From AI helpers to microlearning, finding new ways to engage, inspire and teach your students next year. Pages 6 and 7 How will you be teaching in the class of 2026? Could your school library save you money? Page 4 Using AI in teaching and how Kiwi educators rate. Page 9 Meet our awesome Student Minecraft Competition winners. Page 3
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NEW ZEALAND INTERFACE™
(ISSN 1177-973X) is published four times a year by G MEDIA PUBLISHING LIMITED
© G MEDIA PUBLISHING LIMITED 2025. Editorial opinions are not necessarily those of the publisher. We do not endorse or accept responsibility for any third party featured in this publication, unless stated otherwise.
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Not long now until the end of another school year. We’ve enjoyed being part of your digital journey and are already looking ahead to 2026. What’s next for digital education? No doubt AI will continue to play a significant (and probably increasing) part. Maybe coding and robotics, STEM or even trying your hand at some esports? Whatever it is, rest assured that we’ll be right there with you, supporting and inspiring the use of digital technology in your teaching.
Looking ahead, don’t miss INTERFACE Xpo 2026; registrations open in late January. Also, keep an eye out for our regular e-newsletters in your inbox and the next issue of INTERFACE in early March.
Best wishes for the remainder of the term and here’s to a happy and enjoyable holiday from everyone at INTERFACE
INTERFACE OFFICE CLOSED: Please note, our administration, distribution and accounts team will be on holiday from Friday 5 December to Tuesday 27 January.
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Thanks to everyone who entered our recent reader competition – and congratulations to our winners.
With a nod to the storage past, the pack of six Retro Floppy Disk Coasters are on their way to Kelly Bleackley, Patea Area School, Taranaki. Plus, in for some nostalgic notetaking with the Vintage Computer Sticky Note Paper Pads will be Emma McClutchie, Plimmerton School, Porirua, Owen Martin, Timaru Boys’ High School, South Canterbury, and Debra Gould, Owhata School, Rotorua.
There were two Portable Magnetic Phone Stands for Laptop up for grabs. These are on their way to Monique Marquet, Renwick Primary School, Marlborough and Rick de Kock, Pukekohe Hill School, Auckland. Lastly, finding out how her charging cables are performing will be Margarita Thompson, Glenfield Intermediate, Auckland, with a handy Compact USB Cable Tester Board.
In this issue, we’re giving away more great prizes. Be in to win at interfaceonline.co.nz/competitions/
Thanks to everyone who entered this year’s INTERFACE Student Minecraft Competition, in association with the Marine Stewardship Council. The challenge was to build an environment that protects fish, keeps fishing sustainable and ensures clean and pollution-free seas that are full of marine life. We were blown away by your ideas, creativity and building skills. Congratulations to this year’s magnificent Minecrafters.
Primary (Years 1-6)
Winner Shell Sunlight Fishing Village, Rowan Patterson, Home School
Second Sustainable Seas Project, Wyatt Awarangi, Te Ahuwai Bromley School, Christchurch
Third Madi’s Sustainable Fishery, Madison McDonald, Whakarongo School, Palmerston North
Intermediate (Years 7-8)
Winner Sustainable Fishing World, Sylas Tairi, Totara School, Oamaru
Second Baxter’s World, Baxter Staples and Will Hardy, Hereworth School, Havelock North
Third Moeraki: Guardians of the Sea, Loki Che, Auckland Normal Intermediate school, Auckland
Secondary (Years 9+)
Winner Coral and Krill Marine Life, Adrian Te Kura, Sam Andrewartha, Conner Brunt, and Izayah Apiata, Wairarapa College, Masterton
Second Project Ocean, Iynah Jung, Annie Liu, Katie McDowall, and Atasha Juanillo, Carmel College, Auckland
Third Minecraft Seas, Jimmy Phillips, Anna Zou and Hunter Jeffrey, Okaihau College, Northland
Many schools throughout New Zealand already use and pay for Accessit Library in their library. So, if you’ve got it, let’s look at how you can get more out of what you’re already paying for while also protecting what you have.
Just when you thought your school library couldn’t get any better, Accessit Library has got the zingers that will save your school budget, your audit, your IT team time, and you from headaches.
Don’t be phased by the ‘Library’ in Accessit Library. While we are passionate readers and lovers of books, like any good librarians, we also love to manage resources. We know teachers need learning and resource kits in classrooms, we know the Chromebooks are not really being loaned out just for the day, and we also know that the sports uniforms will be kept and worn over the holidays if we don’t know who has them.
We can help manage this and save any audit dramas, while also helping you be more strategic with budgets.
So, let’s keep it simple – how can we help you get more out of your library software investment?
1 Help Staff Manage Their Departmental Resources
How many devices, uniforms, and instruments do you lose each year? Let’s get you setup to help staff manage their own department resources in Accessit, by issuing and returning resources with their mobile phone or tablet. It won’t interfere with the library, but you’ll thank your librarian for having Accessit. In short using the Accessit mobile app:
• Can allow staff to manage their own department resources anywhere around school
• Keep track of more resources and decreases lost or written off assets
• Links with automatic notification to students and/or parents of upcoming returns or overdues thanks to our Student Management System automated syncing of data.
2 Save Money By Tracking Assets Better
Don’t pay for an asset management platform if you don’t need it, but you also
need to move beyond excel spreadsheets. If your school has Accessit you can use it to track more than library assets. Even if you’re not doing point #1 above, you can use Accessit to:
• Catalogue your assets
• Run depreciation reports
• Have a securely backed up record of your paid and replacement costs (if cloud-hosted)
3 Protect Data While Saving Money on IT Infrastructure
Maybe you have an IT savant running your IT department with the most up-to-date servers and protections in place if the worst were to happen, AND you automatically download and install the latest updates. But just in case you don’t, Accessit’s cloud-based hosting means server upgrades are no longer a cost. It also means you’re also always running the latest and most secure version of Accessit.
• Your Accessit software is always updated automatically
• Reduced maintenance and no replacement costs
• Your data is backed up offsite on New Zealand servers
• A secure record of assets and their replacement value no matter what happens
You are already spending money, let’s look at how you could manage that better. Talk to Accessit Library about getting more out of your investment or how to switch to Accessit and take your library and assets management to the next level.
By the Accessit Library Team
Join ePlatform in Term 4 and get free access for the rest of 2025. It’s the easiest way to explore ePlatform’s eBook and Audiobook library with no upfront costs. Your official 12-month membership starts 1 February 2026, so the sooner you join, the more free months your school enjoys.
ePlatform offers professionally curated Shared Collections for schools, as well as access to 1,000,000+ eBook and Audiobook titles from the best local and international authors, and the inventory grows every day.
More at eplatform.co/nz/demo/
Google has unveiled Guided Learning, a mode in Gemini that acts as an AI study partner. It’s integrated with LearnLM and aims to help users build a deeper understanding of a topic instead of just providing quick answers.
“Guided Learning encourages participation through probing and open-ended questions that spark a discussion and provide an opportunity to dive deeper into a subject,” said Google. “Guided Learning breaks down problems step-by-step and adapts explanations to your needs – all to help you build knowledge and skills.”
It’s the latest educational feature for AI chatbots that also include Claude for Education (claude.com/solutions/ education) and ChatGPT’s Study Mode (openai.com/ index/chatgpt-study-mode/)
More at blog.google/outreach-initiatives/education/ guided-learning/
In the last 12 months, Linewize New Zealand has: Identified a search for adult content every 3 minutes; alerted a school to a serious cyberbullying or violent incident every 2 hours; and alerted a school by emergency phone call to 46 students facing the highest possible risk – including to health or life.
More at linewize.co.nz
Education Minister Erica Stanford has announced a refreshed national curriculum for Years 0-10, with a major push for STEM and AI education. Digital technology will focus on design, innovation, and creation, helping students to solve problems and become capable creators and informed consumers. Learning includes circuits, coding, food technology, design ethics, and sustainable practices, with opportunities to work in both digital and ‘unplugged’ environments.
The changes will also investigate a new Year 13 subject on Generative AI, and students will learn about machine learning, cybersecurity, and digital ethics.
The full draft of the Year 1-10 curriculum was released for public consultation last month, with full implementation required by 2027.
More at education.govt.nz/news/draft-curriculumcontent-released-years-0-10
If you’re unsure about the use of student images, the Office of the Privacy Commissioner has some advice around what to consider when filming children and young people in different situations, including CCTV in bathrooms. Download ‘Lifecycle of an Image’, which highlights what to consider throughout an image’s life, from collection, through storage and sharing, to deletion. The guidance is designed to help protect the privacy of children and young people when taking photos and videos.
To download a copy of the guide, search in A-Z Topics at privacy.org.nz/resources-and-learning
Homegrown education app Kami –an online document annotation and markup tool – has expanded its international reach with the acquisition of UK-based Book Creator. The move increases its user base to 70 million teachers and students globally and reinforces its position as one of the world’s most influential classroom technology platforms.
“We have long admired Book Creator’s product and are thrilled to welcome them as an extension of the Kami team,” said Hengjie Wang, co-founder and CEO of Kami. “We’re seeing increasing demand for all-in-one edutech products. By joining forces with Book Creator, we’re looking to give our users powerful tools that make an impact on student outcomes, and deliver real value for educators and school leaders alike.”
More at kamiapp.com
Digital technology is reshaping how you teach and your tamariki learn. What’s on the horizon for 2026? From AI helpers to microlearning, classrooms will be buzzing with new ways to engage and inspire, share and connect, create and explore. Let’s take a look.
Artificial Intelligence is here and tools powered by AI technology are ready to help in the classroom. Like the app that notices a student’s spelling errors and instantly builds a mini spelling challenge tailored just for them. Teachers still lead the learning but AI is like having a helpful extra set of hands.
Teacher Tip: Try one AI-powered tool that solves a real classroom challenge, such as auto-feedback on writing or instant reading-level checks. See how it lightens your load before diving deeper.
Forget flat screens, students can now walk through the Great Barrier Reef, explore the inside of a volcano, or float through space! Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) bring subjects to life, making abstract ideas tangible and exciting. Schools are using headsets or tablets for ‘virtual field trips’, giving learners experiences that would otherwise be impossible.
Teacher Tip: No headset? Many AR experiences work right through a tablet camera. Simply point, tap, and watch the magic happen.
Lessons and attention spans are short. ‘Microlearning’ breaks big topics into smaller, engaging chunks. This approach can fit well into the school day and helps children feel a sense of progress. It’s also great for teachers who want flexible, ready-to-go digital resources.
Teacher Tip: Use micro-lessons as ‘brain breaks’ between longer activities. Five focused minutes of maths or vocab can re-energise a restless class.
Future Fact: Studies show that microlearning can boost retention by 20 per cent compared with traditional longer lessons.
Teacher Challenge: Try one digital tool next term that sparks curiosity, not just efficiency. Can it make your students wonder more?
Blend the physical with the digital. You might begin with a face-to-face lesson, then let students continue online through a collaborative platform or interactive game. The goal isn’t to replace traditional teaching, it’s to make learning more flexible, accessible and creative.
Teacher Tip: Design one activity that works both online and offline, so learning keeps rolling even if tech hiccups.
Everyone loves collecting badges! Schools are increasingly using secure, online platforms to issue ‘micro-credentials’, small recognitions for skills like teamwork, creativity or coding basics. These digital badges live in each child’s online learning profile, a modern version of the old sticker chart, but with real-world potential as they move through their education.
Future Fact: UNESCO predicts that by 2028, learners will collect stackable micro-credentials throughout their education journey.
Modern Learning Management System (LMS) platforms help teachers track progress in real time, spotting who needs extra support. Analytics dashboards can highlight which topics stump the class or which activities spark engagement.
Teacher Tip: Use analytics to celebrate growth, not just measure gaps. Show students their progress graphs. It builds ownership and pride.
Future Fact: AI analytics systems can now flag students at risk of falling behind an estimated two weeks earlier than human observation alone.
Thanks to faster internet and better devices, even remote or rural schools are now part of the global classroom. With video conferencing, shared online projects, and multilingual apps, students
can collaborate across cultures and time zones. The challenge now? Making sure everyone has equal access to tech and the skills to use it safely.
Teacher Tip: Try a ‘global pen-pal’ video chat with a partner class overseas. It’s a powerful way to teach geography, empathy, and digital citizenship.
8. Gamified learning – because play still matters!
Games aren’t just fun, they’re powerful learning tools. In 2026, think about using gamified platforms where students earn points or unlock new levels as they master content. Think of maths quests, spelling adventures, or eco-missions that reward problem-solving and persistence.
Teacher Tip: Use leaderboards carefully. Focus on teamwork or class goals rather than individual scores to keep competition positive.
9. Teachers as guides, not gadgets
With all this tech, the teacher’s role has never been more important. In fact, digital tools free teachers to focus on what they do best: inspiring curiosity, building relationships, and guiding thinking. As AI and apps handle some routine tasks, teachers can invest more time in creative projects, rich discussion and the social-emotional side of learning.
Let your students teach you a new tool or app – it builds confidence, agency, and a collaborative classroom culture.
Future Fact: Teacher professional development in digital pedagogy is projected to grow 40 per cent between 2025–2030.
Digital education in 2026 will be about using technology to make learning more interactive, inclusive, and full of imagination. When used thoughtfully, it helps every child learn in their own way, gives teachers superpowers, and opens up classrooms to a world of learning.
From Google Labs, Image FX (labs. google/fx/tools/image-fx) is an AIpowered creative tool for generating visual scenes. Start with a prompt describing the image to make, then use optional features, including style and aspect ratio. Review images, then when done, download, copy, or share the link to any or all images.
Tell Your Story (rijksmuseum.nl/en/ collection/tell-your-story) is an interactive, online service that lets you engage with the art collection of Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum. Curate your own, personalised minigallery by choosing artworks, comparing details and exploring themed stories. A museum account is needed (which is free).
Explore more than 800 million openly licensed creative works at Openverse (openverse.org). Formerly CC Search, this is an extensive online library of stock photos, images and audio. The site identifies and indexes CC-licensed content, which is available for free use. It plans to also introduce open texts and 3D models.
Spaceward Bound NZ (spacewardbound.nz) is an exciting initiative bringing space-related experiences to classrooms. It offers curriculum-linked resources (including NCEA levels 1,2 and 3) on space science and astrobiology. Explore interactive materials, lesson ideas, and insights from space missions, all created with Kiwi teachers in mind.
From the Australian Space Agency, Downloadable Resources and Activities (space.gov.au/downloadable-resourcesand-activities) offers engaging, hands-on educational activities. These include mission projects, worksheets, posters, quizzes, and classroom resources for bringing space science to life.
Journey through an Exploded Star (smithsonianeducation.org/supernova/ supernova2.html) is a simulation from Smithsonian Education that goes inside the supernova explosion of Cassiopeia
A. Explore a 360-degree visualisation and narrated video of the event, with classroom resources and lesson plans.
How many words can you describe in 60 seconds? Describe The Word (playdescribetheword.com) provides a word that the player has to say clues to (into a microphone) without saying the actual word. AI then has to guess the word based on these clues.
Travel through time and try to figure out the date and location of the historical event you landed in at Time Portal (eggnog.ai/entertimeportal). Each challenge plays four AI-generated video scenes containing plenty of visual clues. Once you guess, each video shares information about the event. There’s a daily game or tackle previous challenges.
Reigns (reignsgame.com/reigns) is a free, online strategy game where players take on the role of a monarch ruling a kingdom. Each turn, receive a card with a yes/no decision. The choices impact four pillars of power: the church, the people, the army and the treasury –balancing them is key to a long reign.
Released last month, the OECD Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) questioned 280,000 educators from 55 countries. A key area of feedback and insight was the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in teaching. Here’s what was reported – and how New Zealand teachers compared to the rest of the world.
On average, one in three teachers report having used AI in their work. However, there is variation across countries. Around 75 per cent of teachers in Singapore and the United Arab Emirates but fewer than 20 per cent of teachers in France and Japan report doing so.
• Out of teachers who use AI, 68 per cent say they use it to efficiently learn about and summarise a topic.
• 64 per cent use AI to generate lesson plans.
• 25 per cent report using AI to review data on student participation or performance.
• 26 per cent indicate that they use it to assess or grade student work.
• 40 per cent of teachers ‘agree’ or ‘strongly agree’ that AI helps them support students individually.
• Half agree that AI assists in creating or improving lesson plans, though agreement ranges from as low as 18 per cent in France and 31 per cent in Denmark and Finland to as high as 87 per cent in the United Arab Emirates and 91 per cent in Vietnam.
• Seven in 10 teachers believe AI could enable students to misrepresent others’ work as their own.
• 40 per cent agree that AI may amplify biases, reinforce student misconceptions, or compromise data privacy and security.
• Approximately 33 per cent of teachers that have not used AI report feeling overwhelmed by the new technology, as well as the overall expectation to integrate new technologies.
• Three-quarters of teachers report that they lack the knowledge or skills to teach using AI.
• About half of teachers do not believe AI should be used in teaching.
• In terms of school policy, 10 per cent report that their school does not allow AI in teaching.
• Almost 40 per cent of teachers report being trained in the use of AI tools for teaching and learning.
• Rates of participation in training focused on AI exceeded 60 per cent in four countries (Kazakhstan, South Korea, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates). However, they were particularly low in France (9 per cent).
• AI is also one of the topics where differences between novice and more experienced teachers are more pronounced, likely reflecting the higher sensitivity of new teachers to the use of modern tools.
• Fewer primary teachers report using AI as compared to their secondary peers. The biggest difference was observed in Australia (19 percentage points less)
• For teachers who do use AI, a bigger proportion of primary teachers use AI to support students with special education needs. More primary teachers also report using AI for practices such as generating text for student feedback and parent/guardian communications, as well as reviewing data on student participation and performance.
• In general, primary school teachers reported fewer challenges with using AI compared to their secondary peers, including enabling students to misrepresent others’ work as their own and making recommendations that may not be appropriate or correct.
AI usage by Kiwi teachers
• 69 per cent of New Zealand teachers
report having used AI in their work (significantly higher than the OECD average of 36 per cent).
• Kiwi teachers tend to use AI to generate lesson plans or activities (75 per cent), efficiently learn about and summarise a topic (74 per cent), and generate text for student feedback or parent/guardian communications (52 per cent).
• The least frequent use of AI is to help students practise new skills in real-life scenarios (30 per cent), assess or mark student work (14 per cent), and review data on student participation or performance (10 per cent).
• Among New Zealand teachers who report that they have not used AI in their teaching in the 12 months prior to the survey, 71 per cent say that they do not have the knowledge and skills to teach using AI (similar to the OECD average of 75 per cent) and 14 per cent say that their schools lack the infrastructure to use AI (lower than the OECD average of 37 per cent).
Source: TALIS 2024, The State of Teaching
Download the report at oecd.org/en/ publications. Search for TALIS 2024.
