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The New Zealand Curriculum - Technology

Statement of official policy relating to teaching, learning and assessment of technology in all English medium state and state-integrated schools in New Zealand.

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  • AudienceKaiakoSchool leadersBoards of trustees
  • Resource LanguageEnglish
  • Resource typeText/Website

About this resource

Technology is one of the learning areas in the New Zealand Curriculum, the official document that sets the direction for teaching, learning, and assessment in all English medium state and state-integrated schools in New Zealand. In technology, students learn to be innovative developers of products and systems and discerning consumers who will make a difference in the world.

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The New Zealand Curriculum - Technology

We've revised the technology learning area to strengthen the positioning of Digital Technologies in The 2007 New Zealand Curriculum. The goal of this change is to ensure that all learners have the opportunity to become digitally capable individuals. This change signals the need for greater focus on our students building their skills so they can be innovative creators of digital solutions, moving beyond solely being users and consumers of digital technologies.

Find out more 

In December 2017, the Technology learning area was revised to strengthen digital technologies in The 2007 New Zealand Curriculum. The goal is to ensure all learners can become digitally capable individuals.  

The paper below describes the development of the revised curriculum content. It includes details on the approach, the expertise used (curriculum and subject matter experts), and the research underpinning the revision.  

See Materials that come with this resource to download Digital technologies development paper (.pdf).

What is technology about?

Kaua e rangiruatia te hāpai o te hoe;
e kore tō tātou waka e ū ki uta.

Don’t paddle out of unison;
our canoe will never reach the shore.

Technology is intervention by design. It uses intellectual and practical resources to create technological outcomes that expand human possibilities by addressing needs and realising opportunities.

Design is characterised by innovation and adaptation and is at the heart of technological practice. It is informed by critical and creative thinking and specific design processes. Effective and ethical design respects the unique relationship that New Zealanders have with their physical environment and embraces the significance of Māori culture and world views in its practice and innovation.

Technology makes enterprising use of knowledge, skills, and practices for exploration and communication, some specific to areas within technology and some from other disciplines. These include digitally-aided design, programming, software development, various forms of technological modelling, and visual literacy – the ability to make sense of images and the ability to make images that make sense.

With its focus on design thinking, technology education supports students to be innovative, reflective, and critical in designing new models, products, software, systems, and tools to benefit people while taking account of their impact on cultural, ethical, environmental, and economic conditions.

The aim is for students to develop broad technological knowledge, practices, and dispositions that will equip them to participate in society as informed citizens and provide a platform for technology-related careers. Students learn that technology is the result of human activity by exploring stories and experiences from their heritage, from Aotearoa New Zealand’s rich cultural environment, and from contemporary examples of technology. As they learn in technology, students draw on and further develop the key competencies.

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