AUT
Teacher Education
"Empowering graduates to make a difference in communities"
Programme Overview
Auckland University of Technology (AUT) offers the Bachelor of Education (Teaching) with specialisations in Early Childhood Education, Primary Teaching, and to a more limited extent, secondary pathways. AUT's teacher education is particularly distinguished by its deep connections to Auckland's Pacific Island communities and its commitment to Māori and Pasifika student success at tertiary level.
AUT occupies a unique position in Auckland's ITE landscape: less research-intensive than UoA but more practice-oriented and community-embedded, with a student population that reflects the extraordinary cultural diversity of Auckland — particularly its South and West Auckland Pacific communities.
Pacific community connection: AUT has some of the strongest institutional connections to Samoan, Tongan, Niuean, Cook Island, and Fijian communities in Auckland — and actively recruits Pacific teachers. Many graduates go on to teach in Pacific medium or bilingual programmes.
Māori and Pasifika Student Support
AUT's dedicated Māori and Pasifika student support infrastructure is among the most robust in the Auckland tertiary sector. The Faculty of Design and Creative Technologies works alongside Te Ara Poutama (AUT's Māori Centre) and Ngā Wāhi Āwhina (Pacific support services) to ensure:
- Cultural mentoring and academic support throughout the programme
- Connections to whānau and community networks in the teaching profession
- Scholarships and financial support targeted at Māori and Pacific students entering teaching
- Te reo Māori and Pacific language support within coursework
Digital Pedagogy Focus
AUT's alignment with its broader institutional identity as a technology-forward university is evident in teacher education. Students engage with digital tools, learning management systems, and digital citizenship education in ways that reflect contemporary classroom realities. This includes:
- Educational technology integration across curriculum areas
- Digital citizenship and online safety education
- Computational thinking and coding for primary teachers
- Blended and hybrid learning design principles
Ideal If You...
- Want to teach in ECE or primary school settings
- Are Pacific or want to work in Pacific-medium or bilingual settings
- Are based in Auckland and want strong community connections in your training
- Are interested in digital pedagogy and technology-integrated teaching
- Want a more practice-oriented programme with strong community embedding
Mātauranga Māori Lens
AUT has a strong commitment to Pacific and Māori communities. Its ITE programmes engage with mātauranga Māori, tikanga, and whanaungatanga as core professional dispositions — not elective additions. Graduates are expected to enact hauora-focused, culturally sustaining pedagogy in urban and Pacific school contexts.
Puna Kōrero — Sources
Auckland University of Technology (AUT). (2024). Bachelor of Education (Teaching) — Programme Overview. Auckland: AUT.
Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand. (2019). Our Code, Our Standards. Wellington: Teaching Council.
Tātaiako: Cultural Competencies for Teachers of Māori Learners. (2011). Wellington: Ministry of Education & New Zealand Teachers Council.