The uncertainty of a future-focused curriculum in New Zealand: The perceptions and practice of six secondary school technology teachers.

Abstract

New Zealand education is unique because it has had a technology curriculum since the mid-1990's. In response to the way that technology is evolving, however, the curriculum is currently under revision, to be inclusive of a need to develop students' digital literacy. It appears that for some teachers, there are persisting barriers to their enactment of the curriculum, which is likely to inhibit any further transformation in practice. This article reports findings from research, which sought to explore six teachers understandings of technology education, in two New Zealand secondary schools. The research highlighted constraints upon teachers' practice, which will require transformation to support a future-focused curriculum, and students' developing academic and social learning needs. New Zealand education is unique because it has had a technology curriculum since the mid-1990's. In response to the way that technology is evolving, however, the curriculum is currently under revision, to be inclusive of a need to develop students' digital literacy. It appears that for some teachers, there are persisting barriers to their enactment of the curriculum, which is likely to inhibit any further transformation in practice. This article reports findings from research, which sought to explore six teachers understandings of technology education, in two New Zealand secondary schools. The research highlighted constraints upon teachers' practice, which will require transformation to support a future-focused curriculum, and students' developing academic and social learning needs.