Food Technology-Centred Approaches to STEM Learning

Food Technology provides an important, diverse, and authentic focus for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) approaches to learning, to support students in applying their understanding of scientific, engineering, and mathematical principles, as an integral part of the design and development of products in innovative and future-focused ways. This chapter explores Food Education, the nature of Food Technology in New Zealand, and positions the subject to enable STEM-based curriculum learning. New Zealand highly values innovation, particularly when the technological process of generating, developing, and realising new ideas can be aligned with economic advantage (e.g., the export of milk products). Technological thinking and the ability to innovate through problem-solving are imperative. However, when approaches of this nature are translated into a secondary Food Technology classroom context, enactment can be limited by teachers’ perceptions of the subject, reflecting the tension between the pedagogical intent of Home Economics and Food Technology. Both have an important role to play in food education. The focus of this chapter is to present Food Technology in interdisciplinary ways and to promote technological thinking and problem-solving. Emerging approaches in secondary schools, such as “I Am” projects are used to exemplify how STEM subjects can support learners’ construction of their future or possible self, which is particularly pertinent because of impacts resulting from the COVID climate. Recommendations are made to ensure that curriculum learning remains true to the “T” in STEM so that technology education is positioned to connect learning across subjects.