“Students investigate user and community needs, then design and improve outcomes through iterative testing and refinement.”
How this handout aligns
The empathy, problem-definition, prototype, and test stages map directly to design practice that values iteration rather than one-shot completion.
Best used where students need a structured process for moving from problem to prototype.
“Students evaluate how well a design responds to people, place, and purpose, and explain how feedback shapes improvement.”
How this handout aligns
The reflection and refinement sections make evaluation part of the process rather than an afterthought, helping students justify changes with purpose.
Especially useful when assessment asks students to explain why they changed a design and what those changes improved.
“Students connect innovation to community realities, local context, and responsible action rather than treating design as abstract invention.”
How this handout aligns
The user-centred and place-aware framing supports local problem solving and keeps innovation grounded in real people and contexts in Aotearoa.
Strongest when the class challenge is drawn from school, whānau, or wider community needs rather than a generic design brief.
Puna Kōrero — Sources
Ministry of Education. (2007). The New Zealand Curriculum. Learning Media.
Ministry of Education. (2021). Te Mātaiaho: The Refreshed New Zealand Curriculum. Ministry of Education.
Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand. (2021). Tātaiako: Cultural Competencies for Teachers of Māori Learners. Teaching Council.
Mātauranga Māori Lens
This curriculum companion is informed by mātauranga Māori — the holistic body of Māori knowledge, values, and practices. Kaiako are encouraged to draw connections between the content and tikanga, whanaungatanga, and students's turangawaewae (place and belonging). Te Tiriti o Waitangi principles of partnership, participation, and protection should shape how this material is introduced and discussed in the classroom.