The New Zealand Curriculum does not state specific achievement objectives for education for sustainability. Learning objectives have been developed to indicate the progression in learning that teachers might expect to see across curriculum levels 7 and 8. These objectives are structured in three inter-related strands:
It is important that students see and make sense of the many connections within and across these strands and those in other subjects such as geography, health, and biology.
As they move from level 7 to 8, students develop their action competence and their critical thinking. They move from describing how people affect the environment to planning and participating in positive action, through to evaluating action and its impacts, both short-term and long-term. At the same time, the focus moves from guided action to informed, independent action.
For more on action competence, see Approaches that encourage action competence.
Indicators are examples of the behaviours and capabilities that a teacher might expect to observe in a student who is achieving at the appropriate level. Teachers may wish to add further examples of their own.
Context elaborations are possible contexts for learning, with a suggestion of how they might be used with the learning objective.
The listed context elaborations are examples only. Teachers can select and use entirely different contexts in response to local situations, community relevance, and students’ interests and needs.
Possible achievement standards are suggested for each learning objective.
At the time of publication of this teaching and learning guide, EfS achievement standards had recently been reviewed. Please ensure that you are using the correct version of the standards by going to the NZQA website.
The flexibility of the qualifications system allows schools to keep assessment to levels that are manageable and reasonable for both students and teachers. Not all EfS learning objectives need to be formally assessed.
The following learning objectives indicate the progression in learning by strand that teachers might expect to see across curriculum levels 7 and 8. Each learning objective includes a set of indicators, with examples of possible concept links, and guidance about possible context elaborations and relevant achievement standards.
Students will gain knowledge, skills, and experience to:
Students will gain knowledge, skills, and experience to:
Last updated August 31, 2020