Curriculum Matters 20: 2024

In the context of significant reforms to the curriculum for New Zealand schools, this paper presents an early line of findings from an ongoing ethnographic multi-case study investigating New Zealand primary school teachers’ enactment of informal formative assessment. Data was gathered through observations, interviews and document collection in one Auckland primary school classroom. The findings illustrate the value of informal formative assessment and provide a perspective on the use of… Read more

This article analyses the integration of media and information literacy (MIL) within the curriculum, starting with the evolution of the terms “media”, “literacy”, and “citizenship” in 85 curricula implemented in 15 Latin American countries. In addition, the article examines the possibilities brought by this integration, according to the perspective of 49 experts. Although the need to broaden the concepts of literacy and citizenship to address media challenges is recognised, this expansion… Read more

Curriculum development is critically important to the educational enterprise, yet we lack insight into if and how ideal design and development practices are enacted in organizations that create curricular programs and resources intended for large-scale implementation. This study identified essential elements of curriculum development practices which, together, provide a framework for considering: When is the curriculum good (enough)? What is being made? How is it being made? Why is this… Read more

This article reports on a line of findings that explores how New Zealand secondary teachers teach about inequality as part of the official New Zealand curriculum (NZC) in their respective teaching subjects. This second phase of the study is part of a wider project about how inequality is positioned within NZC. In-service teachers at four large state secondary schools were invited to discuss their knowledge of how inequality is positioned within NZC and to comment on their decision making… Read more

Drawing data (N = 625) from the 2004 Assessment Tools for Teaching and Learning Version 4 database, this article explores how New Zealand Years 11–12 secondary students perceived the importance of learning to read and write in English and how those perceptions related to their reading attitudes and performance. More positive student perceptions of learning reading comprehension supported greater interest while more positive perceptions of learning to write supported self-efficacy.… Read more

Using existing research on digital citizenship education (DCE), postdigital theory, and The New Zealand Curriculum (NZC), this article indicates how schools and teachers can make links between curriculum and a postdigital interpretation of DCE. Although the view of DCE as being cross-curricular presents opportunities to integrate DCE into multiple learning areas, the onus is still on teachers to enact DCE in their learning area. The aim of this practice notes piece is to support teachers by… Read more

Changes to the New Zealand Ministry of Education’s funding for access to specialist education services in museums and art galleries in Aotearoa New Zealand (enriching local curriculum) has created the potential for an increase in visits to these institutions by young learners, and particularly those in the early childhood education (ECE) sector. A rationale for the inclusion of young children in art museum or gallery education programmes is highlighted. Strategies for teachers and gallery… Read more