School digital change programme can do better, say IT Professionals
The Institute of IT Professionals NZ (IITP), New Zealand’s technology professional body representing thousands of IT
professionals across New Zealand, welcomes the expansion of digital tech in schools announced by Minister of Education
Hekia Parata today, however is disappointed the broader changes needed in this area have apparently been dumped.
The changes announced today include an expansion of Digital Technologies in the curriculum from senior secondary, where
it currently resides, right down to Year 1. While schools could teach Digital Technologies at all levels already, the
announcement of a more structured approach will support teaching and focus attention in this area.
However, the Minister has stopped short of truly transforming tech education in schools by refusing to create a proper
focused home for Digital Technologies in its own learning area, or significant additional funding for professional
development for teachers. Experts have made it clear that both are necessary to achieve the educational transformation
needed to prepare students for today’s digital world.
IITP Chief Executive Paul Matthews says he wants to see a Digital Technologies programme deliver the best results
possible for New Zealand students.
“While we absolutely welcome the introduction of digital technologies and computational thinking down to Year 1, and see
this as an important step forward, our industry sees the lack of movement on the structure and position of Digital
Technologies in schools as a real lost opportunity”.
Digital Technologies in schools currently sits alongside vocation-based subjects such as hard materials, food technology
and textiles derived from woodwork, metalwork, cooking and sewing respectively. The review considered whether keeping it
there could still achieve the change in focus and attention needed to prepare students for the digital world, and to
enable New Zealand to achieve strong tech-led economic growth.
Experts participating in the review from the tech profession, industry, digital technologies teachers, researchers and
other domain experts were clear that moving it into its own subject learning area was absolutely necessary, thus the
decision by the Minister to block this was disappointing.
“It’s like telling a subject as essential as Maths that they have to be a part of PE. Both are important, but they’re
simply different things,” Matthews says.
“The vast majority of those participating in the review recognised that a transformational change was needed. The world
has changed and we need to get serious about preparing our kids for their digital future,” Matthews says. “Digital
Technologies needs its own home within the curriculum. Without this, the outcome announced today simply won’t get us
where we need to go as a country.”
The tech industry was also disappointed at the lack of real funding in this area, and the time lost over several years.
Today’s announcement follows a 12-month broad review with stakeholders from across the sector followed by seven months
of deliberations by the Minister.
“The changes announced are something that should have been implemented from the start,” Matthews says. “The tech
industry was looking for leadership, not two years of meetings and reviews. More urgency is needed if the Government is
serious about positioning New Zealand for the real economic growth our industry can bring.”
ENDS