Digital Technology and the New Zealand Curriculum

On the week that I finished my last Mindlab assignment the Ministry of Education announced formal changes to the New Zealand curriculum that would see digital technologies recognised as core curriculum. I glowed with satisfaction for a brief time at feeling ahead of the game, or at least on the game given the intensive professional development that I had received over the last six months in leadership, collaboration and change alongside digital technologies. The glow faded rapidly as I read more about this announcement.

"Digital technology will be formally made part of the New Zealand Curriculum - the first change since 2007.

Education Minister Hekia Parata said the change would prepare school students for a future in which "digital fluency" would be critial.

The change is a recommendation of the Government's science and society strategic plan "A Nation of Curious Minds".

"The information technology sector is one of the fastest growing sectors in New Zealand, with a demand for skilled graduates. This step will support young people to develop skills, confidence and interest in digital technologies," Ms Parata said.

Schools can already teach digital technologies, it has now been formalised as part of the curriculum.

Consultation will be held until the end of the year, to design new curriculum content, with changes fully integrated into the New Zealand Curriculum for next year." (Jones, 2016)

The Herald article by Jones sees the Minister of Education, Hekia Parata acknowledge the critical place of digital fluency for our children while in Wellington at the ITx Conference Ian McCrae, Ian Taylor and Frances Valintine (founder of Mindlab) released an open letter criticising the scope of changes to the digital technology curriculum, the time frame and the linking of digital technology with vocational subjects. They stated that '.. our children will continue to be educationally disadvantaged and underskilled for high paying tech jobs." (The Herald, 5-7-16)

Duncan Garner goes on to describe New Zealand as having 'an analogue education in a digital world'.

 The glow fades faster. It appears that the decision to include digital technology as a strand within the current technology curriculum is a bitter pill to swallow for many who are passionate about providing New Zealand students with a quality digital technology education. The source of outrage is the failure to provide digital technology with the status of a core subject or discipline like maths. Underpinning this is a value system that places subjects on a hierarchy with maths at the top and vocational subjects such as sewing, cooking and woodwork down the bottom in terms of status. This is dinosaur thinking surely? I have always been outraged over the artificial status given to different curriculum areas that demean one subject at the expense of elevating another. 

Digital fluency is just as important as being fed, clothed and housed. They are all fundamental to successful lives. 

Garner, D. (2016) http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/81884876/duncan-garner-an-analogue-education-system-in-a-digital-world, Retrieved 11th July, 2016

Jones, N. (2016) http://m.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11668961,Retrieved 11th July 2016

Pullar-Strecker, T. (2016) http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/81963241/row-over-curriculum-dominates-opening-of-tech-conference Retrieved 11th July, 2016.