The Briefing | Issue No. 3 - Bay Science
- 22 hours ago
- 6 min read
Rātapu 22 o Hui-tanguru 2026
Kia ora koutou
Last week, we shared that Dr. Rosemary Hipkins released a new title Lifelong Learning for a Post-Truth World. We're very excited to also share that Bay of Plenty local Whaea Tania Jackson was quoted in one of the chapters.
In other news, you may have noticed that NZEI has expressed concern over TMoA's shorter consultation period compared to NZC. On a similar note, Claire Coleman has launched an open petition to extend the consultation period -- in our last newsletter, almost three quarters of readers voted that the science curriculum changes felt too fast!
Ngā manaakitanga,
Bay Science
GENERAL NEWS
Predator Free Bay of Plenty is running a trap logging competition; and there are prizes up for grabs.
The Avatar Moth has won the 2026 Bug of the Year.
From Brazil to Mount Maunganui tells the tell of local Pāpāmoa resident Juliana Carvalho following our recent severe weather events (Auckland Climate Action)
Due to recent weather events, Big Butterfly Count has been extended to 27th February (Moths and Butterflies NZ Trust Facebook)
Melvin is looking to form a spearhead group of like-minded educators to modernise teacher education by attracting experienced tradespeople into short-term teaching roles and embedding meaningful VET and project-based apprenticeships in high schools. He is keen to collaborate: melvindinn@gmail.com
EVENT FORECAST
Our full calendar is available here.
Feb 24 - NASA Make the Impossible, Possible - UoW Tauranga.
Feb 24 - Capital City Complex Systems Symposium, Wellington.
Feb 24 - 28: [South Is.] Mighty Indeed Film Screening; the tale of three remarkable women and the world they do in Antarctica.
Feb 25 - Unpacking the Arts Curriculum, by Aotearoa Educators Collective. Secondary science educators may be more interested in their first webinar about the science curriculum here.
Feb 25 - DayBreak - Festival of Innovation 2026 UoW Tauranga Campus.
Feb 26 - Karioi Project (Raglan) Detox Day. Help clear any leftover toxins in our bait station network
Feb 28 - Wilde Weeds Workshop (Giggles Te Puke Early Learning Centre)
Feb 28, Mar 1 - Rongoa Maori 1 (Option 2, Tauranga) by Titoki Education
Mar 1 - Moturiki Island Clean-Up.
Mar 1 - Edible Backyard Safari (Grown on Katikati).
Mar 1 - Childrens Day Rotorua.
Mar 4 - Mātauranga Māori in Outdoor Education (Motueka Wananga)
Mar 4 - Superheroes in Marine Restoration (Envirohub BoP and Sutainable Backyards).
Mar 5 - Envirohub Rotorua: Deflated but Elevated: Upcycled Bag Workshop
Mar 5 - Kororā Bowentown Bays Clean (Envirohub Western BoP)
Mar 5 - Tauranga Moana Biosecurity Capital Partners Forum Seaweek 2026
Mar 5 - Mushroom Cultivation Workshop (Sustainable Backyards Tauranga)
Mar 5 - Composting Workshop (Whakatane)
Mar 6 - Envirohub BoP Clothes Swap at Blackbird Records
Mar 6 - Rotorua Sustainable Backyards Garden Tea Party
Mar 7 - Envirohub BoP Penguin Parade Charity Waddle
Mar 7 - Gateway to Guardianship - Te Kūaha o Kaitiakitanga (Wingspan)
Mar 8 - Seed Saving Workshop (Whakatane, Envirohub BoP).
Mar 8 - Open Garden - Lux Organics (Sustainable Backyards BoP).
CONFERENCE WATCHLIST
2026 NZ Bird Conference (May 30 - Jun 1)
Science Communicators of Aotearoa NZ Conference (Jun 24-26)
ASERA 2026 (Australasian Science Education Research Association) takes place in Brisbane (30 June - 3 July).
UpliftEd by Aotearoa Educators Collective (July 8-9)
NZ Plant Conservation Network conference (Oct 12-15)
New Zealand Association of Environmental Education Conference (Sept-Oct holidays; planning in progress).
Chem-Ed Biolive by SCENZ and BEANZ (Nov 18-20)
RESOURCES
More resources have been added to the directory. Note, our directory only saves free resources which do not require a sign-up/login.
'The art of the periodic table' provides a brief account of how the Periodic Table has evolved over time.
Conservation education resources from the Department of Conservation Te Papa Atawhai.
Minerals of a Smartphone is a printable poster from the Geological Society UK. Could be useful for exploring the intersection of Earth Science and Chemistry.
Scale of the Universe is an interactive which helps to visualise the sizes of various objects/phenomena.
Whio Forever Education Resource from the Department of Conservation is an integrated curriculum teaching and learning resource with the whio/blue duck as the real life context for learning.
The Royal Society of Chemistry has an interactive periodic table which includes the history, uses and properties of each element.
Science Resource Box has a range of dissection products, living organisms and rock samples which can be ordered.
RANGATAHI OPPORTUNITIES
Innovative Young Minds (IYM) has a STEM Programme for Year 11-12 girls. IYM is a not-for-profit initiative; three options available - online, residiential and anytime.
Scholarship Biology: Alison Campbell has shared that this will be her final year running the Scholarship Biology online workshops. If anyone is interested in taking on this role, she is open to sharing her resources and having a korero over what is involved. A quick reminder for students trying to join the Scholarship Biology page that they need to answer the membership question.
Reminder: get registered for Te Tūkohu Ngāwhā!
KAIAKO OPPORTUNITIES
Nominations for the new Royal Society Te Apārangi Teaching Excellence Award (STEM) are now open. Closes March 31st; not to be confused with the Prime Minister's Science Teacher Prize.
Applications are now open for the Auckland Zoo Secondary Teacher Professional Development programme.
The Tauranga Innovative Education Summit is returning this year on 12 June 2026.
Steam-Ed Tauranga is looking for a new Teaching Assistant to join their team (Facebook).
EDUCATION ASSOCIATION UPDATES
Detailed updates available here. Summary below.
NZASE: Lian, the BOP Regional Contact for NZASE, has asked the president to join He Rau Ringa (the joint subject associations of New Zealand). Lian has also suggested that the NZASE president determine whether or not the Pūtaiao curriculum is a direct translation of NZC -- the implication being that our national science associations must carefully consider and remember it's understanding of, and obligations to, Te Tiriti when making suggestions related to the draft NZC.
HATA: Aquaculture New Zealand has a new careers page. You'll also notice that their website has links to Instagram videos which they are hoping can be shared with students who are interested in marine science, sustainability and the blue economy. Any questions or queries should go to Kirsten Norfield at Aquaculture New Zealand (kirsten.norfield@aquaculture.org.nz),
Pāmu has a range of apprenticeship schemes on offer.
AEC: Join Shamubeel Eaqub and Stephen Lethbridge as they unpack the economic story of education in Aotearoa.
SCIENCE CURRICULUM
A public change.org poll is live to extend the consultation period on the draft curriculum.
'Impossible deadline': Union questions shorter consultation period for Māori curriculum (RNZ)
In November 2025, Bay Science invited the community to share initial impressions of the draft science curriculum. In our previous issue of The Briefing, we invited readers to view our early summary and to also consider adding any additional thoughts before the survey closed. Our final "Initial Impressions" findings has now been published. Detailed and specific feedback is now being sought -- keep an eye on your inbox.
Reminder: Feedback on the draft science curriculum Y0-10 is due on April 24th.
Reminder: Science Learning Kits from MoE are also available with the opportunity for feedback.
NCEA
As we await Phase 5 and the future of NCEA, a member of Bay Science has reminded us that the OECD Education and Skills published a webinar which elaborates on the purpose of high stakes exams and assessment. Bay Science has shared the webinar with He Rau Ringa and Aotearoa Educators Collective.
PIVOTAL PERSPECTIVES
Readings and talks which may be relevant to us; commentaries and research relevant to science education and curriculum reform.
You might remember Professor Chris Eames for his NZASE Climate Change webinars, from his work on Agency in the Anthropocene, the PISA 2029 Climate Literacy Framework, or for his talk with Aotearoa Educators Collective. On Tuesday 24th of March, Chris is delivering a free public lecture in Hamilton: Can we educate our way out of the climate crisis?
Extra-curricular activities are linked to stronger social and emotional skills among young people, according to new OECD research (OECD).
How to balance teacher autonomy with coherence across classrooms? (OECD, Andreas Schleicher)
The science influencers going viral on TikTok to fight misinformation (Nature)
Expert Feature: What happens to all that space junk? (RNZ)
Our Changing World: Science for future fashion (RNZ); some inspiration for matter cycling?
Should the Nature of Science be explicitly taught in the science curriculum?
0%Yes
0%No
0%Not sure
Findings from previous informal polls
55% of readers are not trialling or implementing the draft science curriculum, in Term 1 2026 [22/02/26]
90% of readers would like General Science to be a subject in Year 12 and 13 [22/02/26]
85% of readers have major concerns about the draft science learning area [22/02/26]
73% of readers think that the pace of the science curriculum changes feels too fast [22/2/26]
The Briefing is Bay Science’s regular newsletter for anyone interested in science education. While grounded in the Bay of Plenty rohe, we occasionally share developments from beyond the Bay to empower kaiako to connect more widely and to invite collaboration with organisations who want to engage with our growing, connected community. While our website shares updates as we become aware of them; The Briefing brings these together into the inboxes of readers who prefer a more periodic roundup. Subscribe below. |
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