This article, based on an 18-month study of effective writing instruction amongst Year 5 to 8 students, concludes that effective implementation of three dimensions of effective practice (learning tasks; direct instruction; self regulation) are probable key levers in generating greater than expected learner gains in writing. It further concludes that ...

The learner-centred and experiential pedagogical approach encouraged by the revised New Zealand Curriculum can be problematic for teachers who are used to delivering courses in teacher-fronted ways. Using the Learning Languages learning area as the context, this article presents the case of one New Zealand teacher who completed an initial ...

Is reading on screen is the same as reading on paper? Is reading comprehension the same in both media? After reviewing relevant research, the article describes and reports the results of an NZCER research project that compared data records from online and paper-based versions of the assessment tool PAT:Reading Comprehension.

COVID-19 relevance: Wellbeing

Awareness of mindfulness in New Zealand school communities is growing, and many teachers are becoming aware of its significance to support health and wellbeing in the classroom. This article discusses qualitative research on a 6-week mindfulness programme for teachers and students which showed that teachers perceived specific ...

COVID-19 relevance: Digital learners / online

Set interviews computer scientist Professor Tim Bell to figure out how computational thinking differs from digital literacy, and why both might be important for today’s society. Tim explains his mission to introduce teachers and students to computational thinking, even without a computer in sight ...

COVID-19 relevance: Digital learners / online

Recent moves within New Zealand and internationally have called for the inclusion of computational learning through activities such as coding, in school curricula. However, including activities such as coding in school curricula is a bold move, and one that will require significant support if ...

Who gets to define belonging? The nation state or its citizens? The government or civil society? This article argues that, for Māori, citizenship is and has been contested and conditional. It examines the history of belonging in New Zealand, from the Treaty of Waitangi to the Citizenship Act 1977, and recommends a framework ...

It is debatable whether citizenship education in New Zealand has presented a version of citizenship that resonates with Māori. This article explores the ability of The New Zealand Curriculum (NZC) to meaningfully provide citizenship education for Māori. This article suggests that there needs to a mindshift away from the conventional approach of ...

To be active members of a democracy, young people need to develop skills in active citizenship participation. Within New Zealand, there are opportunities to develop such skills within the social-studies curriculum as well as within the personal social-action achievement standards in NCEA (Levels 1–3). Drawing on a 2-year research project with teachers and students ...