TMoA Knowledge Rich Videos

These videos explain a knowledge-rich curriculum in the Māori medium context.

This video shows how curriculum thinking in Aotearoa New Zealand has shifted over time, particularly in Māori‑medium education, from content‑focused approaches to prioritising pedagogy and flexibility. It reflects how this shift made explicit knowledge less visible and what that has meant for teaching and learning. 

This video explains a knowledge‑rich curriculum as a rebalancing of knowledge and pedagogy that complements, rather than replaces, kaupapa Māori approaches. It highlights how sequenced, cumulative knowledge supports academic reo Māori and invites schools, whānau, and communities to support its implementation together. 

This video explains that a knowledge‑rich curriculum combines clearly specified knowledge (“know that”) with the capabilities it enables (“can do”). It argues that making knowledge explicit is essential for cumulative learning, academic reo Māori, and equitable access to deep understanding. 

This video explains that rich knowledge is knowledge learners deeply understand, connect, and use, rather than simply look up. It shows how such knowledge supports pattern recognition, transfer of learning, and capability. 

This video links a knowledge‑rich curriculum to research and Indigenous perspectives, explaining how explicit, structured knowledge – including mātauranga Māori – supports equity and cumulative learning. It shows how this approach balances shared core knowledge with space for local iwi knowledge.

This video is a full compilation of all parts.  

A knowledge-rich curriculum is a proven driver of improved learning and greater equity across education systems. Research shows that clearly specifying the essential knowledge all students should learn strengthens teaching practice, lifts performance, and helps reduce disparities. By aligning curriculum design with evidence about how students learn, education systems can make meaningful progress toward achieving high-quality, equitable outcomes.

In 2025, we commissioned a literature review to inform the development of our knowledge-rich national curriculum. See the link to read this review.