Glossary of Terms

Academic Board:
The Academic Board is a committee established by the Council of Waiariki pursuant to Section 182(2) of the Education Act 1989 and is responsible for advising and reporting to Council on academic matters.

Academic Standards Committee:
The Academic Standards Committee is a committee established by Academic Board with delegated authority to recommend to the Academic Board the approval of new and modified qualifications/courses.

Achievement-based Assessment:
Where a set of criteria are defined for a particular course or learning outcome and the student’s level of achievement is assessed against these criteria.  Achievement-based assessment is recognised through the allocation of a mark or grade.

Admission:
Acceptance of a student to study at Waiariki.

Advisory Committees:
Local and regional committees, consisting of stakeholder representatives, established for obtaining stakeholder input, feedback and advice in relation to Waiariki’s academic developments and delivery.

Award:
A qualification awarded by Waiariki.

Competency-based Assessment:
Assessment which ascertains the ability of the student to apply particular knowledge, skills, attitudes and values to the standard of performance required in specified contexts.  Students are assessed as being either competent or not competent, although there may be provision for recognition of meritorious performance.

Council:
The governing body of Waiariki established under the Education Act 1989.

Course:
A course is the smallest component of a qualification for which credit may be granted.  A course or a collection of courses forms a programme of study which, if successfully completed, results in the award of a qualification.  A course is usually related to a student enrolment.

Course Co-ordinator:
The person responsible for managing a course.

Credit:
The numerical value assigned to a course/qualification for the purpose of contributing to the requirements of a qualification (NZVCC, 2006).  There are a number of options for gaining credit as follows:

Successful Completion:
In respect of an individual course:  to attend the required classes, submit the required assessments, sit the required examinations and emerge with a “pass” grade or better.
Credit Transfer:
The application for credit towards a qualification based on credit gained at another institution for another qualification.
Cross Credit:
The application for credit towards a qualification, at the same or a lower level, based on credit gained at Waiariki in another qualification, conditional on the length of time since completion of the qualification.
Specified or Unspecified Credit:
In any of the above cases, part or all of the credit may be granted specifically in terms of courses offered by Waiariki, or in terms of unspecified courses (eg. two Level 5 courses; or a total of credits at a particular level but not equivalent to specific courses).
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL):
The granting of credit based on recognition of prior formal and non-formal learning through the assessment of evidence.  The evidence must link back to the learning outcomes of the credit sought.
Exemption:
Exemption from completing certain requirements for the qualification without the granting of credit.

Degree Quality Committee:
The Degree Quality Committee is a committee established by Academic Board with delegated authority to monitor the academic quality and management of Waiariki’s degree and Level 7 qualifications.

Delayed Implementation:
Qualification information displays the most current data, current students may notice a slight variation to their current timetable.

Director of School:
The person responsible for managing a school within Waiariki.

Disciplinary and Appeals Committee:
The Disciplinary and Appeals Committee is a committee established by Academic Board with delegated authority to hear and make recommendations on matters relating to student misconduct and/or academic outcomes.

Entry:
Acceptance of a student into a specific qualification/course within the Institute.

Entry Requirements:
The minimum requirements an applicant must meet in order to gain entry into a qualification/course.

External Bodies:
Organisations external to Waiariki that influence, determine or preside over the Institute’s academic processes and management, including but not limited to the following bodies:

Industry Training Organisations (ITOs)
Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics of New Zealand (ITP NZ)
Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics Quality (ITPQ)
Ministry of Education (MoE)
National Standards Setting Bodies (NSBs)
New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA)
New Zealand Teachers Council (NZTC)
Nursing Council of New Zealand (NCNZ)
Social Workers Registration Board (SWRB)
Teachers Registration Board (TRB)
Tertiary Education Commission (TEC)
universities
other tertiary providers or relevant statutory bodies.

Formative Assessment:
Any assessment that contributes to a student’s awareness, ability, knowledge or competence that does not count towards the formal final assessment or grading.  Formative assessment is intended for providing developmental feedback to the student on his/her progress.

Pending approval
Some qualifications may be going through the official Ministry of Education approval process and will be noted as “pending approval.” Qualifications can only run after final approval is received.

Performance Management Framework (PMF):
Waiariki’s documented quality management system.

Programme of Study:
A programme of study is the total educational workload to be attempted by a learner in a formal enrolment in any academic year that leads to the attainment of a qualification (Tertiary Funding Glossary, 2007).

Qualification:
The official award given in recognition of successful completion of a programme of study (Tertiary Funding Glossary, 2007).  A qualification may have a number of minor qualifications embedded within it.

Research Committee:
The Research Committee is a committee established by Academic Board with delegated authority to approve research proposals, consider ethical implications, and provide advice to Academic Board on research policy and strategies.

School:
An academic business unit within Waiariki responsible for the administration and provision of specified courses.

School Committees:
School Committees are committees that are responsible for the academic management of a group of courses.  Individual School Committees may also establish appropriate sub-committees.

Stakeholder:
Any group, organisation or individual with an interest in Waiariki’s academic activities, qualifications and courses.

Student:
A person enrolled on a Waiariki qualification or course.

Summative Assessment:
A formal assessment event that contributes to the award of a grade and/or mark.