I will be enrolling soon in my PhD and no doubt this area of critical leadership to decolonise and indigenise our curriculum will be a focus of my research.”

Zac is mindful of the vital role research plays at an academic institute and she will be encouraging her staff on this front.

“Research really allows us to get the voice of our communities, our learners, our academics and our professionals, and really understand the nature of what we’re doing.”

“Research, to me, is all about making sure you’re at the cutting edge of practice , making sure that we’re taking into account what’s happening around the world, but for our own flavour here in Aotearoa.”

Originally from Australia, Zac has lived in Hawke’s Bay since 2004 with her wife, Kae Schlierike, and their three rescue dogs.

Dr Helen Ryan-Stewart, EIT’s Executive Dean, Education, Humanities and Health Science, said:  “We are thrilled to welcome Zac to our team. Her connections in to the Hawke’s Bay and East Coast community and inclusive approach to education are a perfect fit for our organization. We are excited to see the contributions she will make to the school and the wider institution. She has already made a positive impression with her energy and passion in her short time with us.”

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EIT lecturer’s research into ChatGPT in education shows challenges and promises | EIT Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti

Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti

2 days ago

Amr van den Adel is a Senior Lecturer in the EIT School of Computing in Auckland.

ChatGPT in educational settings has potential benefits, but there are also challenges, research by an EIT lecturer has found.

The research, led by Amr van den Adel, a Senior Lecturer in the EIT School of Computing in Auckland, has recently been published in the renowned journal Educational Sciences, entitled ChatGPT promises and challenges in education: Computational and ethical perspectives. The other authors of the article are Ali Ahsan and Claire Davison, both from the University of Torrens Australia. Amr and the two other authors are all members of the Centre for Organisational Change and Agility at Torrens.

The study explores the integration of ChatGPT in educational settings. It highlights the potential benefits, but also addresses significant challenges like AI biases and the lack of emotional and interpersonal interactions typical in traditional education.

“The paper underscores the need for ongoing research to adapt educational strategies in response to rapidly evolving AI technologies, offering insights for educators, policymakers, and researchers,” says Amr.

“This paper investigates the integration of ChatGPT into educational environments, focusing on its potential to enhance personalised learning and the ethical concerns it raises. Through a systematic literature review, interest analysis, and case studies, the research scrutinises the application of ChatGPT in diverse educational contexts, evaluating its impact on teaching and learning practices.”

Amr says that the key findings reveal that ChatGPT can enrich education significantly by offering dynamic, personalised learning experiences and real-time feedback, thereby boosting teaching efficiency and learner engagement.

“However, the study also highlights significant challenges, such as biases in AI algorithms that may distort educational content and the inability of AI to replicate the emotional and interpersonal dynamics of traditional teacher–student interactions.”

“The paper acknowledges the fast-paced evolution of AI technologies, which may render some findings obsolete, underscoring the need for ongoing research to adapt educational strategies accordingly.”

Amr says that this study provides a balanced analysis of the opportunities and challenges of ChatGPT in education, emphasising ethical considerations and offering strategic insights for the responsible integration of AI technologies.

“These insights are valuable for educators, policymakers, and researchers involved in the digital transformation of education.”

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EIT horticulture team helps rescue rare Ngutukākā (Kakabeak) plants | EIT Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti

Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti

6 mins ago

Horticulture lecturers Gerard Henry (left), Tania Basher and Tane Cruikshank with Helen Joros (second left) from the Department of Conservation.

Rare Ngutukākā (Kakabeak) plants, that survived Cyclone Gabrielle, have been planted by members of the EIT Primary Industries Horticulture team in a partnership with the Department of Conservation.

The seeds were collected , some by helicopter, from rare and precious wild Ngutukākā plants in the Wairoa region.

Primary Industries Programme Coordinator Lisa Turnbull says it means a lot to the team to have been able to get the plants to this point where they can be returned to the taiao.

Ngutukākā (kakabeak) is a plant of special significance to New Zealand. Its conservation status is Nationally Critical with less than 70 known plants growing in the wild.

These plants were first planted by the Growing Natives class in November 2022.

“DOC had collected the seeds from nine locations across the East Cape.  They entrusted these seeds to Tania Basher our PI Technician, and the night class group of horticulture ākonga were excited to be able to sow these seeds and nurture the plants into young seedlings.”

Last month, some of the PI Horticulture team, students from Ruakituri School and Helen Jonos from DOC worked together to plant them in their new enclosure in the Ruakituri Valley.

“Being able to grow, nurture and return these special plants to the taiao alongside DOC was a wonderful collaboration, and we look forward to doing more to help with Ngutukākā regeneration in the future.”

Lisa says these particular plants became extra special as they survived the cyclone, when they were in the hardening off section on the Hawke’s Bay campus in Taradale.

“They were rescued from the silt, repotted and looked after at home by members of the Primary Industries staff. It certainly has been a journey for them.”

Lecturers from EIT joined the Department of Conservation and students from Ruakituri School to plant rare Ngutukākā (Kakabeak) plants.

While it is the first time, they have partnered with the Department of Conservation to grow Ngutukākā, they hope to do it again.

“We are also exploring the idea of building our own predator proof planting area at the Ōtātara Outdoor Learning Centre (ŌOLC) where our horticulture and environmental management ākonga can grow more Ngutukākā plants along with potentially other endangered species.”

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Living in emergency housing did not stop social work student from studying at EIT | EIT Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti

Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti

4 mins ago

Harata Gordon is in her fourth year of the Bachelor of Social Work at EIT Tairāwhiti.

Living in emergency housing with her two young children has not stopped Harata Gordon (Ngāti Porou) from pursuing her dream of studying at EIT Tairāwhiti.

Thankfully, Harata has recently moved into a Kāinga Ora home with her two children, but her hardships have not deterred her from continuing with her studies.

Having left Campion College in year 12, Harata enrolled NZ Certificate in Beauty Therapy (Level 4) at EIT. She spent a number of years after that working  in customer service and in a packhouse, however, she always wanted something more for her life and this has led her to pursue a career in social work.

“I’m a very simple person. Throw me in anywhere and I have the drive or the aroha to find a way to help.”

Harata, 29, is currently in her fourth year of the Bachelor of Social Work at EIT Tairāwhiti, but has decided to split the final year into two which means that she will finish up next year.

“Studying full-time made it a long year. It is just more manageable with my two babies as well. I can  re-set my goals, so it makes more sense and is more fitting for me now.”

The journey has had a few disruptions with Harata splitting the degree between EIT and Ara Institute of Canterbury falling pregnant in her second year, and dealing with COVID. She did her first year at EIT before moving down to Christchurch for personal reasons where she did her second year at Ara. She returned to EIT Tairāwhiti for the rest of her degree.

Harata says that she believes the tough times she has endured with her children recently will shine through when she becomes a social worker.

“I think that having lived the way I have for the last year will give me more appreciation and make me more understanding.”

“I hope that I can inspire or give hope to a mama who hasn’t got anywhere for her or her kids to live to realise that she can do something with her life.”

Harata is enjoying her studies, especially her placement at Ngāti Porou Oranga where she got work experience in the community.

“It was such a positive experience and I was able to make some great connections and have some good networking opportunities.”

While the degree is taking longer than she intended, Harata realises that she needs to be patient.

“I have the same passion, the same drive, the same fire inside. I will always love helping people.”

Harata acknowledges that she could not do what she is doing without whānau or as she puts it “my village sprinkles everywhere”.

Charlotte Chisnell, EIT’s Social Work Programme Coordinator, says: “Harata’s journey is a powerful example of resilience and determination. Despite the challenges of living in emergency housing with her two young children, she has remained committed to her studies and her dream of becoming a social worker.”

“Harata’s perseverance, even in the face of adversity, is inspiring. Her ability to balance her education with being a parent, while overcoming significant obstacles, highlights her strength and dedication. Her story will undoubtedly inspire others, showing that achieving your goals is possible with passion, patience, and strong community support.  Harata’s journey illustrates the profound impact that lived experiences can have in shaping compassionate and effective social workers.”

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EIT lecturer’s biomechanics research reaps rewards as shot-putter wins Olympic medal for New Zealand | EIT Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti

Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti

9 seconds ago

Mike Schofield with New Zealand shot-putter Maddison-Lee Wesche, who won a silver medal at the Olympic Games in Paris this year.

EIT lecturer Mike Schofield’s research into biomechanics is reaping rewards as the shot-putter he coaches recently won a medal at the Olympic Games in Paris.

Mike, who is a lecturer in strength and conditioning at EIT, was a high performance coach for track and field throws for Athletics New Zealand in Auckland.

It was there that he became coach for New Zealand shot-putter Maddison-Lee Wesche, who won a silver medal at the Olympic Games earlier this month.

Speaking from Paris where he has been supporting Maddi, Mike said that the journey to the Olympics has been “awesome”. He has been coaching Maddi for about seven years.

“I’ve been lucky enough to apply some of the research that I’ve done within Maddi’s programme over the years, and to see it come to fruition. It’s been neat.”

Mike, who is normally based at the EIT Institute of Sport and Health (EIT ISH) at the Hawke’s Bay Regional Sports Park in Hastings, says that this semester he has been teaching a course in innovation where he has drawn on his own experience for examples.

“Part of this is showing the students that I lecture what innovation is in sport in a real-world context, and so I’ve been lecturing online from over here for ten days or so.”

“I have been going through some of the innovative tools we use in training, and in an Olympic Games programme.

“It provides a little bit of context around the application of some of the theory that they learn, to try to bridge the gap between theory and performance. It is quite a cool scenario that probably very few people, and especially students in a degree course, get to see inside an Olympic campaign, and in real time.”

Mike says there are a number of programmes that are used.

“These are iPad-based programmes, a few little sensors and bits of tech that we attach to bars and to Maddi, to measure certain variables that we’re interested in, and we’ve covered that off in class.”

Mike says that for him personally it has been important to see his historical research being used in a real world context through Maddi’s training process.

“My area of research is biomechanics and it is about evolving a technical model from a theoretical basis. Obviously it seems to have gelled with Maddi’s abilities, traits and personality, which has been quite cool.”

“The biggest thing that I’ve probably learned is that performance is a little more complex than research allows you to see, and it’s a blending of multiple pillars of sports science.”

“That’s broadened my horizons to skill acquisition and the peripheries of human behaviour combined with strength and conditioning and biomechanics. So the experience of working with someone like Maddi has broadened my understanding of performance.”

While Mike has enjoyed being in Paris, he says that the Olympic experience for him is more about performance.

“I get a real buzz out of trying to figure out the puzzle of how we throw it further?”

He says that sport science is probably a pretty new science and it is evolving year on year.

“That’s the challenge for us as lecturers and researchers is to keep up with the science and the practice. What we know today might not be what we know tomorrow.”

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Public lecture highlights impact of nature-based learning at EIT’s Ōtātara Outdoor Learning Centre | EIT Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti

Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti

5 mins ago

Associate Professor Emily Nelson presented the fourth public lecture in a series: ‘Reconnecting Through Research’, at MTG Hawke’s Bay, organised by EIT’s Research and Innovation Centre (RIC).

The ‘Learning in Nature’ research project at the Ōtātara Outdoor Learning Centre on EIT’s Hawke’s Bay Campus in Taradale shows the benefits of children connecting to nature, Associate Professor Emily Nelson says.

Dr Nelson, of EIT’s School of Education and Social Sciences, presented the fourth public lecture in a series: ‘Reconnecting Through Research’, at MTG Hawke’s Bay, organised by EIT’s Research and Innovation Centre (RIC).

EIT Emeritus Professor Kay Morris Matthews, also Associate Researcher and Curator at MTG, introduced Emily as a “good academic citizen”.

“Emily Nelson was raised in Hawke’s Bay and has made a significant contribution to growing teachers in our region.”

Her lecture titled: ‘Learning in Nature: Emerging Values, Visions, Cautions and Potential’ focused on the research which began life as a developmental evaluation of the establishment of EIT’s Ōtātara Outdoor Learning Centre and was conducted jointly by Associate Professor Nelson and Professor Bronwen Cowie, University of Waikato.

The Ōtātara Outdoor Learning Centre promotes biodiversity management, connection to nature and sustainable futures and was sponsored by the Air NZ Environment Trust and spearheaded by Ngāti Pārau, Hawke’s Bay Regional Council and the Department of Conservation.

Dr Nelson explored the value gained by educational groups who visited the Ōtātara Outdoor Learning Centre over the 2020/21 period.

The research involved over 40 participants, including contributions of 509 photographs, 13 interviews, 22 voiceovers, and 90 visual data nuggets. This comprehensive data collection highlights the transformative potential of nature-based learning environments.

She reflected on the perspectives on learning and connecting to nature shared by local primary school students and their teachers, particularly those from Bledisloe School who was an early adopter.

“At a time when we are grappling with a global ecological crisis and growing disconnection from nature in our daily lives, the stakes for connecting with nature are high.

“Young people are positioned increasingly as the hope for humanity’s future. But beyond adult-centric agendas, the Learning in Nature research paints a refreshing picture of human and more-than-human agency, very personal connections with the land and its inhabitants at Ōtātara and children’s bespoke visions for their futures.”

Dr Nelson said children’s bespoke connections with the natural world during their visits stimulated their curiosity and care for nature.

“In a time where children’s independent mobility is increasingly limited, they had adventures and free-exploration in a diverse landscape. The questions they asked, the interests they followed up at Ōtātara indicated that they were making the place their place. This care and belonging for nature is identified in research as pivotal for pro-conservation and pro-environmental behaviours flourishing.”

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Using exercise to improve mental health and tackle obesity persuaded woman to study sport and exercise science at EIT | EIT Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti

Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti

2 mins ago

Toni Palermo is enjoying the Bachelor of Sport and Exercise Science at EIT.

Toni Palermo decided to change careers and enrol in EIT’s Bachelor of Sport and Exercise Science in a bid to set an example that exercise can improve mental health and tackle obesity.

After years of working in finance and administration in Australia and New Zealand, Toni , 43, realised that she wanted more and to set an example for her children. This led her to enrolling at EIT.

“What prompted me to do it is probably mental health and my children. Over the last few years I really got into my exercise and I found it really good for mental health.”

“After seeing statistics on obesity among New Zealanders in general, especially children, made me think that maybe I could help change things. So, I’m trying to influence my children and prove that you’re never too old to do anything.”

“A bit of sport and exercise every day in anyone’s life is a benefit, no matter if it’s just a walk down the road or you’re playing hockey, netball or rugby.”

Toni, who had enrolled in the Certificate in Te Reo (Level 2) at EIT a few years ago, says she did some research on where to study, but chose EIT because it is close to home.

“I live in Waipukurau, so there’s a bit of travel each day, but it was the closest institute to home and this was the best option for my family.”

While Toni dabbled with pursuing a career in the police, she is now set on becoming a high school PE teacher after her studies.

She has no doubt that she is doing the programme for her, but it was an adjustment to begin studying again.

“To study so long after I was at high school has definitely been a huge change for me, but I love the content. I think that the programme itself is incredible and the opportunities we’ve had are really cool.”

“The tutors that I’ve had are amazing and they definitely care about everybody. They’ve been really supportive when I’ve had struggles. They have encouraged me to keep going and said that they see me as being quite an influence within the class.”

Dr Andrew Garrett, EIT’s Head of School, Health and Sport Science, says: “It’s great to see Toni’s return to study, as a mature candidate. With real and definitive goals of integrating exercise into people’s lifestyles to enhance their health and quality of life.”