Making Sense of the Proposed New Zealand Science Curriculum Changes
So, the long-awaited draft of the refreshed New Zealand Science Curriculum has arrived, with implementation planned by 2027. My social media has blown up with pushback from the scientific education community. This is why I have taken some time to digest the changes and tried to listen to a wide range of voices and explore the underpinning educational research. While this new curriculum offers clarity and structure, it also signals a significant philosophical shift in how science is taught and understood in Aotearoa. As teachers, it’s crucial to focus not just what has changed, but why it matters for our students, our teaching, and our collective vision of science education. At first glance, the new curriculum gives us a strong underpinning of factual knowledge, however it will need heart, context, and flexibility of teachers to make it come alive in our classrooms. As teachers, our role will be to bridge that gap to ensure the next generation not only knows science but th...