Technology Beacon Schools

Beacon Practice is Technology Education's biggest project to date. Its main goal is to raise the quality and effectiveness of teaching and learning in senior secondary school technology courses - and so increase student participation. It aims to build teacher capability in technology education through a focus on quality teaching, innovative environments and supportive relationships. It also aims to improve the alignment between secondary and tertiary technology education, and encourage more interaction with the ‘enterprise’ community.

Beacon Schools projects are running in the subject areas of health, technology, and the social sciences, and in a modified form in agriculture, horticulture, and physical education. As part of the Growth and Innovation Framework initiative to support the implementation of technology education in senior secondary school programmes, the Ministry of Education is engaging in a Technology Beacon Practice Project. This project will build teacher capability in technology education through a focus on quality teaching, innovative environments, and supportive relationships.

• Raising the quality and effectiveness of teaching and learning in senior secondary school/wharekura technology/hangarau courses
• increasing secondary school student participation in technology/hangarau education
• enhancing teacher capability to provide senior secondary school/wharekura technology/hangarau courses
• improving alignment between secondary and tertiary technology education
• increasing interaction with business/industry needs/vision.