In the creative sector, "music technology" refers to a wide range of musical practices, tools and devices enabled or facilitated by computers. Yet the music technology curriculum in New Zealand, as in other parts of the world, is dominated by two specific tools: commercial Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs) and notation software. In this…

This article provides a comprehensive literature review examining virtual learning in the Aotearoa New Zealand schools sector, with a specific focus on understanding and addressing the needs of Maori learners in these online environments. It begins by tracing the historical development of virtual learning in Aotearoa New Zealand -- from early…

The growing recognition of virtual field trips (VFTs) to support classrooms has led to increasing use of these tools in science classrooms. In Aotearoa New Zealand, the Ministry of Education has underscored the need for educational experiences that are inclusive of Indigenous Maori worldviews. Here, we present the potential of the LEARNZ natural…

This article unpacks the computational thinking for digital technologies (CTDT) technological area of the New Zealand primary curriculum that became mandatory in 2020. It explores computational thinking (CT), its place in the New Zealand primary curriculum, and elements kaiako can utilise to help implement the teaching of CT. The article considers…

Teacher shortages have intensified across several OECD countries, making this an urgent priority for education systems. Between 2015 and 2022, the share of students whose principals reported shortages rose from 29% to 46.7% on average across the OECD. Simultaneously, rapid technological advances, such as artificial intelligence (AI), and broader…

Technology is ubiquitous and culturally situated, influencing and impacting lives every second of every day. As humanity emerged, so did technological development. Diverse cultural groups developed technologies, related knowledge, and processes, to meet emerging needs or realise opportunities--such as trade. There is little doubt that some…

Digital technologies are increasingly present in young children's lives. How can early education systems get the best out of digitalisation while minimising its risks? This is especially urgent as the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated our reliance on digital tools -- tools that enabled young children to continue learning when early education…

The rise of innovative learning environments, with multiple teachers and larger cohorts of students, can de-privatise practice as teachers have the opportunity to observe each other teaching. However, they also provide the opportunity for collaboratively planning and teaching, and engaging in reflective dialogue about specific pedagogical…

This working paper identifies OECD countries' interests in digital innovation in education by analysing their policy papers on digital education. Many OECD countries have adopted a specific strategy on digital education, or integrated the topic in a generic strategy on digital innovation as such. The ideas that are expressed in the strategies…

The higher education experience was markedly different than usual for those enrolling during the COVID-19 pandemic. Higher education institutions of all kinds found their instructional methods profoundly disrupted by the closure of their physical campuses, and the crisis exposed the urgent need for policy makers and institutional leaders to adjust…

This article traces the reframing of the relationship between knowledge, skills and competencies in New Zealand education policy from the 1990s onwards. It argues that this reframing is the result of New Zealand's recontextualisation of global policy ideas about the kind of education thought to be needed in the twenty-first century, and in…

This paper considers the role of eportfolios as an online tool intended to foster greater engagement between parent, teacher and child in early education settings. Drawing on New Zealand based research, I will critically examine the introduction of this technology as more than an addition into already existing ECEC services. Rather, I will…

The arrival of digital media in early education appears to have been both the cause and effect of an idea of a universal experience of rapidly changing time. In this article, the role and purpose of the phrase "we live in rapidly changing times" is of critical concern. The phrase is questioned in order to avoid taking its meaning for…

Rural social work education and practice in North America underwent a revival in recent decades and remains a valid praxis and pedagogic model for the 21st Century. The paper posits through rigorous literature review and analysis there are numerous elements central to North American (U.S. and Canadian) and Commonwealth of Nations (U.K., Australia,…

New Zealand schools are increasingly digitally infused with computer applications and tools underpinning education and influencing teachers' work. Teachers entering the profession need to develop professional digital competence and while existing frameworks can guide initial teacher education (ITE), they might not be appropriate because student…