Te Kete Ako

Unit 4: Economic Justice & Rangatiratanga

Alternative Economic Models & Community Prosperity

U Unit Overview
1 Economic Foundations
2 Environmental Kaitiakitanga
3 Cultural Mathematics
4 Technology & Innovation
5 Community Science

Unit 4, Lesson 4: Technology & Innovation

Design sprints grounded in mātauranga Māori and regenerative futures

🌅 Karakia & Innovation Spotlight (10 mins)

Open with “Tūtawa mai i runga” to centre collective purpose. Invite ākonga to share one innovation that serves their whānau or hapori (could be as simple as a food-growing hack or whānau app). Capture ideas on a living wall for reference throughout the sprint.

Whakataukī Focus: “Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi, engari he toa takitini.” — Innovation is a collective act of rangatiratanga.

📖 Lesson Overview

Ākonga investigate Māori-led innovations, analyse how technology can uphold kaitiakitanga, and run a co-design sprint. They use data to justify mana-driven decisions, prototype solutions, and communicate impacts through digital storytelling.

Learning intentions:

  • Evaluate how Indigenous innovation solves economic and environmental challenges.
  • Design a technology concept that honours mātauranga Māori and sustainability metrics.
  • Communicate the impact of an innovation using data, narrative, and visual design.

Success criteria (ākonga can…):

  • Link design decisions to tikanga, kaitiakitanga, and whānau aspirations.
  • Use data (energy savings, waste reduction, cost per whānau) to justify choices.
  • Prototype and pitch a solution with clear next steps for community collaboration.

Enrichment Challenge: Extend the pitch into an AR storyboard or short documentary that could be shared with local mana whenua stakeholders.

🧭 Learning Journey

  1. Phase 1 – Innovation Observatory: analyse Māori-led case studies and extract design principles.
  2. Phase 2 – Co-Design Sprint: use the Sustainable Technology canvas and impact estimator to map ideas.
  3. Phase 3 – Prototype & Test: build rapid prototypes, gather peer feedback, iterate.
  4. Phase 4 – Reflection & Pānui: capture insights in My Kete and prepare a whānau-ready update.

🔍 Phase 1: Innovation Observatory (20 mins)

Set up gallery walks or breakout stations using the cards below. Each group records the problem, tikanga principles, technology used, and measurable outcomes.

Wai Māori Sensors – Tūhoe

Digital sensors built with iwi partners to monitor awa health. Data dashboards help hapori decide when to harvest and when to heal waterways.

Focus: Environmental Tech

Solar Papakāinga – Te Arawa

Off-grid housing cluster combining solar, battery storage, and communal gardens. Technology supports whānau resilience during power outages.

Focus: Energy Sovereignty

Whakapapa App – Rangatahi Collective

A bilingual platform that maps whānau connections, events, and cultural knowledge with robust data sovereignty protocols.

Focus: Digital Whanaungatanga

Regenerative Kai Hubs – Ngāi Tahu

Hydroponic systems and AI crop monitoring producing kai year-round, managed collectively with profit-sharing models.

Focus: Food Systems
Design Principles Observed
Principle How it shows up in case studies Questions for our sprint
Manaakitanga Community training, shared ownership, whānau wellbeing metrics. Who benefits? How do we ensure equitable access?
Kaitiakitanga Real-time monitoring of awa and whenua; renewable energy adoption. What resources are we protecting? What data proves it?
Rangatiratanga Data sovereignty agreements, Indigenous IP clauses. Who governs the tech? How do we uphold tino rangatiratanga?
Whanaungatanga Collaborative design with iwi/hapū, intergenerational teaching. Which partners or elders must we include?

🛠️ Phase 2: Co-Design Sprint (30 mins)

Groups choose a local challenge (waste, energy, kai, transport) and work through the Sustainable Technology Design Challenge canvas plus Ecosystem Poster Template.

Impact Profile: Balanced Innovator

Overall Score: 0 / 20

Adjust the sliders to see how your idea’s profile changes.

Teacher moves: Conference with each group, probing for evidence and cultural integrity. Encourage ākonga to document decisions in their My Kete folders.

🧪 Phase 3: Prototype, Test, Iterate (25 mins)

Rapid Prototype (15 mins)

  • Create a physical storyboard, low-fidelity model, or digital wireframe using Figma or slides.
  • Annotate where tikanga is reflected (colour coding, audio prompts, language choices).

Feedback Carousel (10 mins)

Rotate groups. Each visitor leaves two comments: “Uplifts…” and “Strengthen by…”. Teams prioritise one change to implement before the next session.

🧺 Phase 4: Reflection & Whānau Pānui (10 mins)

  • My Kete Upload: Add a photo/video of the prototype plus 3 bullet insights.
  • Pānui Draft: Write a whānau update introducing the challenge, concept, and request for community feedback.
  • Forward Link: Preview that Lesson 5 will turn data + prototypes into a community science expo.

📋 Curriculum Connections & Assessment

Te Mātaiaho: Technology Phase 3–4 (design processes, technological modelling) | Social Sciences (economies & resources) | Mathematics (statistical investigation for impact metrics).

NZC Links: Technology curriculum strands (Nature of Technology, Technological Practice, Technological Knowledge) with strong integration of Social Sciences & Mathematics Level 4–5.

Assessment opportunities:

  • Canvas reflections & impact estimator exports (formative).
  • Prototype pitch + whānau pānui (summative artefact for unit portfolio).
  • Self-assessment using innovation rubric (tikanga alignment, impact, feasibility).

Resource pack: