For many years computing in New Zealand schools was focused on teaching students how to use computers,and there was little opportunity for students to learn about programming and computer science as formalsubjects. In this paper we review a series of initiatives that occurred from 2007 to 2009 that led to programmingand computer science being made available formally as part of the National Certificate in EducationalAchievement (NCEA), the main school-leaving assessment, in 2011. The changes were phased in from 2011to 2013, and we review this process using the Darmstadt model, including describing the context of theschool system, the socio-cultural factors in play before, during and after the changes, the nature of the newstandards, the reactions and roles of the various stakeholders, and the teaching materials and methods thatdeveloped. The changes occurred very quickly, and we discuss the advantages and disadvantages of havingsuch a rapid process. In all these changes, teachers have emerged as having a central role, as they have beenkey in instigating and implementing change.
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