.jpg)
BUILDING DIGITAL CAPABILITY ACROSS THE CANTERBURY REGION
ImpactEd founded the Canterbury Kāhui Ako Digital Project to meet a need in digital technologies education. Their mission: to create a more sustainable approach to implementing Digital Technologies across the curriculum. Find out how this project came about and how it has impacted schools in the Canterbury region.
Digital technologies are a strong focus in education, from the Ministry of Education down to each individual school, and the Digital Technologies curriculum has been created to prepare students for their future. New Zealand’s Ministry of Education describes the purpose of the Digital Technologies curriculum as, “equipping children and young people with the skills and knowledge to participate, create and thrive whatever pathway they choose to take.” This fundamental curriculum is an ongoing piece of work, with ImpactEd advising on and championing the cause.
Gathering data
As part of the research into defining and strengthening this curriculum, the Canterbury Regional MoE Digital Lead asked ImpactEd to conduct a survey into how digital technologies were being used across the education sector, tertiary institutions and workforce. The main conclusion from the data gathered was that the majority of students, whether in our education system, starting tertiary or heading into the workforce, lacked the specific digital skills required to succeed.
Seeing the importance of building this area of education, ImpactEd took up the mission. We organised an additional survey with schools and digital technologies providers to find out what they felt the gaps were, and their recommended solutions. As a result, the Canterbury Kāhui Ako Digital Project was formed. Led by ImpactEd and supported by expert providers across the region, the Canterbury Kāhui Ako Digital Project (CKADP) aims to create a sustainable approach for integrating Digital Technologies across the curriculum. We connect digital leads from ECE to Year 10 with the expertise they need based on their reported knowledge gaps.
Leading change in digital technologies
Sixteen Kāhui Ako are currently engaged in the CKADP project, which covers over 70 schools. Digital leads are coached to develop a Kāhui Ako Digital Pathway, which is then implemented through a range of workshops to fill gaps in knowledge and grow teacher capability and confidence in this area. Supported by the CKADP alliance of expert providers, the outcomes of these workshops provide a cohesive and consistent approach to digital technologies across Canterbury schools.
Bromley Primary School Teacher Tim Kunowski is a Kāhui Ako lead involved in the project. A supporter from the beginning, Tim has grown in his own capabilities and seen a real change in his school and across the Kāhui Ako from the additional resourcing and sharing of best practice. Tim says, “The project has been instrumental in developing our digital pathway through a facilitated, collaborative process. It’s a valuable resource that enhances the depth and clarity of our Tamai Digital Strategy. When planning and delivering our Tamai Tech Week, the CKADP provided access to a range of external PLD facilitators to deliver teacher workshops tailored to the diverse interests and needs of our kaiako.”
Shared resource and best practice
Resources created within CKADP schools are benefitting the entire region. As best practices are published and shared, this adds to the shared curriculum knowledge across schools. Since beginning their CKADP journey in 2024,
Staff representatives from each kura/school in the Ngā Peka o Tauwharekākaho (Rolleston) Kāhui Ako worked alongside CKADP project leads to develop pathways and create resources aligned with the pathways which linked to phases in the refreshed curriculum. Ngā Peka o Tauwharekākaho (Rolleston) Kāhui Ako Across School Lead Tania Soal’s goal is, “For these documents to become a collaborative, growing resource that schools can contribute to, for use across all curriculum areas. This will support a variety of learning experiences for embedding digital technology in our teaching and learning programmes.”
Ngā Peka o Tauwharekākaho (Rolleston) Kāhui Ako has already seen a lift in experience and knowledge from being part of a project that encourages an exchange of ideas, connections and resources. The next step? Tania is working on the Kāhui Ako’s Digital Technology Summit week. She is excited to have teachers participate in workshops led by CKADP’s team of collaborative partners and aligned with their new Digital Technology Pathways. This is another step in the Kāhui Ako’s work to enhance teacher digital capability, practice, and confidence.
