Using a Te Ao Māori approach
to frame the new digital strategy for the Ministry of Education

To help guide the Digital and Data for Learning Strategy for education agencies, the Connected Ako team at the Ministry of Education were charged with developing a 10-year Digital and Data for Learning Strategy for the whole Education Sector.

With the basic framework and pillars in place, the team at MoE briefed us on developing a storytelling framework. It needed to be embedded in te ao Māori, and bring the strategy together in a way that was both distinct and ownable.

The presentation needed to work as a single page snapshot that provided all audiences with a clear visual summary of the strategy. Language played a key part of our visual approach. We worked together to simplify the language, ensuring it remained meaningful, while making it accessible so our audiences could understand the strategy at a glance.

In addition, we created a series of key elements and visual assets that have been incorporated into the Ministry of Education's image library for the team to use.

To ensure success, we established a strong conceptual framework for the visual representation of the strategy. Working with our Māori Advisor Randal Leach (Ngāti Porou, deputy principal at Te Kura O Te Koutu and an accomplished visual artist), we created the interpretation of ‘Te Puna o te Whakaaro’, or ‘The Wellspring of Thought’.

Visually, this whakatauāki speaks of the wellspring as the core source of digital innovation, technology and connection. Ripples surrounding the wellspring represent ako and the reciprocal flow of digital knowledge and learning between teachers, learners and the wider community.

Communicating an organisational strategy can be challenging, especially when it involves six different themes developed through extensive engagement with key stakeholders. To add integrity, increase understanding and get buy-in of each theme, MoE researched evidence-based case studies that showcased Connected Ako in action. By creating a video series of six - eight of these stories, we helped bring each theme to life.

Vital to the process of creating the Connected Ako video series was the importance that all participants felt safe and respected when sharing their stories, while also honouring their kaupapa.

Together with the MoE team, we met with our talent participants through a number of preproduction hui. We got to know them, making sure they understood the ambitions of the project, unpacking the best way to illustrate their part in the story, and coaching them on how they would share their story.

We wanted to capture each story in a natural manner due to the community nature of the stories. With our talent being 'real' people, we knew generating a script wouldn't work, so participants were sent a set of carefully curated questions that would allow them to tell their story in their own words.

With our production partner Kaboose media, our off-camera interview style meant we were able to collect the most natural responses from our talent, while gathering b-roll footage throughout. The final step was where the magic happened; editing each narrative to flow naturally, enhanced by the b-roll, with the key strategic themes woven throughout.

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Can te ao Māori impact a digital world to create a special space for deaf learners? 5:30

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How does building teachers’ digital skills spark imagination in learners? 4:20

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How can data identify learners in need of support? 5:20

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Can families with stronger digital skills better support their children’s education? 4:20

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Can learning to drive in a virtual world make young Kiwis safer drivers? 4:30

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How is learning with technology expanding enquiring young minds? 3:40

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Can collaboration using technology transform learning and opportunities for young people? 4:50
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Our collaboration with MoE successfully brought the strong foundation of the Connected Ako strategy to life, in an authentic, evocative and approachable way. The visual storytelling of the strategy, supported by the suite of Connected Ako video's showcasing its strategic themes, enabled MoE and the education sector to readily understand and adopt all components of the Digital and Data for Learning Strategy.