Curriculum and Assessment
Introduction
This page provides information on current initiatives around curriculum and assessment. It is still under construction.
The New Zealand Curriculum
NZEI contributes to the development of the Curriculum through regular meetings with the MInistry of Education, provision of feedback from NZEI members, and formally through submissions. To read NZEI's submissions on curriculum and other issues, click here.
In the past year, NZEI has successfully advocated for a professional development day for teachers and schools to engage with the New Zealand Curriculum Draft, and to make considered responses to the Ministry. This ensure a substantial number of submissions.
NZEI made a comprehensive response to the New Zealand Curriculum Draft during the Ministry of Education’s consultation phase. This response was supported by discussion with many members at a variety of forums including NZEI national advisory committees, school cluster group and individual school meetings, NZEI District Councils and branch meetings. Discussion also took place with national organisations such as the New Zealand Principals’ Federation, the Association of Intermediate and Middle Schools, the Post-Primary Teachers’ Association, the Catholic Education Office and the Human Rights Commission.
NZEI's response was based on research evidence and teachers’ critiques of the draft statement. NZEI argued that while the draft statement was both liberating and challenging for teachers, there were also challenges and risks to the concept of national curriculum provision as currently known.
NZEI’s two major concerns were the deletion of any reference to te Tiriti o Waitangi/the Treaty of Waitangi and the unresolved tension between the intent of the draft statement - best encapsulated by the key competencies - and the traditional approach of planning and teaching by levelled achievement objectives.
NZEI's continued involvement in the implementation phase of the curriculum statement has been through participation in the overarching reference group, on the Ministry's specific reference group to develop the essence statements for the learning areas and in the group that considered the legislative framework and the professional development programme .
The proposed curriculum is a significant change for schools and has workload implications for school staff. NZEI is seeking provision of two days professional development release for all teachers for the next three years to develop their implementation plan, in consultation with community and other staff. This is necessary to ensure the New Zealand Curriculum is successfully introduced and sufficiently embedded in schools to support quality teaching and learning.
The launch of the New Zealand Curriculum is likely to be in October 2007. The principles, values, key competencies and learning area essence statements and the achievement objectives will be made compulsory. Schools will be required to use achievement objectives to cover all learning areas but the coverage of these can be planned over time. The second languages component of the Curriculum will not be legislated until 2011.
To read more information on the New Zealand Curriculum click here.
Purposeful Assessment
Assessment must be reliable and assist students' learning; and be manageable and meaningful for teachers, students and parents. Information gathered by schools should be used to inform practice, teachers, boards and government. NZEI opposes 'national testing' because research shows it does not enhance individual students' learning. Assessment of key competencies by students using their knowledge and skills is supported.
