Reviewing the Field of Technology Education in New Zealand

In this chapter we discuss the development of technology as a field of study within compulsory education in New Zealand. We argue that technology education has found a place in the national curriculum, research, and teacher education, resulting in technology classroom practice to some degree in all New Zealand schools. We report first on curriculum developments in terms of the shift from technical subjects to the initial technology curriculum (Ministry of Education, 1995), and on to the development of the second technology curriculum released in 2007 (Ministry of Education, 2007). An overview is also presented of the research undertaken to inform and evaluate curriculum development and implementation, followed by a discussion of research in technology education undertaken to inform teaching and learning generally. The chapter moves on to discuss the history of technology teacher education through professional development support. Implementation of the 1995 technology curriculum was initially supported with significant in-service teacher professional development, and pre-service technology teacher education programmes were in place by 1998. However, little ongoing support was provided for this group. We suggest that the resultant teacher education has been varied and variable, although a number of initiatives are seeking to address this. Finally, we discuss issues and challenges for technology education in the future, and briefly outline planned developments that may begin to address these.