Overview

The Public Service Act 2020 requires government departments, including the Ministry of Education | Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga, to produce future focused long-term insights briefings every 3 years. We must consult on the topic before drafting the briefing.    

Long-term insights briefings are a statutory requirement for agencies, are developed independently of Ministers, and are not current government policy or related to current government initiatives.  

Our topic

We wish to explore how the education system (the early learning, schooling and tertiary systems) can be flexible, adaptable, and relevant to the diverse population it will serve in 10-20 years by realising the potential that technological changes offer for more personalised and tailored learning.   

Technology has always been a driver of change in the education sector, from the introduction of the printing press to the rise of online learning. Digital technology will continue to be an important influence on the education system and for learning. It will provide new opportunities across the education system.   

The impacts of digital technology, both positive and negative, may require us to rethink how we deliver education. Long-term insights briefings help us to think about the future, so we want you to look beyond what is happening now and think about what it would take for our education system to make the most out of the opportunities that technology offers in 10-20 years.   

Digital technologies cannot replace the human components of education. Outside of families and whānau, the greatest influence on students will continue to be teachers and leaders. Foundational knowledge will remain essential. Digital technologies are a tool and will not solve the education system’s problems on their own. 

Making the most out of digital technology in education

This topic is broad. New digital technologies could significantly improve students’ access to learning, shift where learning happens, how it is delivered, and enhance the role of teachers. They could support a shift to education being on-demand, engage people in learning throughout their lives, and support the relevance of the education system and its effectiveness in meeting the needs of all students in a changing world. 

We want your views on the specific opportunities and issues related to using technology for personalised and tailored learning in 10 to 20 years.

You can also read a snapshot of the societal projections, issues and trends that have informed our thinking and development of our topic.

Read the full consultation documents in English and te reo Māori and the snapshot in English.

What happens next

We will consider all feedback and use it to inform the development of our draft long-term insights briefing that we will consult on publicly in early 2025. 

If you have any questions about this consultation, email [email protected].