Online learning
Online learning comes with significant benefits for students: it provides another context for class learning, but at a time that suits each individual student; it encourages you to think and reflect as a group, thereby mimicking a tutorial environment; and it facilitates a greater breadth of engagement with the content of the paper. We strongly urge you to make the most of the opportunity by engaging in the online discussions early, not at the last minute; by doing all you can to maintain a genuine conversation, making more than one post, and by approaching the exercise with some enthusiasm. We will do the best we can to create effective online activities, but the success of these discussions ultimately depends on the active participation of the students.
If your course includes an online learning component, the details about which online learning tools are being used in this course will be outlined in the Course Outline. Please read the following information carefully, as it is essential that you are familiar with these tools and can use them with ease.
Student email
The University’s online learning tools use your student email address to communicate with you. If you do not wish to use this address, you should forward all incoming emails to your preferred email address.
If you choose to use your student email address for all correspondence related to the online learning tools which your course uses (the default) then it is essential that you check your student email address regularly.
Blackboard
Blackboard is the learning management system used at the University of Otago. It allows lecturers to upload lecture notes, reading lists, assessment information and other course-related material to each paper's Blackboard site so that students may access them. It may also hold things such as additional literary resources, videoconference podcasts, audioconference podcasts, Otago Connect recordings and facilities for online discussion. It also contains functions that enables students and teachers to interact via class announcements, email, discussion boards or even via real-time chat (the “Virtual Classroom”), and tools used for assessing students, such as on-line tests and assignment submission.
Access Blackboard
Log in using your University username and password.
Contact ITS via AskOtago if you experience any difficulties using Blackboard.
Online discussion
If your paper includes an online discussion component, this will be on Blackboard in the Discussion or Groups area. We strongly advise that you draft your contributions to discussions off-line and then copy and paste the text into Blackboard. This ensures you have a backup copy of your contributions.
Zoom
Zoom is the web conferencing system used at the University of Otago. If a lecturer chooses to use Zoom, you will need a webcam and headset microphone to take part, and you will need to make sure that your computer system has the requirements, and is correctly set up to run Zoom.
Zoom Support Page
Your lecturer will send you an email invitation containing a link to the Zoom meeting, and advising when to login and join the first teaching session for the course.
Please create a Zoom account using your University username. All Student accounts must only be prefixed by student\ e.g. student\blojo456.
Assessment
In the Course Outline that comes with your coursebook, your Lecturer will set out the assessment tasks for your particular course. The following section provides information about the standard procedures with respect to assessment in relation to assignments and (if you have one) the exam.
You will also find it helpful to read the section on assessment in the Distance Learning: Information and Support handbook.
Distance Learning information
Submitting your assignment
Your lecturer may require you to submit assignments either electronically via Blackboard or in hard copy directly to the department. There is an essay box near the Religion academic staff offices on the fourth floor of the south tower of the Richardson Building. Entry is via Te Tumu on the ground floor - take the lift or stairs to the fourth floor and the box is just on the right next to the stairs.
Deadlines, extensions and late submission
Your assignments must be submitted no later than the stated due date. In exceptional circumstances an extension may be granted by emailing the Lecturer at least one week prior to the due date. If you are obtaining an extension on medical grounds, you should attach a doctor’s certificate to your assignment when it is submitted. Extensions may be granted for other reasons at the discretion of your Lecturer.
Where an extension has been obtained from the Lecturer there will be no penalty for late submission, provided that the new deadline is met. Where an assignment is submitted late (i.e. after the new deadline when an extension has been granted or after the due date when an extension has not been obtained) the grade awarded for the assignment will be reduced at the rate of 5% of the marks available for the assignment (not the overall marks for the course) for each week day that the assignment is late.
If the new deadline is not met or an assignment is submitted after the due date without an extension having been obtained, the grade awarded for the assignment will be reduced at the rate of 5% of the marks available for the assignment for each week day the assignment is late. Your Lecturer will show the grade that the assignment would have been awarded had it been submitted on time and then deduct the penalty.
- If an assignment is awarded 80% but is submitted two days late, the mark will be reduced by 10%, (10 marks) and will receive a grade of 70%.
- If an assignment submitted three days late is marked out of 20 and receives a mark of 17, the mark will be reduced by three marks (15% of 20) and receive a grade of 14.
Style and formatting
If you are in any doubt about how to reference your work, please consult:
Religion Programme referencing style guide (PDF)
The style guide recommends the widely-used Chicago style but if you are already familiar with another recognized style of referencing, you may use that instead, provided you use it consistently and that you provide full references (including page numbers) wherever you rely on the work of others. If you do not provide full references, you can expect to be penalised.
Please note that every essay should have a cover sheet attached. This should include:
- The code and title of your paper (in bold print in the upper half of the cover sheet)
- Your name and student identification number
- Your lecturer’s name
- The date
- A word count
Plagiarism
The University of Otago takes the issue of plagiarism—presenting someone else’s work as your own—very seriously. Plagiarism is regarded by the University as one form of academic misconduct.
See Academic misconduct
Any of the following may constitute plagiarism and result in investigation and possible punishment:
- copying or cutting and pasting text from others without using quotation marks or block quotes to identify that text, nor clearly indicating the source (this includes paper and electronic sources)
- copying visual materials, images and/or physical objects without clearly indicating the source
- using poor paraphrasing of sentences or whole passages without referencing the original work
- using another person’s ideas, work or research data without acknowledgment
- copying computer files or computer code without clearly indicating their origin
- submitting another student’s work in whole or in part, where this is not specifically permitted in the course outline
- submitting work that has been written by someone else on a student’s behalf
- resubmitting portions of previously submitted work without indicating the source.
Note that the University's Academic Integrity Policy states that while plagiarism can be unintentional or intentional, even if it is unintentional, it is still considered to be plagiarism.
Academic Integrity Policy
Any student found responsible for plagiarism in any piece of work submitted for assessment shall be subject to the University’s academic misconduct regulations, which may result in various penalties, including forfeiture of marks for the piece of work submitted, a zero grade for the paper, or in extreme cases exclusion from the University. The University of Otago reserves the right to use plagiarism tools.
For more information on plagiarism and the University’s response to all forms of dishonest practice, please visit:
Plagiarism information
Examinations
If the paper has an exam, the date and time will be set by the Examinations Office. Once the examination timetable has been finalised, each student's examination information will be displayed in the Timetable section of their eVision portal. This information can also be found on the examinations website link below.
The anticipated dates for the release of examination timetables are:
- Summer School - late January
- Semester One - mid-April
- Semester Two - mid-August
Once the examination timetable has been finalised, each student's examination information will be displayed in the Timetable section of their eVision student portal.
If there is a problem with the date, time or venue, for your exam (referred to as a Variation), contact the examinations office. Applications for Variations must be received by the following deadlines:
Summer School Papers: 1 February
Semester One Papers: 1 May
Semester Two and Full-Year Papers: 1 September
For advice on this and all other exam matters, visit:
Examinations
Please note that to find out your final result in a paper you should check your eVision student portal around two weeks after the exam period has ended.
Special Consideration
During the Semester
If you are affected by illness or other exceptional circumstances during the teaching period you are expected to inform the Head of Programme directly (not individual lecturers or tutors) at the time.
Final Examinations
If you feel your performance in an exam has been impaired for any reason we suggest you apply for special consideration. Applications can only be made through your eVision student portal.
Special Consideration information
Note that your application must be received within five calendar days of the last examination for which you are seeking Special Consideration, e.g. if your last exam is on the 20th, your application is due no later than the 25th.
Grading
All grading will follow the University's standard scale.
Grade | Benchmark criteria for band |
|---|---|
90–100 A+ 85–89 A 80–84 A- | A- to A+: Very High Achievement |
75–79 B+ 70–74 B | B to B+: High Achievement |
65–69 B- 60–64 C+ | C+ to B-: Sound Achievement |
55–59 C 50–54 C- | C- to C: Pass Achievement |
40–49 D | D: Fail |
Below 40 E | E: Clear Fail |
Support and resources
There is a lot of support available to you. We strongly suggest you take the time to find out where it is and how it can help you in your study.
The Religion Programme
Approach your Lecturer in the first instance if you need assistance in their particular paper.
If you have a general administrative query, you can contact:
Tel +64 3 479 7951
Email religion@otago.ac.nz
For academic course advice, please contact:
Benjamin Schonthal
Religion Programme Co-ordinator
Email ben.schonthal@otago.ac.nz
If you want to come in to see the Religion staff, we are located on the fourth floor of the south tower of the Richardson Building. Entry is via Te Tumu on the ground floor – take the lift or stairs to the fourth floor.
If you need to post something to the Religion programme, please use this address:
Religion, School of Social Sciences
University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin 9054
The Library
The University of Otago Library offers support and services to students.
Gain information on resources available through the University of Otago’s Central Library, and some other university libraries in New Zealand.
Before looking on the Library catalogue for a journal, you may first need to identify useful articles on your chosen topic. To do so, first consult a Library Database. A Library Database is an index to the contents of journals and sometimes books.
The Library subscribes to more than 400 databases. For articles relevant to your discipline, the following are recommended:
- ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials (American Theological Library Association) - includes some full text articles.
- Proquest Religion (part of the Proquest 5000 collection) – full text articles.
- Religion and Philosophy Collection (part of Ebsco Database collection) - many full text articles
- Index New Zealand – index to New Zealand magazines and newspapers.
Access the Databases subscribed to by the University:
Library Databases
Access the databases specifically tailored to the study of theology:
Results for Theology
Library services specifically tailored for distance students:
Library services for distance students
For further information about library support for distance students, contact:
University of Otago Distance Library Services
Tel 0800 347 8268
Email distance.library@otago.ac.nz
Distance Learning
A great deal of useful information for distance students.
Student Learning Development
Student Learning Development offers assistance in note-taking, writing essays and taking exams.
Disability Information and Support
Disability Information and Support provides a wide range of support services for students with impairments, medical conditions, or injuries. This support includes:
- Copies of lecture notes
- Loan of specific equipment
- Reformatting of course material
- One-on-one tutoring
- Alternative examination arrangements
To arrange support, students are advised to make an appointment to talk with a Student Advisor as early as possible. This will enable students to discuss the learning support they may require while studying. Any information disclosed to Disability Information and Support is held in complete confidence.
Disability Information and Support
Māori Student Support
For Māori student support within Te Kete Aronui | Humanities Division, please see:
Kaiāwhina Māori – Support for Māori students
The University also provides free and confidential counselling services for Māori students.
Māori Centre staff
For more information about these and other services please see the University’s Māori student support services site:
Māori student support services
Pacific Islands Student Support
Find out about the Pacific Island Students Support Officer for Humanities
For more information about services for Pacific Islands students, visit:
Pacific Islands Centre
International Student support
The Religion Programme regularly trains and teaches international students.
For more information about support for international students, visit:
International Office
Society of Otago Religious Studies Enthusiasts (SORSE)
The Society of Otago Religious Studies Enthusiasts (SORSE) is a student-run group for anyone interested in Religious Studies at Otago University. SORSE provides Religious Studies students - whether majors, minors, undergraduates, postgraduates, or just taking one really fascinating Religion paper - the opportunity to connect and enjoy social events together.
You don't need to be a member of the society to attend, but if you are interested in joining or hearing about future SORSE-organised events please contact:
Email sorse.society@gmail.com
Or join our SORSE Facebook group and we'll be sure to keep you posted.