Effective assessment is ako—a reciprocal relationship in which knowledge and wisdom are shared and mutual learning occurs. For this reason, NZAI (New Zealand Assessment Institute) was established in 2018. It brings together educators from schools, professional learning and development providers, educational agencies and researchers for collective learning through its annual ...

Teaching controversial issues is particularly challenging in today’s world of misinformation, disinformation, and fake news. This article explores how critical thinking can be embedded in such discussions using the street smarts critical thinking model. The study focuses on the contentious use of the poison 1080 as a case study, systematically ...

This mixed-methods small-scale study focused on the nature of the vocabulary in classroom talk in two Year 13 religious education (RE) classes at a New Zealand Catholic school. The main aim was to inform support for English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) students who struggle with the linguistic demands ...

This article is premised on a view that early childhood education (ECE) is a public good and a child’s right. As such, there is no place for ECE services to be treated as a private commodity that is bought and sold in the marketplace. Yet, despite policies to transform its ...

Of great concern within the Ministry for Regulation’s 2024 Regulatory Review of Early Childhood Education report was recommendation number 10 that aims for greater flexibility in qualifications within the early childhood education (ECE) workforce. The recommendation directly undermines current policy objectives within the Early Learning Action Plan (2019–2029) which aspire ...

This article examines how government policies have undermined equity and access in early childhood care and education in Aotearoa. While flaxroots initiatives have historically fostered inclusive, community-centred, low- or no-cost early childhood models, recent policies favouring commercial providers have intensified disparities, particularly for Māori and Pacific communities. The analysis situates ...

This article critically examines recent regulatory reforms in New Zealand’s early childhood education (ECE) sector under the 2023 coalition government. It explores the implications of deregulatory policies highlighting concerns around reduced licensing criteria, weakened qualification standards, and diminished emphasis on children’s wellbeing. Drawing on Whānau Manaaki Kindergartens’ submissions and sector-wide ...

This interview situates the kōhanga reo movement—and the political and pedagogical leadership of Associate Professor Mere Skerrett—within the increasingly fraught context of regulatory reform in Aotearoa. As the current coalition Government advances a raft of legislative and regulatory rollbacks—such as the repeal of early childhood education (ECE) licensing regulations C5 ...