Education Department

For those who are different from the crowd, and want to pick apart from the goals of students as the United States, Britain, Australia, etc, New Zealand offers an excellent opportunity. The New Zealand College provides education on the subject of varied and almost any you can think of. So it must be one of your choice destination for study abroad.

The University of Auckland, is the best educational institution in NZ. Set up in 1883, it has several faculties to choose from, namely, Faculty of Arts, School of Business, The National Institute of Creative Arts and Industries, Faculty of Education, Faculty of Engineering, Faculty of Law, Faculty of Medical And Health Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, and Faculty of Theology. Admission is on the basis of marks, entrance test, and English proficiency test. You also have to qualify in the University entrance test based on NCEA, CIE, IB or equivalent.

University of Otago was established in 1869 and offers any course that you can imagine. Such is the variety it provides. The various departments include the School of Business Departments, Division of Health Sciences and Departments, Division of Human Departments and Division of Science Department. You need to have good academic background and proficiency in English for admission.

Founded in 1964, University of Waikato, selects you on marks and English language proficiency. The courses offered by this institute is divided into the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Waikato Management School, School of Education, School of Science and Engineering, School of Computing and Mathematical Sciences, School of Law, School of Maori and Pacific Development.

Massey University started functioning in 1963. it bases admission on an entrance test, academics and English language proficiency. The component colleges of the university are of Business, Creative Arts, Education, Humanities and Social Sciences, and Sciences. And the various departments include that of aviation; psychology; food, nutrition and human health; accountancy; communication, journalism and marketing; design; defence; social and cultural studies; fine arts; management; music; language studies; history, philosophy and classics; information and mathematical sciences.

University of Canterbury, set up in 1873, provides education in all courses conceivable. Admission is dependent on your high school performance in academics- your marks, and the English language proficiency.

The Victoria University of Wellington also offers a huge number of courses to opt from. It commenced education in 1897. International students have to take an entrance examination of the university, and provide the score of the English language test of TOEFL or IELTS. Read the rest of this entry »

I’m guaranteed to get the ECU to the above courses after my termination on the same course of Curtin University of Technology in January 2006.This article is to bring to the attention of the reader some of the problems are very serious about my teaching practicum unit ED 543 and in particular the behavior of my supervisor of Curtin, Mr. Robert Dixon and his wife, Mrs. Kathryn Dixon worked in the department of Education at Curtin. They have demonstrated a dirty deed, the lack of professionalism and attention to me as a full fee paying international students studying at Curtin to obtain a teaching qualification.

In order to acquire a teaching qualification from Curtin it is necessary to complete 175 credits of theory units and 25 credits in two teaching practicum in your major and minor learning area. I had finished all my theory units with considerable success but have had a tough time complete my practicum units despite having ten years of successful teaching experience in my home country.

In November 2004 I did my first field experience practicum at Wanneroo Senior High School as a part of my Grad Dip in Secondary Education. At that time my supervisor was Mr Robert Dixon. During my prac I did make some serious mistakes in my work. I must state that though my major was in SOSE (Society and Environment) my supervisor Mr Robert Dixon came to evaluate two of my Music lessons in that school. Towards the end of the prac i.e. on the last day he did come to see one of my SOSE lessons and failed me on grounds of incompetence and my lack of practice in my major learning area.

The first flaw was I feel in the supervisor Mr Robert Dixon himself coming to evaluate my Music lessons knowing fully well that I have to accomplish a major in SOSE. I did ask him prior to the prac whether he would want to see me teaching Music and he agreed to the preposition. After observing the first Music lesson he expressed a desire to see another Music lesson after incorporating some suggestions he kindly consented to offer. He should have put his foot down in the first place and should have said that he was not interested in watching me teach Music when he knew very well I had a major in SOSE (Society and Environment) and Music was not even my minor. This lapse on the supervisor’s part should be noted. When I had a debriefing session after the first prac with my supervisor in his office Mr Robert Dixon told me very sarcastically that it was very uncommon for International students from Asian countries to Australia and aspire for teaching positions. It was something not encouraged. He also mockingly said that I could complain about him if I was upset with his conduct.At that time however since even the school was not too happy with my performance in SOSE I did not see any chances of an appeal being successful. Hence I made no appeal at that time hoping that I could do better in future.

I had to repeat the prac and pay the full fees for the same $975. My next practicum was at Kent Street senior High School. The supervisor send by Curtin this time was none other than Mrs Kathryn Dixon the wife of Mr Robert Dixon my first supervisor.

The reports prepared by the School and the Supervisor this time where interestingly dichotomous. The school adjudicated me as competent and suggested that I would be an asset to the teaching fraternity while the Supervisor thought other wise. This time however I not only excelled in teaching in my major and minor teaching areas namely SOSE and English but also did exceptionally well in Music (which I have been teaching for the last ten years and English literature). However the supervisor Mrs Dixon (legally married partner of the earlier supervisor Robert Dixon) was nevertheless not impressed with my performance despite receiving several emails from school staff members about my performance. Read the rest of this entry »