Primary school technology curriculum’s computational thinking

This article unpacks the computational thinking for digital technologies (CTDT) technological area of the New Zealand primary curriculum that became mandatory in 2020. It explores computational thinking (CT), its place in the New Zealand primary curriculum, and elements kaiako can utilise to help implement the teaching of CT. The article considers teaching CTDT through unplugged (without a device) activities, pedagogy, and contexts that reflect the worldviews of ākonga, with associated activities suggested. Furthermore, this article draws on several research projects where teachers implemented CTDT skills in their classrooms and explored unplugged concepts. It is envisioned that this article will change teachers’ perceptions of teaching CTDT; from an unattainable set of specialist (digital) skills, to a set of day-to-day problem-solving techniques (applied to both unplugged and later-on-device contexts), and will support educators in understanding and implementing CTDT.