A guide to being successful on the National Diploma programmes in the Department of Construction at Unitec.

1. © Unitec New Zealand
1
Being
Successful on
the National
Diplomas

2. >>FACULTY OF TECHNOLOGY AND BUILT ENVIRONMENT
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2
Outline for this session
Outline the programme
Outline assessment methods
Highlight organisational features
Identify sources of guidance
Give you a try at competency based assessment

3. Where it fits
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School Industry
National Diploma QS CM
Career as Technician
Bachelor of Construction PD /CE /CM
Years of professional
experience
MNZIQS
PAQS
MNZIOBMPINZ

4. National Diplomas in Construction
Management and Quantity Surveying
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• National –
– standards are consistent at providers throughout the
country
– The qualification is owned and awarded by BCITO, the
Industry’s Training Organisation (set up by NZQA and
industry)
• We teach the content on behalf of BCITO(Building and
Construction Industry Training Organisation)
• We can advise about content but do not have the final say.
• We advise NZQA( New Zealand Qualifications Authority) of
your results and they are held by the NZQA
• The diplomas are under review but you can complete this
diploma if you complete within a reasonable time

5. Success depends upon:
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• Effort you put in
• Being organised
• Academic capability
“TO IMPROVE THE PRODUCT, IMPROVE
THE PROCESS”

6. Academic Processes
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• Learning Process
– Unit Standard
• A package of learning. Describes what you must do
– Competency based assessment.
• You must be judged competent in all of the unit standards for
each course
• Competency is within the context of the programme aims
– Competency may be
• completing a task successfully or with minimal errors
• calculating something accurately
• describing something completely or with minimal gaps

7. Competency based assessment
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• Competency is not
– Getting 50% for each task
– Getting 50% overall
– Getting 50% in the exam
– Getting 80% in the assignments to ease off in the
exam
– Equal to a C-
Getting 50% may not be considered competent
Competency can be harder

8. Unit Standards and the Qualification
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9. Competency based assessment
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• Re assessment
– A re-assessment is available for events during the
course
– Re assessment is not always available for events at
the end of the course, especially if there have been
previous reassessment opportunities
– The opportunity is earned, not a right
• To earn re assessment you must
– Have attended lectures regularly
– Made a good first attempt

10. Organisational processes
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Helpful documents:
• MyCoursedetails - doing well
– One for each course available on your MyUnitec site
https://myunitecstaff.unitec.ac.nz
• Student Handbook - avoiding trouble
– Hard copy for each student, also available on each course Moodle site
http://moodle.unitec.ac.nz/
http://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

11. College Life tips
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47dcSkM

12. 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
• Unit standards – a package of learning that add up to make a
course
• Course – a group of Unit standards that make up a programme
• Moodle site – web page containing useful information and
resources to help you be successful

13. Quiz
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1. How do you get in touch with the Course Co-ordinator for CONS C505?
Hint- MyCourse details Course Personnel-
2. Which unit standard numbers are in this course?
Hint - MyCourse details or Student Handbook page 26
3. You are enrolled part time in the courses above which run for one, 15 week semester. On
average, how many hours will you need to spend in lectures and SDL per week?
Hint - 1 credit = 10hrs commitment
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
5. 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
6. 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- School 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 Management
9. You got a P and DEF for the two courses you enrolled in-What does it mean?
Hint – Student Handbook – Student Results

14. Quiz- Answers
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1. How do you get in touch with the Course Co-ordinator for CONSC505?
Hint- MyCourse details Course Personnel- phone xt 8845 email petherington@unitec.ac.nz
2. Which unit standard numbers are in this course?
Hint - MyCourse details or Student Handbook page 26 , 9667
3. You are enrolled part time in the courses above which run for one, 15 week semester. On
average, how many hours will you need to spend in lectures and SDL per week?
Hint - 1 credit = 10hrs commitment(10 X10)=100, = 100/15 = 7hrs /week
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 Circumstances
5. 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 Director
6. 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- School Resources 8.30 – 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
Moodle
9. You got a P and DEF for the two courses you enrolled in-What does it mean?
Hint – Student Handbook – Student Results P = pass DEF =Deferred

15. Quiz- Answers
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How many out of 15 did you get?
How many do you think you need to pass this
test?

16. 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

17. Kick Start
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• In groups, brain storm ten ideas that will
help you succeed this year
• Identify ten things you must not do to
ensure you succeed.

18. Academic Integrity (Giving credit where
credit is due)
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• Plagiarism
• 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.

19. 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 diploma, you don’t share one
with anyone else.
• Industry expects individual competence, not
collective.