The National Technology Professional Development Team

Cliff Harwood

National NCEA Technology Coordinator
Email c.d.harwood@mohsl.co.nz
Mobile 027 430 3324

Cliff Harwood is the National NCEA Coordinator appointed by the Ministry of Education to support professional development in Technology this year.

Cliff is in his fifth year in his contracted position of National Technology Professional Development Manager. Before this, he was a Technology adviser and the Secondary Schools Professional Development Coordinator at the Centre for Educational Development in Massey University's College of Education. He is an experienced teacher, previously heading the Graphics and Technology Department at Awatapu College, Palmerston North for 15 years.

In a recent Education Gazette article Cliff talks about the three curriculum strands in the Technology curriculum in The New Zealand Curriculum 2007 (NZC) – Technological Practice, Technological Knowledge and the Nature of Technology. "Teachers have had to make significant changes to their teaching and learning programmes to incorporate these strands, to ensure alignment with the principles, vision, values and key competencies of the NZC, and to make sure students are provided with rich learning contexts that build upon their current knowledge, skills and competencies in and about Technology."

Cliff says the achievement standards, developed for Technology as a part of the Curriculum Alignment Project, have introduced a complete new suite of standards for teachers to use to credential students with NCEA qualifications. "While these standards have great alignment to the learning area of Technology, their flexibility in use is providing challenges for teachers as they align them with their teaching programmes," he says.

Lesley Pearce

National Technology Professional Development Facilitator
Email l.pearce@auckland.ac.nz
Mobile 027 249 7966
Telephone 09 623 8880
Wiki www.technceats.wikispaces.com

Lesley joined Team Solutions as a Technology and Graphics Facilitator in 2009. She came to New Zealand from England having taught art and Technology. For the last 17 years, Lesley has taught in New Zealand, including 12 years as HoD at Diocesan School for Girls and Takapuna Grammar School. She has worked in a variety of Ministry and NZQA initiatives and has convened and presented at conferences for both Graphics and Technology. Lesley is widely recognised for her passion and enthusiasm in engaging students in their own learning.

As a member of the National Technology PD Team, Lesley will support School Support Service Technology advisers' provision of professional development to middle school leaders and teachers in the NCEA and Technology curriculum. This will see her contributing expert input into teacher cluster groups and workshops as well as being available to provide online support. Integrating literacy and numeracy strategies into the teaching of Technology, alongside improving the achievement outcomes of Māori and Pasifika students in Technology education will be a focus for Lesley working with middle leaders. She will also work with teachers to develop resources for Design and Visual Communication Technology that can be published on the Techlink website.

"By providing consistent messages we can build a community of practice nationally that is based on a shared professional understanding of the improved alignment of NCEA and NZC in schools' teaching and learning programmes," Lesley says. "The changes are an opportunity for all teachers to work collaboratively and discover new learning opportunities and connections not only in the area of Technology but across other learning areas. The end goal has to be to improve student learning and achievement through effective pedagogy and assessment practices"

Cheryl Pym

National Technology Professional Development Facilitator
Senior Curriculum Adviser - Secondary
Email cheryl.pym@otago.ac.nz
Phone 03-211 6832
Fax 03-216 1399
Mobile 021 190 1317
www.otago.ac.nz/education

Cheryl joined Education Support Services at Dunedin College of Education in 2002 and was appointed to a full time position as a Technology and Home Economics adviser in 2003. The College of Education is now part of Otago University
She came to New Zealand from Melbourne where she trained in Food and Textile Sciences and Human development and taught a wide range of these subjects during her 22 years in the classroom in a Year 7-13 context.

She has worked in a variety of Ministry and NZQA initiatives in both Home Economics and Technology such as assessment, standards writing; Beacon Schools projects and is currently the convenor of TENZ 2011 Conference and a member of TENZ council.

As a member of the National Technology PD Team, Cheryl's portfolio is in Food and Textiles Technology will support School Support Service Technology advisers' provision of professional development to middle school leaders and teachers in the NCEA and Technology curriculum. Working with middle leaders and lead teachers, Cheryl will link the elements of effective pedagogy, literacy strategies and realising Māori student potential within the context of effective teaching and learning, both generically and in content specific workshops.

Malcolm Howard

National Technology Professional Development Facilitator
Email mhoward@waikato.ac.nz

Malcolm joined School Support Services at the University of Waikato as a Technology Adviser in 2009. Prior to that Malcolm had been Head of the Technology Faculty at Katikati College since 1995. He has worked in a variety of Ministry and NZQA Technology initiatives and has presented at conferences for both Technology and Digital Technologies. He received a Royal Society of New Zealand Science, Mathematics and Technology Fellowship in 2004 and was lead teacher in the Kapiti College/Hillcrest High School Beacon Practice cluster from 2005 to 2007. He was a teacher representative on the GIF Technology Education Reference Group from 2004 to 2008 and served as TENZ Waikato/BOP regional chair in 2009/2010

As a member of the National Technology PD Team, Malcolm will support School Support Service Technology advisers' provision of professional development to middle school leaders and teachers in the NCEA and Technology curriculum. This will see him contributing expert input into teacher cluster groups and workshops as well as being available to provide online support. Integrating literacy and numeracy strategies into the teaching of Technology, alongside improving the achievement outcomes of Māori and Pasifika students in Technology education will be a focus for Malcolm working with middle leaders. He will also work with teachers to develop resources for Digital Technologies that can be published on the Techlink website.

"My aim is to help teachers in a practical and pragmatic way as they deal with a period of considerable change," saysMalcolm. "Many teachers in the Digital Technologies area are dealing with a new way of assessment using achievement standards from the Technology matrix at the same time as they are coming to terms with the Technology achievement objectives in the NZC."

"Digital Technologies is a diverse area and I don't claim to be an expert in everything from digital media to electronics. What I will do is look to work cooperatively with other recognised experts in the Digital Technologies field to provide the best support possible for teachers of Digital Technologies".

Paul Neveldsen

National Technology Professional Development Facilitator
Team Solutions, University of Auckland
Email: p.neveldsen@auckland.ac.nz
Mobile: 027 554 4641

As a member of the National Technology PD Team, Paul will be providing specialist support to Years 7-8 Technology teachers.