Analysing the responses from hundreds of people in our workshops, we found five clear "themes" that are fundamental to New Zealanders' vision for secondary education in the future.
These themes are part of the matrix - our virtual filing cabinet - which you can use to explore the information we are gathering.
Students first
This theme explores student-centred learning, what it might look like, and what it would mean for organising and delivering secondary education in the future.
Schooling moves away from a 'one size fits all' model, and places the goals, aspirations, and context of each student at the centre of delivery.
In this vision, a student's dreams and talents are pivotal and defining; students articulate and lead their learning goals.
Inspiring teachers
This theme investigates the re-definition of 'teacher', moving away from the traditional role as leaders who transfer knowledge, to mentors and guides who assist in facilitating student learning.
In this vision, more partnerships occur and teachers become more flexible, professional specialists.
Social effects
This theme explores how future secondary education can enable each student to achieve whatever outcomes are best suited to their context; who they are and where they come from.
The outcomes of secondary education are multiple and layered. Success does not refer solely to academic outcomes. 'Social' outcomes are at least as important.
In this vision, secondary education enables young people to participate, to contribute, to succeed - as citizens, as part of the economy, as members of families, or part of communities.
Community connectedness
This theme investigates how we want schooling and the community to connect in the future.
Learning is more connected to the people and places outside the immediate school environment and harnesses all the resources of the community.
In this vision, families, parents, industry, community leaders are all potential sources of knowledge, inspiration and role models who could enhance learning opportunities.
The place of technology
This theme examines what role we want technology to have in schooling.
There is no doubt that technology will be influential in the organisation of schooling, though opinions about its impact range from optimism, to deep uncertainty and fear. In this vision, young people worry that a technology-centred learning environment may come at the expense of social interaction.
Year 11 student talks about the purpose of secondary education:
"I would be running a system that relies on students being self motivated and students wanting to learn because I believe that all students can learn well and enjoy their learning if they are learning how they want to – provided they get the support they need and structure if they need it."
Tye, Employer, Dunedin talks about how secondary education can best enable young people for their futures:
"Good teachers need to be comfortable with students that disagree with them and they should actually see that as student development rather than something to be seen as a conflict or something to avoid."
Te Aroha MacIntosh Principal, Patea College discusses how learning could happen:
"We recognise the uniqueness of every learner in our school. The individuality is linked very closely to who that person is, where that person is, their identity - their cultural identity, their personal identity, the heritage from which the individual comes."
Teacher Hutt Valley talks about how learning could happen:
"High involvement from individuals/groups in the community in students learning."
Teacher, South Auckland talks about how learning could happen:
"In a small group, centred around virtual reality technology facilitated by a generalist educator who moves from 1 learning pod to another. Students progress at their own pace through interactive lessons which are attention grabbling and fun."