When this IT class created an app for a hospital, they surprised everyone

 

Clocking in and out of any hospital is critical, so when Anglesea Hospital challenged Wintec IT students to come up with a prototype app, it had to be fast, accurate and ready in five weeks.

The hospital staff had been trialling technology to enable faster clock-in and accurate record keeping, but their trials fell short of expectation, let alone practical application.

They reached out to Wintec IT academic, Hamiora Te Momo who challenged his 2021 Level 7 IT degree and diploma students to build a fast, effective prototype app for busy health professionals.

Biotechnology or fingerprint scanning was not something they had covered in class…yet said Te Momo, but it was the obvious solution for busy health professionals.

“The class knew how to build mobile apps but this next level challenge would make all the difference to the way the app performed and their learning experience.”

They had to create technology that could be used effectively by nursing staff at Anglesea Hospital.

Better still, they wanted it to be enjoyable to use.

“I said ‘no pressure’ on the timing, let’s see if we can do this’, and the rest is history,” said Te Momo.

“They loved it, they were intrigued, and the end result is at a level that would be delivered in a real-world industry setting beyond the classroom.”

When the group presented and demonstrated their prototype to Anglesea Hospital Nurse, Jackie Stephenson, her assessment comments were: “Such a well-presented and professional app! Well done. This is a team who are ready for industry” and marked them 100%.

She says it has been a pleasure to work with IT students at Wintec.

“They have, with such enthusiasm, produced some amazing apps for Anglesea Hospital staff. As health professionals, we rely on up-to-date technology to enable us to function efficiently.

“A real-world experience is what all institutions should be aiming for, as industry readiness is the goal and I really enjoy being able to assist Hamiora in providing this.”

“Jackie gave our IT students the best feedback we’ve ever had and that’s because they worked hard and came across as professionals,” says Te Momo. “It meant a lot to them.”

“This demonstrates that the best feedback our ākonga can have is from the people who will be using what they create. It’s a holistic way of learning that gives them the critique and the encouragement they need to differentiate between industry expectations versus academic expectations.”

The project came under a requirement for the Bachelor of Applied Information Technology  where teams work together on a project for an industry partner.

Te Momo says his 2021 Level 7 IT class were a cultural mix of Kiwi[EA1] [EA2] , Asian, Māori and Pacific ākonga who gained a lot from project-based work together, identifying strengths, learning and supporting each other. Just as they would do in a workplace situation.

The case study they took part in aligns with elements of Wintec’s Ako teaching, learning and delivery framework – namely inclusive practices and project-based learning.

In 2020, Te Momo’s class developed a waiata app for Wintec to break down cultural barriers and make waiata easy, accessible and fun for kaimahi/staff and ākonga.

“I wasn’t sure how we were going to beat that one,” says Hami with a smile. “But this project has been quite extraordinary.”

Anglesea Hospital now have access to a working prototype to use, and they can now develop a better system to ensure their staff can clock in an out with the push of a button and accurate records are kept.

“The prototype is always evolving, and I am astounded at the high calibre of work that the students have produced,” says Stephenson.