A message for Construction students

Kia ora Construction students,

We would like to acknowledge your thoughtful and valuable feedback received through the end-of-block course surveys. In this newsletter, we want to let you know what we are doing in response to this feedback. 

Your Feedback Matters!

Your feedback is important to us as your lecturers reflect on your comments to make changes and improvements to enhance the future delivery of our courses. Thank you for letting us know what we are doing well and highlighting areas where improvements are needed.

Appreciating What Works:

• You have recognised and appreciated our lecturers' commitment to delivering quality education.
• Site visits have been a hit, helping you better grasp technical concepts and visualize real-world applications and you would like to see more site visits to gain a deeper understanding.
• The use of scenarios and case studies has been beneficial for your understanding, and you've expressed gratitude for this teaching approach.
• You have also shown your appreciation for the extra weekly tutorials organised for core Quantity Surveying courses.
• Please note that class activities are directly aligned with the course learning outcomes, contributing to your understanding and success in assessments.

Enhancing Learning with Visual Aids:

We appreciate your suggestion to incorporate visual aids to better understand technical terms and key phrases. We're committed to enhancing your learning experience and will work on including such aids and relevant video links for your benefit.

Opportunities Await:

While we strive to regularly organise site visits, we encourage you to consider gaining student memberships in organisations like the New Zealand Institute of Building (NZIOB) and the New Zealand Institute of Quantity Surveyors (NZIQS). Becoming an NZIQS member is free for our students, and NZIOB membership comes at a small fee. You will cultivate a strong network of professionals, and these professional organisations regularly arrange site visits.

Classroom Etiquette:

You have emphasised the importance of maintaining decorum in the classroom for effective learning. We agree that a respectful and focused learning environment is essential and that everyone needs to be mindful of punctuality to avoid disrupting the class.

Seeking Part-Time Jobs:

For students looking for part-time jobs, we are pleased to inform you that an Employability Centre is available on campus. You can reach out to Dani Mao (dani.mao@op.ac.nz) and Patricia Joseph (patricia.joseph@op.ac.nz) for assistance in finding suitable employment opportunities.

Improving Language Proficiency:

Your feedback about improving English proficiency is noted. Cheryl Watson (HoD English) organises regular workshops on academic skill improvement for all students on campus. Feel free to contact her at cheryl.watson@op.ac.nz for more information.

Investing in Better Facilities:

Our commitment to improvement extends to our facilities. We are planning to introduce interactive projectors in the classrooms to make your learning experience even more engaging.

Thank you once again for your valuable feedback. We look forward to continuing to work together to make your educational journey at our institution even better. Your success is our top priority!

Ngā mihi maioha,

Seema Chawla