Video transcript
Kia ora and welcome.
This webcast is intended to provide guidance and advice on the requirements for Social Studies 92051: Describe a social action undertaken to support or challenge a system.
Specifically, this webcast will explore what is meant by a ‘system’ and how this interacts with the selected social action at Achieved, Merit, and Excellence.
92051 encourages students to take real-world action on social issues that matter to them. To achieve success in the standard, they need to understand not just the social issue, but also one of the systems that connects to it.
To support success in 92051, students must explicitly identify the system that they are supporting or challenging and describe how their selected action fulfils this purpose. For Merit, they need to explain how the action impacted the system. At Excellence, they evaluate how suitable the action was in supporting or challenging that system.
A system is like a machine made of different parts working together for a purpose. Each part – like policies, people, or processes – has a role, and when one part changes, it affects the whole. Whether it’s a school, a health service, or social media, understanding how these parts connect helps students see where their action can make a real difference.
Without a clear link between the system and the issue, the action risks missing the mark, and therefore students may not meet the standard.
Let’s look at some examples of systems that may be relevant to student selected issues, and how the connection can then be made between the issue, the system, and the action.
The education system is made up of interconnected parts – like schools, teachers, curriculum, assessments, and funding – that all work together. Each part influences the others. This system is organised with a clear purpose: to support learning, promote equity, and prepare students for life beyond school.
Understanding how these parts connect helps students identify what types of social action can make a real difference and thereby consider what action they will take to challenge or support the system.
These examples show how students can take meaningful action by first identifying an issue, then linking it to a part of the education system. Whether it’s mental health, cultural inclusion, or digital access, understanding how the education system works helps students choose social actions that are targeted and impactful – and, importantly, aligned with the expectations of 92051.
Local government is a system made up of people, policies, and services working together to meet community needs. When students understand how this system connects to their issue – like transport or youth spaces – they can plan social actions that target the right part of the system for real impact.
Here are some examples of how students can connect real issues to the local government system. Note the clear connection between the issue, the system, and how the understanding of the system is evident in the social action.
The key takeaway is to help students clearly connect their issue to a system. That understanding is what drives purposeful action, and success in Achievement Standard 92051.
For more explanation and examples of this standard, see the exemplars on the NZQA website.
Further resources for the internal Achievement Standards in Social Studies can be found in our assessor support catalogue, available on the NZQA website.
Thank you.