Science

Science uses the nature of science strand from The New Zealand Curriculum to teach ākonga what science is and how scientists work. Science involves generating and testing ideas and gathering evidence in order to develop knowledge, understand it, and explain it. Scientists do this by making observations, carrying out investigations and modelling, and communicating and debating with others. In this way, science, as a discipline, is practiced by every culture: it drove the journeys of the wayfinders who explored and populated the Pacific, and informed understanding of the interwoven nature of the taiao.

Students should also be able to recognise the creativity, curiosity, collaboration and other attributes of scientists. Strongly founded in evidence, scientific knowledge can change over time with new technology finding more information and with new perspectives altering how the evidence is interpreted. It is important that ākonga understand that science knowledge, and the processes by which it is derived, both evolve. Science is not a static discipline.

Scientific progress comes from logical, systematic work and creative insight, and rests on a foundation of respect for evidence. This ties in naturally with te ao Māori, which is a worldview with a broad range of scientific concepts and investigative frameworks that inform and provide a deeper understanding of the world of science. A signature contribution to our ways of thinking in Aotearoa New Zealand are the mātauranga and indigenous knowledges that enrich our views in science. In order to study Science, ākonga must first understand the importance of mātauranga Māori and indigenous Pacific knowledges to scientific endeavour. All learners can learn from indigenous knowledge systems at a time when new approaches are needed to deal with the challenges faced by all.