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 | Participants of the 'Success@USP' workshop. |
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Ensuring students at the University of the South Pacific get a head start in their studies was the aim of a workshop recently held in Aitutaki - the second most visited island of the Cook Islands.
The three-day Success@USP workshop, which was held for new students commencing study with the University this year, was to look at ways that they can positively meet the challenges of distance learning through USP.
The workshop was facilitated by Maureen Hilyard, e-Learning Coordinator for USP, who said that the participants were all very positive about how they will approach their new journey of learning this year.
She said that most of the students were new to USP and its systems, and many of them have been away from tertiary studies for a long time.
To help students achieve their learning goals, the workshop encouraged the establishment of support networks from among their families, their communities as well as from the USP community. Within USP, support is available from other students, the campus staff on Rarotonga as well as from tutors in Fiji - who are all accessible via email.
Over half of the participants at the workshop were from the education sector as well as staff from other government departments, Telecom and the banking sector.
With the cost of undertaking tertiary education often a deterrent, the high number of teachers in this year’s intake reflects the investment that the Ministry of Education in the Cook Islands is making in its employees by sponsoring their educational start-up, said Hilyard.
As part of this initiative, each teacher will be given a laptop to assist them with their studies as well as their classroom preparation.
Hilyard added that the Ministry is envisaging a more knowledgeable and technologically enhanced workforce and the courses offered by USP will help them to achieve this goal.
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