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

This Standard allows students to explore how differing perspectives influence people’s viewpoints, and how these perspectives and viewpoints influence responses to contemporary social issues. A contemporary social issue refers to an issue that is currently affecting various people or places. They are often the consequence of factors beyond an individual’s control which can include historical influences. In this Standard, focus should be on the contemporary aspect of a social issue.

Studying different perspectives and viewpoints is key to Social Studies. Perspectives and viewpoints are not always directly opposed and can share similarities. This Standard encourages ākonga to understand that there are multiple ways to understand an issue. Ākonga will engage with multiple perspectives to understand how and why people have differing viewpoints on a contemporary social issue.

This Achievement Standard relates to the Significant Learning in which ākonga explore the values behind diverse perspectives between groups that underpin viewpoints and responses. Additional Significant Learning can be clustered as part of the practice of Social Studies inquiry and linked to a social issue. For example, the following Significant Learning can be clustered to explore a social issue: 

• explore how power is exerted to influence multiple aspects of society and the impact on groups and communities
• investigate the ways groups and communities are responding to challenges and opportunities related to Te Tiriti o Waitangi
• explore different views about human rights and how they are valued and applied.

Making reliable judgements

To achieve this Standard, ākonga will describe a contemporary social issue. They will also describe differing perspectives in relation to the chosen contemporary social issue and how these perspectives influence people’s viewpoints about it. Ākonga should focus on two or more people or groups to ensure a range of perspectives is captured within their description. Ākonga will also describe differing responses in relation to the perspectives on the chosen contemporary social issue and include relevant evidence in their description.

To explain perspectives on a contemporary social issue, ākonga will discuss how the differing perspectives have influenced responses to the contemporary social issue. Ākonga will clearly demonstrate this link between perspectives on the contemporary social issue and its related responses and include relevant evidence in their description. Ākonga will also discuss the impacts of the responses and use evidence to support their explanation. An impact is the direct effect of an action on individuals, groups, or places. It can be short or long term, and positive or negative.

At higher levels of achievement, ākonga will examine the implications of differing perspectives and responses on society. Implications refer to the wider consequences for society, including real and possible consequences. When examining the perspectives, ākonga will include inference and consideration of the relationship between the contemporary social issue and groups within society. At higher levels of achievement, ākonga will also use evidence to develop their explanation.

Collecting evidence

As ākonga engage with learning, kaiako will be looking and listening for evidence of:

• discussing the different perspectives and viewpoints
• making links between perspectives and viewpoints
• discussing how perspectives and viewpoints influence responses, for example, how they influenced the type of response made.

Ākonga require access to materials that cover all aspects of the assessment task. These materials may be provided by the kaiako or assessor, collected by ākonga, or a combination of both. Where ākonga collect their materials, it should be carefully monitored to ensure they have chosen materials that cover the scope of the Standard. It is suggested that the materials provided to ākonga have a range of perspectives to allow them to choose different combinations of perspectives to discuss and examine.

Possible contexts

This Standard supports opportunities to include use of te ao Māori perspectives, mātauranga Māori, and concepts related to Te Tiriti o Waitangi if appropriate to the contemporary social issue.

There is opportunity for ākonga to carry out a Social Studies inquiry prior to assessment so they can practise and receive feedback on related skills. In doing so, ākonga can engage with people and/or groups who have responded to the contemporary social issue. Ākonga can learn and practise how to engage with others in ethical and culturally sustaining ways. Engagement with people and groups can occur in different forms such as email, phone, via social media, video calls, and visits.

Examples of social issues include:

• the protection of land rights
• discrimination and bias within different institutions and systems
• attitudes to youth activism
• mining for resources
• child poverty
• access to healthcare
• the cost of housing, for example, rentals
• the rising cost of living
• gender discrimination and inequity
• participation in democratic processes
• climate change and related issues
• access to and/or cost of education.

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.