Categories: News

Science curriculum rewrite paused

The team rewriting the science curriculum has been put on hold by the Ministry of Education while they review the process.

<h2><span data-contrast&equals;"auto">The rewrite of the science curriculum has been put on hold&period; <&sol;span><span data-ccp-props&equals;"&lbrace;&rcub;"> <&sol;span><&sol;h2>&NewLine;<p><span data-contrast&equals;"auto">The rewrite&comma; which attracted some controversy last year following a leaked draft&comma; has been suspended and the rewrite group has been paused&period; The group will resume work in the new year&period;<&sol;span><span data-ccp-props&equals;"&lbrace;&rcub;"> <&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;schoolnews&period;co&period;nz&sol;latest-print-issue&sol;" target&equals;"&lowbar;blank" rel&equals;"noopener"><b>Read the latest print edition of <em>School News<&sol;em> online HERE&period;<&sol;b><&sol;a><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><span data-contrast&equals;"auto">Pauline Cleaver&comma; Acting Haut&umacr; &lpar;leader&rpar; Curriculum Centre said the science curriculum rewrite was being paused while they reviewed their processes based on lessons from developing and implementing the English and Maths learning areas&period; <&sol;span><span data-ccp-props&equals;"&lbrace;&rcub;"> <&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><span data-contrast&equals;"auto">&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;We are reviewing how we approach the remaining learning areas from the lessons learnt in developing the English and mathematics &amp&semi; statistics learning areas and Te Reo Rangatira and p&amacr;ngarau w&amacr;hanga ako&period; <&sol;span><span data-ccp-props&equals;"&lbrace;&rcub;"> <&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><span data-contrast&equals;"auto">&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;We have paused work by the full science curriculum contributing group for the past month to give us time to base our ongoing writing process on the experience in producing a knowledge rich curriculum grounded in the science of learning&period;  <&sol;span><span data-ccp-props&equals;"&lbrace;&rcub;"> <&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<blockquote>&NewLine;<p><span data-contrast&equals;"auto">&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;We are progressing work in the meantime based on discussion with writers so far so that we don’t lose momentum and the groups will restart early in the new year&period;”<&sol;span><span data-ccp-props&equals;"&lbrace;&rcub;"> <&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<&sol;blockquote>&NewLine;<p><a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;rnz&period;co&period;nz&sol;news&sol;national&sol;534050&sol;ministry-of-education-pauses-team-rewriting-much-debated-science-curriculum" target&equals;"&lowbar;blank"><span data-contrast&equals;"none">RNZ<&sol;span><&sol;a><span data-contrast&equals;"auto"> reports that the decision to pause the rewrite surprised members of the curriculum writing group&period; Some science subject associations have expressed dissatisfaction with the rewrite&period; <&sol;span><span data-ccp-props&equals;"&lbrace;&rcub;"> <&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><span data-contrast&equals;"auto">The Ministry of Education says they have approached subject associations for nominations of contributors to the writing group&comma; and there will be opportunities to provide feedback on the science learning area draft in 2025&period; <&sol;span><span data-ccp-props&equals;"&lbrace;&rcub;"> <&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><span data-contrast&equals;"auto">&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;There will be many opportunities for teachers to provide feedback through a range of channels during the development&period; We also expect schools will have further feedback as they implement the updated learning area into their teaching and learning programmes when it is released for use&comma; and we encourage them to get in touch with us to share this feedback&period;”   <&sol;span><span data-ccp-props&equals;"&lbrace;&rcub;"> <&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><span data-contrast&equals;"auto">The previously leaked draft curriculum proposed the teaching of science through five contexts&comma; leading to some science teachers expressing concerns that the document made no explicit reference to the traditional subject areas of chemistry&comma; physics and biology&period; <&sol;span><span data-ccp-props&equals;"&lbrace;&rcub;"> <&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><span data-contrast&equals;"auto">The New Zealand Association of Science Educators &lpar;NZASE&rpar; has been contacted for comment&period; <&sol;span><span data-ccp-props&equals;"&lbrace;&rcub;"> <&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><strong><a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;schoolnews&period;co&period;nz&sol;latest-print-issue&sol;" target&equals;"&lowbar;blank" rel&equals;"noopener">The Term 4 edition of School News is out now&period; Read it HERE&period;<&sol;a><&sol;strong><&sol;p>&NewLine;<div style&equals;"position&colon; relative&semi; padding-top&colon; max&lpar;60&percnt;&comma;326px&rpar;&semi; height&colon; 0&semi; width&colon; 100&percnt;&semi;"><iframe style&equals;"position&colon; absolute&semi; border&colon; 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Naomii Seah

Naomii Seah is a writer and journalist from Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand. She has been covering education in New Zealand since 2022.

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