Dr Joseph Aziz, who lectures at the School of Health and Social Practice, is recognised in this year’s Te Whatu Kairangi Aotearoa Tertiary Educator Awards for innovation in learning, teaching and curriculum development.

“This is a huge award of a very high calibre and strong standing,” says Dr Aziz. “It’s difficult to describe my feelings. It’s very exciting for my work to be recognised and acknowledged in this way.”

Human anatomy is a field of study as complex as the body itself. Because of this it can be tough for many students to master. 

Dr Aziz has introduced multiple teaching approaches that have dramatically enhanced learning outcomes and the clinical readiness of those in his medical imaging courses. 

The senior lecturer’s techniques include integrating ultrasound technology as a teaching tool into the classroom, replacing reliance on textbook diagrams and also offering students a dynamic and interactive way to explore human anatomy. 

“You need to deliver understanding through real life scenarios,” he says.

"Delivering understanding of anatomical structures through real-life demonstration makes learning more impactful," says Dr. Aziz. "Seeing inside your own hand, for example, has a far greater impact than just hearing about it or seeing a drawing."

Dr Aziz’s efforts to help students undergoing assessments have also been recognised. 

In the last five years, Joseph has introduced an exam blueprint which breaks down what is a very broad subject area overall into key topics. This allows learners to focus more closely on what they need to know about each system of the body for testing. 

"I first encountered this method at Ohio State University, and it has proven to be an excellent way for students to concentrate on essential areas," Dr Aziz explains. “Creating a table and breaking it down into smaller topics is a really excellent idea that becomes easier for students to focus their efforts,” he says. 

Dr Aziz taught at a number of overseas universities before joining Unitec in 2017. The smaller class sizes allow students to receive more guidance from their lecturers and for learning to become a more interactive experience. 

“Building relationships with students is the key to successful teaching,” he says. “If you teach without a good understanding of your students’ needs, it can be a very vague experience for them.” 

“It’s incredibly rewarding to see students understand the complexity of the human body in normal and disease status, and then apply it to their clinical practice.”

Unitec nominates winners of its own Excellence Awards to receive support from our Te Puna Ako academic advisors in entering Te Whatu Kairangi.  

This year, we made four nominations spread across different categories.

School of Computing, Electrical and Applied Technology’s Jone Tawaketini received Le Moana Mua Award for Pacific educators.

“These awards recognise the powerful learning experiences Joseph and Jone have led at Unitec which have inspired both their colleagues and learners alike,” says Professor Martin Carroll Deputy Chief Executive – Academic, Unitec & MIT. “Congratulations on behalf of everyone!”

Te Whatu Kairangi award winners will be recognised with a ceremony at Parliament in early November where Prime Minister’s Educator of the Year will also be announced at the event.

For more information on Dr Aziz’s award profile, see here.