Aotearoa New Zealand's histories: Te marau ā-kura (Localising curriculum)

Contact person(s)

Why are we doing this study?

From 2023, Te Takanga o Te Wā and Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories will be part of all kura and schools’ marau ā-kura and local curriculum. The final content was released by the Ministry of Education  in March 2022. Our project aims to follow a group of schools, initially in English-medium contexts, as they navigate their way through this curriculum change.  A separate engagement and planning process will be used if we are to work with Māori-medium kura that are working with Te Takanga o te Wā. This pathway is still being explored.

What are our research questions?

We have shaped high-level overarching questions for working with English-medium schools that are implementing Aotearoa New Zealand's histories in The New Zealand Curriculum

  1. What aspirations do schools and communities (staff, ākonga, whānau, hapū, Iwi) have for Aotearoa New Zealand's histories in localised curriculum? 
  2. How do schools construct their Aotearoa New Zealand's histories curriculum, and what does it look like in a range of local settings?
  3. How do schools develop, navigate, and sustain relationships to support the Aotearoa New Zealand's histories curriculum? (e.g., with: parents and whānau; marae, hapū, and iwi; other local community groups; other schools in their Kāhui Ako, PLD providers)
  4. How is localised (Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories) curriculum shaping how diverse students and teachers see themselves (their identity) in relation to the whenua and to other people? 
  5. How is the Aotearoa New Zealand histories curriculum changing teacher practice?
  6. What supports are effective for teachers and school leaders at different stages of their school’s journey to implement the Aotearoa New Zealand's histories curriculum?

An important additional question is the impact on hapū and iwi of the Aotearoa New Zealand's  histories curriculum and how schools localise their curriculum. This question may potentially be explored under the umbrella of this project or through an additional project. 

Want to hear from us or possibly contribute to the research? 

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