Rachel Bolstad

Kaihautū Rangahau | Chief Researcher

Rachel is a Kaihautū Rangahau | Chief Researcher at NZCER. Her work in education research is driven by an endless curiosity about the world and a strong commitment to better educational experiences and outcomes for all learners, as well as teachers, families, and communities.  Rachel constantly strives to develop her own, and other people's thinking about education, why it matters, and how our learning and teaching systems may need to change to match the opportunities and demands of a changing world. She enjoys working in teams and drawing inspiration and influence from a wide range of fields, in particular the creative arts. 

Rachel's current work programme includes leading a research project to explore systemic educational responses to climate change. She has previously led several research projects on environmental education and education for sustainability.

Her other research interests include local curriculum design, students' experiences of education, game-based learning, and future-oriented education. Her first digital game, Curriculum for the Future, was launched in 2016.

Publications

Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories and Te Takanga o te Wā—Classroom and akomanga trialling of draft curriculum content Research publication 2021
Learning and career pathways for a low-carbon future: Research briefing 3 Research publication 2021
Connecting climate change with place and culture: Research briefing 4 Research publication 2021
What does the Climate Change Commission’s report say about education? Blog post 2021
Schools' carbon footprint pilot: Final report Research publication 2021
The Climate Change Commission updated its advice – what does it say about education now? Blog post 2021
Climate change and sustainability in primary and intermediate schools report Research publication 2020
Opportunities for education in a changing climate: Themes from key informant interviews Research publication 2020
How can New Zealand schools respond to climate change? Journal article 2020
Climate change and sustainability in secondary schools—Findings from a 2020 survey of English-medium secondary and composite schools Research publication 2020
Our education system responded to COVID-19. How will it respond to climate change? Blog post 2020
Games, gamification, and game design for learning: Innovative practice and possibilities in New Zealand schools Research publication 2019
Games: The social tools handed down by our tūpuna Journal article 2018
Opening the door to games at Hutt Central School Blog post 2018
Opening the door to games at Hutt Central School: The benefits of a syndicate-wide approach Research publication 2018
Researching game-based learning practices in Aotearoa New Zealand Journal article 2018
Games: The social tools handed down by our tūpuna Journal article 2018
Digital technologies for learning: Findings from the NZCER national survey of primary and intermediate schools 2016 Research publication 2017
Playing for Peace: Complex role-play gaming in high school history Research publication 2017
Game coding workshops in New Zealand public libraries Research publication 2016