Dunedin's two main tertiary
institutions have combined to offer fast-track qualifications
for people from throughout New Zealand wanting to become
secondary-school technology teachers.
Provided applicants have satisfactory industry experience,
chefs, engineers, clothing designers, builders and others
should be able to complete an Otago Polytechnic degree and a
University of Otago College of Education teaching diploma in
two years instead of four.
The collaboration could result in up to 50 people beginning
full-time study in Dunedin next year and about 100 people
annually from 2012.
The project, which had received start-up funding from the
Dunedin City Council economic development unit, was designed
to fill a "desperate" national shortage of fully qualified
technology teachers, Capable Teachers project leader Don
Lawson said on Friday.
Under the scheme, applicants would have their skills and
knowledge assessed against formal qualifications through
Otago Polytechnic's Capable New Zealand department and would
be assessed on their suitability for teaching.
If selected, they would enter a degree programme, probably at
third-year level, and would be provisionally accepted into
the College of Education after the successful completion of
their degree.
Initially, students would be enrolled in one of three
degrees, the new bachelor of culinary arts degree, the
bachelor of design (product) or the bachelor of design
(fashion).
The culinary arts degree was still subject to final approval
from the New Zealand Qualifications Authority, but Mr Lawson
said the polytechnic was confident approval would be given in
time for the programme to enrol its first students next year.
It was hoped the scheme could be extended in the future to
people wishing to become teachers of other subjects such as
physical education, IT, graphic design and electronics which
linked to Otago Polytechnic degrees, Mr Lawson said.
"We see this as the beginning of bigger things."
The aim was to establish Dunedin as a national centre of
excellence for technology teachers, he said.
The scheme was also expected to attract another large group
of participants - the many technology teachers who had
entered the classroom without degrees now wishing to obtain a
relevant qualification.
After being assessed on their prior learning, most would be
enrolled as second or third-year students and would complete
their degrees part-time or full-time via distance learning,
he said.
There was "great excitement" among industry organisations and
technology teachers about the scheme, Mr Lawson said.
For those in their 30s or 40s wanting a change of career it
offered an achievable training goal, while for technology
teachers it was an attractive professional development
option, he said.
Both Otago Polytechnic and the University of Otago are
limiting enrolments next year as the Government clamps down
on the amount of tertiary study it funds. Mr Lawson said both
institutions were committed to the Capable Teachers scheme
and would make places available to participants.
- allison.rudd@odt.co.nz
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