Michael is a Senior Fellow at The New Zealand Initiative. He leads the Initiative’s work on education. He is a cognitive psychologist with a background in literacy research, educational assessment and psychometrics.
Prior to his time at the Initiative, he was the Associate Dean (Academic) of the Faculty of Education at Victoria University of Wellington. Between 2005 and 2011, he worked at the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA), where he developed a new, more reliable, marking system for NCEA examinations. In 2024, Michael chaired a Ministerial Advisory Group (MAG) for Education Minister Erica Stanford. The MAG advised on the development of a knowledge-rich curriculum for English and mathematics. Following that work, Michael is currently a member of the Curriculum Coherence group, which advises on the development of knowledge-rich curricula across all school subjects. Michael is also a member of a technical advisory group to NZQA on assessment for NCEA and New Zealand Scholarship.
In his time at The New Zealand Initiative, Michael has published reports on Modern Learning Environments, systems reform in education, teacher education, the use of AI in education, and pathways for industry training and apprenticeships.
Phone: 044990790
It is no secret that the government is struggling to balance the country’s books. Yet, in last week’s budget, nearly $2.5 billion was found for new educational initiatives. Read more
Dr Michael Johnston was mentioned by Newstalk ZB in their news segment about the declining number of trainees and apprentices in New Zealand, following his recent report on trades training and improving vocational pathways. Dr Johnston suggested that introducing a graduated training wage as apprentices progress through their training could provide incentives for apprentices, in response to data showing a 12% drop in learners and a 19% decrease in continuing apprentices from previous years. Read more
Effective policy reform often comes from seemingly minor initiatives. Small changes can lead to significant improvements if they incentivise the right things. Read more
In this episode, James and Michael discuss how the Education Training Amendment Bill transforms school governance in New Zealand. They examine the bill's shift to make student learning the paramount objective for school boards, new requirements to address truancy through attendance management plans, and enhanced assessment standards to improve educational outcomes. Read more
Dr Michael Johnston spoke to Newstalk ZB supporting the new teaching mandates as "a good move" given New Zealand's longstanding literacy and numeracy challenges. Listen below. Read more
For decades, New Zealand’s industry training system has been a poor cousin to the university system. In recent years, only about 6% of school leavers have undertaken apprenticeships. Read more
Wellington (Thursday, 24 April 2025) - The New Zealand Initiative strongly supports the Government's move to give industries more control over apprenticeships and training. "Minister Simmonds' announcement today addresses a key issue in our vocational education system," says Dr Michael Johnston, Senior Fellow at The New Zealand Initiative. Read more
If asked to nominate the main objective of public schooling, most people would probably say that it is to teach young people the knowledge they need to thrive in adult life. However, according to the Education and Training Act, that is just one of four equally important objectives. Read more
In this podcast, Michael and James critique proposed amendments to New Zealand's Education and Training Act that aim to protect academic freedom in universities, arguing the legislation lacks meaningful enforcement mechanisms to hold institutions accountable. They discuss potential improvements including a "free speech czar," legal recourse for violations, and eliminating loopholes that allow universities to restrict controversial speech through other institutional policies. Read more
In this episode, Michael interviews Katherine Hall, Executive Director of ConCOVE (Construction and Infrastructure Centre of Vocational Excellence), about the challenges facing vocational education and apprenticeships in New Zealand. They discuss systemic issues including poor completion rates, funding problems, and cultural stigma compared to university pathways, along with potential solutions inspired by Germany's dual training system. Read more
In this episode, Michael talks to Professor Barbara Oakley, a McGraw Prize recipient, New York Times bestselling author and creater of the world's largest Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) with over 5 million students. They discuss evidence-based approaches to mathematics education and the problems with constructivist teaching methods, while outlining their mission to support New Zealand's new knowledge-rich curriculum through workshops for teachers across the country. Read more
This webinar discusses policy initiatives to strengthen vocational education pathways in New Zealand. Drawing inspiration from Germany's successful dual-training model, Josh Williams and Dr Michael Johnston discuss initiatives in secondary and tertiary education to enhance the status and quality of trades and industry training. Read more
Each year, between 60 and 65 thousand young New Zealanders leave school. Around a third go to university. Read more
A skilled workforce is fundamental to a healthy economy. In New Zealand, we have no shortage of young people wanting a university education. Read more
On RNZ's morning report, Ingrid Hipkiss talks to Dr Michael Johnston about his latest report Trade Routes: Charting New Pathways from Secondary School to Industry Training. Listen below. Read more