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Being Successful on the Bachelor of

Construction

>>FACULTY OF TECHNOLOGY AND BUILT ENVIRONMENT

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Outline for this session

Outline the programmes

Highlight organisational features

Identify sources of guidance

Outline assessment methods

Give you a try at tertiary level assessment

Where it fits

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Bachelor of Construction PD /CE /CM

National Diploma QS CM AT

MNZIQS PAQS

MNZIOBMPINZ

Career as Technician

Years of professional experience

Work experience

Success depends upon:

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•Effort you put in• Being organised• Academic capability

“TO IMPROVE THE PRODUCT, IMPROVE THE PROCESS”

Organisational processes

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Helpful documents:• MyCoursedetails - doing well

– One for each course available on your MyUnitec site https://myunitec.unitec.ac.nz/IDM/portal/cn/GuestContainerPage/Welcome

• Student Handbook - avoiding trouble– Hard copy for each student, also available on each course Moodle sitehttp://moodle.unitec.ac.nz/course/view.php?id=2047

• Programme regulations – someone could be in trouble– Selected sections in the Handbook. Also available on the Course Moodle site

• Academic Statute - someone IS in trouble!– Available from the Web http://usu.co.nz/student-issues/important-policies

Jargon

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• My CourseDetails - document that outlines everything you need to know about course content, assessment, personnel, equipment, resources and commitment.

• SDL- self directed learning (what you do outside of lectures)• Credits - a measure of the time you should spend on the course. 1

credit = 10hrs of lectures and SDL combined• Course – an educational package or group of Unit standards that

make up a programme• Moodle site – web page containing useful information and

resources to help you be successful

Academic Processes

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• Course Aims– A high level description of what the course is about

• Learning Outcome– Each course has about five- Describes what you must do

• Topics– Likely detailed areas to be studied

• Assessments– How we will decide whether you’ve achieved the

outcome• Required texts- we expect you to buy them• Recommended texts- we expect you to borrow them

Assessment

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• Nearly every course will involve coursework and an exam

• A “C-” means you got 50% overall, including coursework and the exam

• In addition you must always get a minimum of 40% in any exam.

• So……Doing great assignments and relaxing at

exams is a risky approach!

College Life tips

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47dcSkMTruM

Quiz

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1. How many hours of hours in total should you commit to CONS 5012 Construction Practice 1 ?Hint- MyCourse details Commitment section2. Which text should you buy for CONS 5812 Economic Principles?Hint - MyCourse details Resources section-3. You are enrolled part time in the courses above which run for one, 15 week semester. If each course has

52 hrs lectures how much SDL time should you spend each week?Hint – SDL = Self Directed Learning4. You are sick 1 week before an assignment is due and you can’t finish it before hand-in time- what do you

do?Hint – Student Handbook - Assessment Information5. You think the marks for an assessment have been recorded incorrectly. You lecturer disagrees- who do

you speak to next?Hint – Student Handbook - Assessment Information6. You are sure you handed in an assignment, but have not had it marked. Your lecturer says he never

received it but will mark it if you provide an electronic copy. You say you didn’t save it. What happens next?

Hint – Student Handbook - Assessment Information

7. You want to work on your assignments in the evening- when are the computer labs open?Hint –Student Handbook-Department Resources

8. You’ve taken up a good deal to get a new Internet provider and your email changes- What should you do?

Hint – Student Handbook- Student Responsibilities and Self Management9. You got an A and DEF for the two courses you enrolled in-What does it mean?Hint – Student Handbook – Student Results

Quiz- Answers

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1. How many hours of hours in total should you commit to CONS 5012 Construction Practice 1 ??Hint- MyCourse details Commitment section 15 credits *10hrs=150hrs2. Which text should you buy for CONS 5812 Economic Principles?Hint - MyCourse details Resources section- Economics by Sloman, J., de Beor, P.,3. You are enrolled part time in the courses above which run for one, 15 week semester. If each course has

52 hrs lectures how much SDL time should you spend each week?Hint - (15*10)-52 =98, 98/15 = 6.5 hrs/week for one course , 13hrs /week for both

4. You are sick 1 week before an assignment is due and you can’t finish it before hand-in time- what do you do?

Hint – Student Handbook - Assessment Information Apply for Special Assessment Circumstances5. You think the marks for an assessment have been recorded incorrectly. You lecturer disagrees- who do

you speak to next?Hint – Student Handbook - Assessment Information Make an appointment to see the Programme Co-

ordinator or Director6. You are sure you handed in an assignment, but have not had it marked. Your lecturer says he never

received it but will mark it if you provide an electronic copy. You say you didn’t save it. What happens next?

Hint – Student Handbook - Assessment Information It could be “Tough” you are required to keep a copy. 7. You want to work on your assignments in the evening- when are the computer labs open?Hint – Student Handbook- Department Resources 8.30am – 8.30pm

8. You’ve taken up a good deal to get a new Internet provider and your email changes- What should you do?

Hint – Student Handbook- Student Responsibilities and Self Management Change your address in Moodle9. You got an A and DEF for the two courses you enrolled in-What does it mean?Hint – Student Handbook – Student Results A=85% DEF =Deferred

Quiz- Answers

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How many out of 9 did you get?

How many do you think you need to pass or be competent in this test?

What sorts of things could occur if you did not have the answers to half the questions?

Assessment tips

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• Know when your hand in process and dates• Always keep a back up, at least until you’ve received your mark • Read the mark schedule and follow it - its what the lecturer is

looking for.• Use the mark schedule as an assignment heading guide• Prepare for and attend tutorials• Use Te Puna Ako study and exam workshops

Dependent / Independent learners

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• Traditional Schooling• The teacher holds all the knowledge• The teacher knows all the answers• Answers are usually clear• The teacher is focussed on you for a time• The teacher will manage compliance with

deadlines weekly or daily• Homework is a regular& frequent check of

your progress and understanding• Homework marks are regular feedback• Understanding is shown by replicating

what the teacher does

• Working Environment• A clear expert is not always obvious or

available• Sometimes there are no clear answers• The “Boss” has many other priorities

other than you• People are too busy to manage you

closely• Nobody routinely asks whether you

understand• You may get a performance review once a

year• You will need to apply your knowledge

and skills to completely new situations

Dependent Independent

Your challenge

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• In groups of four Brainstorm as many ideas as you can on the subject

“How I will succeed on the Programme this year”

• Now sort into your top five

• Now your top three

Academic Integrity (Giving credit where credit is due)

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• A student shall not plagiarise any item of assessment. This is an offence under the Academic Statute, students should refer Academic Statute Part E: Academic Misconduct for full information pages 39-43. Plagiarism is the act of taking and using another's work as one's own. Where plagiarism occurs it is be regarded as, and treated in the same manner as, cheating in an examination. For the purpose of these rules any of the following acts constitute plagiarism unless the work is appropriately acknowledged / referenced:

• copying the work of another student;– directly copying any part of another's work, including information obtained

from the internet;– summarising another’s work;– using or developing an idea or thesis derived from another person's work;– using experimental results obtained by another.

• Students should be aware that work submitted for assessment maybe checked through a web-based database for plagiarism.

Academic Integrity

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• You are not expected to know all the answers• You are expected to build on other peoples

work• Using some one else’s work means you have

read widely. This is great. Show us how well read you are by referencing.

• YOU will get a degree, you don’t share one with anyone else.

• Industry expects individual competence, not collective.