Throughout 2025, a learning programme was created in collaboration with PB Tech. Learning Innovation Specialist Jessie Robieson has been guiding ākonga through the new Kaitiaki Creator programme and shares insights into how it started and some of her favourite outcomes here.
Te Papa’s new Kaitiaki Creator programme is something special. Previous research and direct conversations with schools clearly indicated that educators wanted longer, more in-depth programmes and more time in the museum. Building on these insights, we intentionally designed the Kaitiaki Creator programme to support this need while ensuring it had something for every learner.
The programme enables ākonga to spend a day at Te Papa creating their own version of the Mauri Activator, based on the interactive we have in Te Taiao | Nature. If you’re not familiar with the Mauri Activator, it is a digital interactive involving a wooden, touchable plinth and a two-story-high screen. When a user places their hand on the plinth – symbolising the addition of their mauri to the environment on screen – it comes to life. The more hands, the more mauri is added, and the more the environment thrives.
This programme was incredibly exciting because it combined our museum collections with science, technology, coding, creativity, and engineering. We knew that if we could get students in, they would gain valuable learning they could take back to their school to continue, share with other classes, and extend into their wider community.
The transport barrier
However, there was a significant challenge: many schools, particularly those from low socio-economic communities, constantly struggle to access learning at Te Papa due to the cost of transport.
The team at PB Tech share our strong focus on education and recognise the museum as a vital extension of the classroom. They approached us, keen to help schools access our programmes and integrate digital technologies into their curriculum.
They showed a real interest in enabling more students, especially those who wouldn’t usually have the opportunity, to visit the museum through funding the programme costs, including transport. They were so excited about the intersection of technology, creativity, and taonga, as this vision is incredibly important to Te Papa and our learning team.
An opportunity made possible
The teachers were truly grateful for the opportunity for their students, many of whom had never visited the museum before. It was fantastic to invite schools we hadn’t seen in a long time. Many teachers commented that they would not have been able to attend without the funded transport and programme costs.
Teachers loved the timing of the programme, with some even saying they’d be happy if it went longer. They particularly enjoyed engaging their learners in an intersection of technology, te ao Māori, coding, creativity, and the museum, all of which they would have been unable to do back in the classroom due to a lack of tools, knowledge, and environment.
Bringing learners to our museum for these experiences is incredibly valuable. It not only creates exciting, memorable moments for them but also offers learning opportunities that go beyond what teachers can typically provide in the classroom. These visits deepen students’ understanding and give them rich content to build on in their ongoing learning.
What the students thought
But what did the students think?
“My favourite part was getting to be creative with the materials in the classroom and making our own Mauri Activator design.” – Ashleigh
“My favourite part was the coding.” – Charles
“My favourite part was using the Makey Makey to explore electrical currents – when we fist-bumped each other and pressed the buttons, it still worked, and that was satisfying and cool.” – Savannah
“My favourite part was getting to use Scratch.” – Duke
A huge thank you to PB Tech for making this opportunity possible for these classes. Their support has been instrumental, and we truly hope we can continue collaborating on projects like this in the future.
If you are interested in booking this programme, please get in touch with our coordinator at reservations@tepapa.govt.nz.
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