Teaching and learning environment

Teaching and study environment

The style of teaching and learning in New Zealand may be quite different to what you are familiar with.

The biggest difference is that New Zealand has an independent learning environment. You are expected to take full responsibility for ensuring you attend classes, keep up with your studies, do your homework, and complete course requirements.

At first the amount of work required and the level of responsibility may be overwhelming. It is important that you organise yourself well and give yourself time to adapt to the new learning environment.

Although it is an independent learning environment, you are still encouraged to ask questions and to seek help from your teachers and lecturers.

If you need assistance, it is important not to shy away from seeking support or clarification from your tutors or lecturers. It is also perfectly fine to study in groups, as long as the independent work that you submit for assessment is your own.

Teachers and lecturers want to ensure that you understand what you are writing and that you can apply the knowledge you have learned. Plagiarism (copying other people’s answers or copying from a textbook without referencing your source) is unacceptable in New Zealand and is treated very seriously by schools and tertiary institutes.

In New Zealand classes and tutorials, students are expected to participate in their learning. You may be expected to ask and answer questions about the course material and contribute ideas to discussions.

Teachers and lecturers don’t ask many “right/wrong” or “yes/no” questions. The focus is more likely to be on understanding the course material rather than memorising it. This may mean applying knowledge and/or skills and interpreting information rather than simply recalling facts or finding answers in the course textbooks. The answers may come from many sources and students are expected to use different texts and reference them in their written work.

At the tertiary level, homework is not usually set and marked on a daily or weekly basis; instead, you are expected to take responsibility for reading the relevant chapters of the textbooks in your own time. In the same way, there is an expectation that students will take notes during lectures then review these notes and the information discussed in tutorials. To prepare for examinations, you will need to refer back to your lecture notes and revise notes you have made from your reading.

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Assessments

Each course will have its own method of assessment. This may be a combination of in-course assessment, such as essays, assignments and tests, as well as end-of-course examinations. Some courses may require students to achieve a certain standard in the in-course assessment before being entitled to sit the final examination.

At the end of the course each student will receive a grade or mark. To pass the course and receive credit for it, the student must achieve a level equal or higher than the grade or pass mark set by the school or institute. To progress further in your program of study you will need to pass your courses and meet the entry level requirements of the next course. To gain entry to some courses, students are required to achieve a higher grade than a pass in the previous (prerequisite) course.

Examinations

Examinations in New Zealand are designed to test how well students can apply skills and understand concepts presented during their studies. Students are expected to be able to remember what they have been taught and to use that knowledge to answer questions in a practical manner rather than simply reproducing information they have memorised word for word.

There will be other differences you encounter in your studies, many of which will depend, to an extent, on the field you are studying.

Like plagiarism, cheating in examinations or tests is unacceptable and is taken very seriously in New Zealand.

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Study skills help and improving your English

Study skills help
Your education provider may provide support, perhaps through a Student Learning Support Centre, to help you understand New Zealand’s teaching and learning environment.

In most cases, your education provider will run seminars on study skills or will give opportunities for students to practice before assessments.

These seminars will often support students in areas such as critical analysis and creative thinking.

If you are having difficulty or want to learn how to improve your grades, don’t be afraid to ask for help.

Improving your English
As soon you know you are coming to New Zealand, practice your English as much as possible. Watching English language movies and television programmes, listening to English language radio programmes and reading a lot in English will help you get used to the language. Incorporate this practice into your efforts to learn about life in New Zealand and the people here. The more you know about New Zealand before you come, the easier it will be when you arrive.

To get a taste for the New Zealand accent, watch Whale Rider. The movie is set in New Zealand with New Zealand actors. Watching Australian movies and programmes may also be helpful as the Australian accent is very similar to New Zealand’s.

For information sites with news about New Zealand, visit: www.stuff.co.nz , www.nzherald.co.nz and www.tvnz.co.nz.

When you arrive in New Zealand, focus on mastering conversational English, as communicating effectively will help you to participate in the New Zealand environment.

Your next priority will be to think about the kind of language you will need for your studies. Do you need to write many essays or reports? Will you be using academic English? Will you be reading a lot? Try to identify what kind of language is most relevant to you and focus on improving that first.

Most universities and polytechnics offer short introductory courses in writing academic essays and researching. It may be a good idea to take one of these courses or to enrol in a more comprehensive language course when you first come to New Zealand.

If you choose to study English at an English language school, ensure that the school is accredited by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) and is a signatory to the Code of Practice for the Pastoral Care of International Students.

You will learn English faster if you use the language frequently. Don’t be afraid to speak and ask questions in English. As a foreigner you will be expected to make mistakes. Most New Zealanders are very patient and considerate people who will not make fun of you because of your accent or the mistakes that you may make. Put yourself in situations where you have to speak the language. A good way to make friends and to practice communicating is to join a club, sports team or group where English is used.

Although the English spoken in New Zealand is very similar to that which is spoken in other parts of the world, there are some small differences in vocabulary and accent. You may notice that the length and sounds of vowels may differ slightly from what you are used to. There will be some phrases and vocabulary used in New Zealand that you are unfamiliar with. 

To find out more, go to the list of some slang words and expressions used in New Zealand.

New Zealand school terms for 2009

Primary and intermediate schools

Secondary and composite schools

* Some school terms begin as late as 5 February 2009 so check with your school.

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New Zealand university semesters

University of Auckland
go to: www.auckland.ac.nz  

Auckland University of Technology
go to: www.aut.ac.nz

University of Canterbury
go to: www.canterbury.ac.nz  

Lincoln University
go to: www.lincoln.ac.nz  

University of Otago
go to: www.otago.ac.nz  

Victoria University of Wellington
go to: www.vuw.ac.nz  
(See “Trimester Dates”)

University of Waikato
go to: http://calendar.waikato.ac.nz