Mātauranga Māori constitutes concepts and principles that are richly detailed, complex, and fundamental to Māoridom. It is important to remember that the practice of these are wider and more varied than their use within the proposed NCEA Achievement Standards and supporting documentation.

We also recognise that the cultures, languages, and identities of the Pacific Islands are diverse, varied, and unique. Therefore the Pacific concepts, contexts, and principles that have been incorporated within NCEA Achievement Standards may have wide-ranging understandings and applications across and within the diversity of Pacific communities. It is not our intention to define what these concepts mean but rather offer some ways that they could be understood and applied within different subjects that kaiako and students alike can explore.

The intent of the Standard

The aim of this Achievement Standard is for ākonga to demonstrate their understanding of decision-making in response to a geographic challenge. Making decisions in geography is complex. Different people may have their own needs, issues, and interests related to a geographic challenge, and different values and beliefs that inform their perspectives and viewpoints. This means that the response to the challenge may involve many considerations and may not be an easy decision. 

Perspectives and viewpoints can both be held by either an individual or a group of people. For this Achievement Standard, ākonga will look at how both perspectives and viewpoints are considered in decision-making to inform actions and responses to a geographic challenge in the wider Pacific region. In this Achievement Standard, perspectives shape our ways of looking at the world and how we make sense of it, and viewpoints are specific opinions towards a geographic challenge. For example, a perspective about building in a flood zone could be that safety should be of the highest priority in land use planning, while a viewpoint could be that no buildings should be constructed in the discussed flood zone, due to the measured hazard risk of the area. 

Ākonga will use geographic thinking and draw from the Geography kete to explore a geographic challenge and the decision-making in response to it. Evaluating decision-making in geography involves evaluating the extent to which perspectives and viewpoints inform it. 

Being able to do this supports ākonga to engage in effective and collaborative decision-making in their own communities. They will also be able to think critically about decisions made by other people. 

The Achievement Standard’s focus on a geographic challenge in the wider Pacific region means that ākonga should explore an appropriate concept or value informing perspectives and viewpoints about the challenge. This concept or value relates to decision-making, allowing for a deeper understanding and respect for those involved in the decision-making. In this Achievement Standard, the wider Pacific region refers to Micronesia, Melanesia, and Polynesia, including Aotearoa New Zealand. 

The teaching and learning for this Achievement Standard will prepare ākonga to make decisions using geographic thinking. This includes a range of aspects, such as: 

• asking geographic questions 
• collecting geographic information, including perspectives and viewpoints 
• analysing geographic information 
• evaluating alternatives 
• making a decision. 

It can be part of a unit of learning that draws on the following Significant Learning: 

• explore impacts of people within te taiao and consider the consequences of them 
• recognise that diverse perspectives influence decision-making 

explore how power can shape decision-making for te taiao. 

Making reliable judgements

Ākonga will describe a geographic challenge and perspectives and viewpoints considered in decision-making in response to it. At higher levels of understanding, ākonga will explain the geographic challenge, and explain how perspectives and viewpoints are considered in the decision-making. 

Ākonga who show a deeper understanding of this Achievement Standard will be able to evaluate the extent to which perspectives and viewpoints inform decisions made in response to a geographic challenge. 

Ākonga will also be assessed on their ability to include relevant evidence and geographic terminology. Deeper understanding of this Achievement Standard will be demonstrated by their ability to use evidence and geographic terminology effectively, to support and develop their explanation. Kaiako should include geographic terminology in the teaching and learning programme so that ākonga can use these terms correctly. 

Collecting evidence

Refer to the External Assessment Specifications for further information. 

Possible contexts

The context for the geographic challenge is the wider Pacific region. The wider Pacific region refers to Micronesia, Melanesia, and Polynesia, including Aotearoa New Zealand. Ākonga can engage with geographic challenges throughout the year to prepare for assessment. Significant Learning can be linked to a geographic challenge and provide a context for exploration. By weaving this learning throughout the year, there is the opportunity for ākonga to use tools from the Geography kete, such as GIS, and have engagement with stakeholders. In an Aotearoa New Zealand context, there is the opportunity for ākonga to engage with Te Tiriti o Waitangi partners, including iwi, hapū, and whānau. 

Kaiako are encouraged to support ākonga to understand perspectives and viewpoints and explore decision-making processes throughout the year within the wider Pacific context. Ākonga can also explore values and beliefs related to the perspectives and viewpoints. For example, they might learn about kaitiakitanga in an appropriate Aotearoa New Zealand context, or vā in an appropriate Pacific context. There is the opportunity for ākonga to explore local geographic challenges that matter to them and their communities. 

Standard Exclusions

This Standard has one or more exclusions, or Standards that assess the same or similar learning. These Standards are excluded against one another to prevent assessing the same learning twice. You can only use credits gained from one of these standards towards your NCEA qualification.

Find out more about the NCEA Level 1 Exclusions List.

Literacy and Numeracy Requirements

This Achievement Standard has been approved for literacy in the transition period (2024-2027). 

Full information on the co-requisite during the transition period: Standards approved for NCEA Co-requisite during the transition period (2024-2027).