One of the key principles which underpins the New Zealand Curriculum is the principle of coherence – that the curriculum offers all students a broad education that makes links within and across learning areas, provides for coherent transitions, and opens up pathways to further learning. Traditionally, high schools have been highly “siloed” with departments often working in isolation from each other with little to no coherence across the curriculum. Despite the revised NZ Curriculum being launched in 2007, over a decade and a half later the vast majority of high schools still continue to work in a traditionally siloed approach to the detriment of the education of our young people. Connected Learning Modules connect multiple ‘subjects’ to authentic ‘real-world’ contexts. Learning is co-designed with students to be powerful and transformational.
Connected Learning Module units are co-constructed, taught and assessed collaboratively by teachers from at least two curriculum learning areas in response to student needs and interests. These modules foster deep learning and student engagement, with meaningful connections across learning areas. Each module integrates a minimum of two New Zealand Curriculum Learning Areas and is taught by a team of 2-4 teachers to a group of up to 60 students, for one term.
