Online delivery

Why UP Education’s
online delivery works well

No need to waste a moment. UP Education’s online delivery is a full and enjoyable learning experience and allows you to make the most of your time at home to gain knowledge, skills and confidence for university and your future. We're here to support you.

In this page

With UP Education’s online delivery’s rich learning environment, you’ll get access to all the expertise, guidance, tools and resources you need.

Live sessions

Live Microsoft Teams classes and interaction with teachers – learn with your class of fellow students.

Classroom environment

Fully guided as if you were in a classroom rather than left to your own devices.

Fully endorsed

Continue progression to university as planned

Online teaching and learning

Delivered through proven purpose-designed platforms like Blackboard, Education Perfect and Nearpod.

Resources

Additional resources to enable home experiments such as workshops for science papers.

Guidance

Guidance and set expectations that ensure you stay on track.

Fun initiatives

Revised timetables and fun initiatives help you adapt to self-directed learning.

Filmed teaching modules

Perfect for reviewing and developing skills and understanding – used by UP Education for over five years.

Qualified teachers

With extensive experience in helping international students prepare for university study.

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Student support and pastoral care

Online delivery

How the programme is delivered

We use a number of online applications to deliver our Victoria University of Wellington Foundation Studies Programme and ensure you have the most effective and intuitive learning experience. You're not alone. Enjoy real-time interaction with your teacher as we take you through your learning process. You can discuss tasks, ask questions and solve problems – all live.

1. Live lessons with Microsoft Teams
Whole class, large group, small group, individual sessions with your teacher.
2. Self Study
On our learning platforms and with our flexible learning activities.
3. Collaborative
Working in groups, teams, projects and presentations.

The main platforms that we use are:

As part of this, we use a range of powerful digital technologies to bring you an engaging and rich learning experience, preparing you for university and your future in New Zealand.

Find out how these other interactive tools will also help you develop and enjoy your learning online:

Kahoot

provides short (5-10 minutes) game-based quizzes and learning games as part of our lessons.

Socrative

is an interactive tool that allows for students and teachers to use their phones to participate in quick questions and polls within lessons as a short (5-10 minutes) activity.

Flipgrid

allows students to make short videos and share them with each other as part of the classroom. This can take place in a live lesson, or over a week or so as part of self–directed learning.

Online delivery

Curriculum and study tips​

Orientation

In the online orientation, all students will be introduced to Blackboard, our main learning management system. Blackboard is where we will provide clear instructions and links to all other platforms.

Between NZT 11:30am-5:30pm are live lessons on Microsoft Teams
You will get a timetable every term, and your teacher will guide you through the different types of lessons and what is done together in real time, and what is done in your own time.

Hours

Attendance

Students on the Certificate programme will have 20 hours a week of lesson time and be expected to do 20 hours a week of self-study. Attendance is recorded and monitored. Attendance is not just about being there, but also participating, contributing and being part of a team.
  • Instruction will be in English.
  • Timetable includes approximately twenty hours a week, a mix of live, recorded and self-study lessons from  Monday to Friday.
  • You’ll have ongoing support and interaction with your teacher using the chat and video in Teams, email, and Blackboard
  • Homework – all assignments, information and work is provided and submitted securely and privately between students and teachers via our anti-plagiarism software

Curriculum

It’s not all study – expect guest appearances, some surprises and a bit of fun as well!

How would your timetable look?

Here is a sample student timetable

Online delivery

Frequently asked questions

The course will start at the same time as it does for all other students – expected next start date in April 2022

No, we can’t accept late starts for online study as the main reason that we normally show some flexibility here is due to visa and travel delays, which don’t apply to online study.

As soon as we are confident that the borders will re-open, we will work towards welcoming students to New Zealand. There is likely to be some delay with visas due to the backlog and so exact timing will be confirmed when we know more. We will provide online learning for as long as required while students wait for visas to be processed. 

  • Our central LMS (Learning management system) is Blackboard 
  • We are using Microsoft Teams for videoconferencing tool for live lessons, and recorded lessons,  with our teachers and students
  • For over 10 years, we have been using Education Perfect to help our students practice their Mathematics as well as their English. We will keep using this outstanding tool with our online students

Our teaching staff use a range of additional online interactive tools to ensure students interact, practice and engage with their online learning and each other. Some examples include:

  • Nearpod is used for interactive lessons and learning activities
  • Kahoot is used for game-based quizzes and short (5 – 10 minutes) learning activities that are part of our lessons
  • See Saw for posting video content for viewing and comments
You can use either Apple or Windows for your online studies. We have tested both and are confident that there will be minimum problems regardless of the equipment or systems that you are operating at home.
We have selected platforms that we are confident will operate in all regions, so this should not be a problem for you. If you experience any problems, we will have dedicated student support officers on campus to help you.
The same teachers that are teaching the students in New Zealand will be delivering the online modules.

We have the  advantage of being a very technologically advanced institution already, where we use inter-active methods, are an Apple Distinguished School, so all of our teaching staff are well versed in using technology in the classroom every day.

We run professional development workshops for our teachers continuously, to bring their existing knowledge together with new software to provide you with the best possible online learning experience.

You can ask your teacher for a Teams chat or a Teams video call.

There is no reason for you to fall behind, as you will be studying at the same pace as your classmates in New Zealand. You will be working with these students on projects and presentations together. Students can also contact their teacher anytime in the school day through the chat or video on Microsoft Teams or in emails.

We aim to provide an update on attendance as well as term reports as we do in New Zealand. Further information on how parents can receive these reports will be shared as soon as it is available.

As we do normally, we will treat instances of visa rejection on a case by case basis.

You will have access to our video links showing all the subjects to choose from, explained by your teachers. Selecting the most appropriate subjects will be part of your orientation. 

Almost all subjects will be available online. Please check our website for the full list of online course availability.

Online VUW courses may include:

English for Tertiary Study (I and II), Introductory Mathematics, New Zealand Culture and Society, Calculus, Design and Society (I and II), Environmental Science (I and II), Health Studies, Introduction to Accounting, Macroeconomics, Management Studies, Marketing, Media Studies (I and II), Microeconomics, Psychology, Physical Science, Quantitative Methods, Statistics

The Online English courses for Extended and Standard Plus will also continue.

Yes, classes are compulsory, as you will be commencing your course online, and will be expected to attend in that same way as you would be if you were physically in class in New Zealand. We will also monitor your interaction with the online resources we make available, so we have evidence of full participation as this is important for your future success. Classes are compulsory not just for attendance, but also for authentication. We need to know that it is you, producing your own work.

We understand that from time to time students may be unwell and unable to attend class. Up Education policy re-quires 90% attendance, and a doctor’s note for any absences for more than 2 days. You must email or text your teacher if you are not attending a class. They will inform the Attendance Officer.

Yes, you will have assignments just like if you were physically in New Zealand. These will be submitted through Blackboard and through Flexible Learning Activities.

Yes, please pay the tuition fee as indicated on the offer letter. Please note that you do not need to pay the additional fees at this stage, ONLY the tuition fee itself.
We can offer a refund on the insurance fee once you are physically able to commence your studies with us in New Zealand, as we will refund the remainder depending on the amount of remaining coverage you require. In the event that you do not come to New Zealand physically, we can then refund the whole amount at the end of the course.
Yes, you need to sign the UPIC Terms and conditions for Online delivery programmes in addition to the Confirmation of Enrolment document to confirm your acceptance to study online (as if you were coming to study with us in New Zealand).
We’re confident that once you get started you will see the value that our programme delivers. However, all students will be able to start their online learning and decide within the first 2 weeks whether they would like to continue or defer their offers to the next available intake. However please note that changing to a future intake may mean that your study plan is pushed back

We understand that this is new and that you may not have studied online before, but we would recommend that you try the online learning option and see how it goes, this will allow you to stay on track with your study plans.

Yes, if you decide to withdraw within the aforementioned 2-week period, you will receive a refund of tuition fees paid minus a NZ$1,000 administrative fee.

If there is anything that you would like to discuss, please contact our student support team.

During orientation, we will introduce you to your individual support contacts who will include:

  • the Dean
  • your teachers
  • Student services, who will support you with accommodation and any general inquiries.

For anything other inquiries, we are confident that we will be able to answer all of your questions during our orientation programme, but please reach out to your Regional Manager if you’d like to speak to someone.