Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Concluding Blog Post Interview on Higher Education in NZ

Linda Jean Kenix on US and NZ Higher Education

To say that we have been blessed to visit the land of Aotearoa/New Zealand is a vast understatement. I believe I will be a stronger teacher, scholar, and citizen for this truly amazing experience. Hopefully I can give a presentation at RSU after fall semester begins to describe it in the big picture. In my final log for "Communication Across the Ocean," Linda Jean Kenix shares some of the similarities and differences between American and New Zealand higher ed. As a native of Washington, D.C. she is the perfect cultural translator. Once again my thanks go out to Rob Stowell for his excellent production work. And thank you, RSU, for the experience of a lifetime. I'll be back on campus full-time on June 3. --Jeff


Linda Jean Kenix on higher education in New Zealand. 

1. Most degrees here are 3 years. What are some of the practical differences with this track?
2. How does the structure of the term differ, including New Zealand's bigger mid-semester break. 
3. Can you describe the published marking scale at New Zealand Universities?
4. Is assessment of student learning as big a priority here as in the U.S.?
5. Graduate classes seem less structured here. Is it more like the British model?

Monday, April 15, 2013

What I Like About Canterbury and Oklahoma

Gentry's Commentary on Canterbury and Oklahoma


This week I provide a whimsical commentary on the best features of Canterbury and Oklahoma. Eight categories, including which region is better for Pace of Life, Cost of Living, Scenery, Local autonomy, Weather, Family climate, Fitness, Running scene. ONE CORRECTION: I say marijuana is legal in NZ, but it is not. --Highly popular and relatively tolerated, yes, but not legal. Thanks to producer Rob Stowell for another fine technical result.


Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Interview with Rob Stowell, Video-production Ace

Rob Stowell,  Video Production Coordinator at U. Canterbury


Rob Stowell holds bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Canterbury, and serves as video-production coordinator there. Here he answers my questions about television in New Zealand and the vast changes in video production over the past 20 years.

1. How did you get your start in television?
2. How has TV changed since 1990?
            What has changed for the better? 
3. Should my students have their own Youtube channel?
4. How important is it for students to learn a particular video-editing software?
            Why do you use mini-DV tape for your video productions?

Monday, April 1, 2013

Felicity Williams, Director of Mozart Drama School.

Felicity Williams is Director of the Mozart Drama School and Preschool in Christchurch, NZ. She answers my questions about the school, children's theatre, and the arts in Christchurch, N.Z.

1. How did Mozart School come about?
2. Was your show "The Dress Up Box" a regional program or did it air on national TV?
3. What is it about Christchurch that draws and keeps people here?
4. How has your extensive musical training aided your drama teaching?
5. Why did you decide to write a novel for pre-teen girls?

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Tara Ross on Journalism in New Zealand

Interview with Senior Lecturer Tara Ross, U. Canterbury


In this interview, award-winning journalist and new UC faculty member Tara Ross answers my questions about journalism and media convergence in New Zealand. Thanks to UC producer Rob Stowell for another excellent result.


1.     What inspired you to pursue journalism as a career?
2.     Tell me about the Qantas awards.
3.     How has the Internet affected print journalism here?
Any impact on objectivity? Good or bad.
4.     Tell me about your journalism program here at Canterbury.
Does your approach reflect current trends in media convergence?

Posted 27 March 2013

Thursday, March 21, 2013

Linda Jean Kenix on TV & Advertising in NZ


Interview with Dr. Linda Jean Kenix, University of Canterbury



Linda Jean Kenix, Ph.D. University of Texas. Associate Prof. at UC. Previously served in the advertising industry. Native of USA. Here are the main questions. For the answers, view this clip. Special thanks to producer Rob Stowell, University of Canterbury Video Production Coordiator.

1. How did you get your start in advertising?
2. How do the NZ media differ from the United States?
3. Auckland seems to dominate TV. Is Christchurch too small for a TV station?
4. Is there no public TV broadcaster here, like the BBC or PBS in the UK and USA?
5. Can you explain TV “advertorials”? We don’t have those in America.
            Are they bad for the reputation of TV journalism?

Posted 21 March 2013.

Thursday, March 14, 2013

First of several video editions of "Communication Across the Ocean." Dr. Zita Joyce on NZ Radio and the Survival of RDU Radio.



 
Zita Joyce, Ph.D. from the University of Auckland, and a former DeeJay at RDU Radio here at the University of Canterbury. Lecturer in Media & Comm. at U. Canterbury. Here are the main questions. For the answers, view this clip. Special thanks to producer Rob Stowell, University of Canterbury Video Production Coordinator.

1. Native Cantabrian?

2. You’re an ex-radio Deejay. How did you develop an interest in radio?

3. What is the headline from your research on radio-spectrum allocations in NZ?

4. How well does non-commercial and educational broadcasting fare in NZ?

5. What is RDU radio and how did it survive the Canterbury earthquakes of 2010 and 2011?

Why does RDU call itself the “only true alternative”? (Reminiscent of RSU Radio)

Posted 14 March 2013

 

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

A few notes from week 2 of classes

A Few Canterbury Tales

Wow, since classes began last week, the University of Canterbury has been a frenzy of activity. Faculty are busy cramming information into students' heads and trying to carve out some time for research.

Dr. Linda Jean Kenix and I have adapted my co-authored play Quest for the Clio (RSU, 2006) into Quest for the AXIS. The advertising awards here are so named. We changed some of the references and context to provide a satirical critique of the advertising industry here. Students will perform the one-act play in Dr. Kenix's class in advertising and cultural consumption.

Being a large university, Canterbury has larger class sizes than RSU. The advertising class has 90 students, so the performers will need to project quite a bit. Large classes have tutors for one-on-one instruction, much like RSU's language lab, writing center, and video production tutor. The department has master's and Ph.D. students, but no graduate teaching assistants.

I'm very pleased to read Lindsay Bolt's blog and to see the capstone students' resumes posted. It lets me see a little bit of the activity going on at RSU. The capstone class has really grown, both in size and in the quality of output, since I taught the class in 2006.

Big kudos to our broadcasters who cleaned up at the statewide awards. First-place is hard to come by, and to have so many in one year is stupendous. Congratulations! I imagine Profs. Coomer and Williams are as proud as they can be also.

The big secret I've been keeping is that I hope to do video blogs. Thus far I've been hampered by technical glitches. But I'll know within a couple of days if they will be possible.

In the coming weeks I move from observer to speaker here, with presentations for the University and an area Kiwanis club. Have a great day, Rogers State University! --Jeff G.

Posted 27 February 2013

Friday, February 15, 2013

Gentry's 10-mile walking tour of Christchurch, NZ

Here's a photographic journey around Christchurch, New Zealand, reflecting some some of its cultural uniqueness. Above you see Ilam School, where my daughter attends. The tall building in the background is the University of Canterbury library, which re-opens Monday after extensive earthquake remediation.
The Media & Communications Dept. is housed in the UC College of Arts. This slogan reminds me of our Communications Department banner: "Learn, Create, Perform." The advert above is on a bus shelter.

 
 Someone please tell Mr. Brimer that his South Pacific art gallery is waiting for him.

 
Christchurch is known as the "Garden City." Every public space and lawn seems carefully nurtured.

The many walkers, bikers, and bus-riders all-over the city make traffic light and the air clean.

 'Seems like a good deal, but the babies start at $12,500 ; )

 
That's a one-a spicy pizza. If you want pickup or delivery, you can see the number is 800-666-111.

Hagley Park is beautiful and enormous. It's right next to the shaken Central Business District (CBD).

The Avon River runs along the CBD also. Christchurch may be the most beautiful city I've yet seen.

 Churches and other stately buildings were especially "Shaken" by the February 2011 earthquake. To avert the "DANGER," "Worship services continue" in a temporary site nearby.

If parking and driving are prohibited, what am I supposed to do with my car?!
        Actually, I'm happy not to have a car. There's very little need for one in this city. With a similar population to Tulsa, Christchurch occupies a much smaller area and is loaded with mass-transit and self-sustaining neighborhoods. I was able to cover much of the city in my 10-mile loop.

CLASSES HERE START MONDAY. MORE TO REPORT NEXT WEEK.   

Posted 15 February 2013

Monday, February 4, 2013

Greetings to the RSU family from Down Under. We've been in Christchurch, New Zealand for five days now, getting settled and learning about this amazing country. I write to you from the future. We're 19 hours ahead so for you it's midnight and for me it's tomorrow evening :)

We came at a perfect time. Tomorrow, February 6, is Waitangi day. This is New Zealand's national holiday, commemorating the Treaty of Waitangi, which established the British colony here and promised to protect the rights of the indigenous Maori peoples. Like U.S.-Tribal treaties, there have been big problems living up to it on the European side, but this bi-cultural nation strives to be a just and peaceful society.

Our hosts at University of Canterbury have been fantastic. I have a fine office on the 6th floor of the Locke Building, which houses not only Media & Communication but (as the name hints) Political Science and Philosophy. We live on-campus and right next door to my daughter's school. I've met several departmental and other campus colleagues, and look forward to guest-lecturing for Department Head Linda Jean Kenix in her advertising class. I'm also excited about my plans for research and creative works.

This note is just a starter. I promise good stuff as the start of the first semester of 2013 soon approaches. You'll learn about New Zealand media, higher education, and culture. Have a great semester and go Hillcats! -

-Jeff, Cindy, and Kyra Gentry
Posted 4 February 2013.