The backdrop to this paper is based on the new Australian Curriculum on Technologies that contains two subject contexts: Design and Technologies (Design Thinking) and Digital Technologies (Computational and Systems Thinking). While the basis for the Australian Curriculum was to create uniformity across states and territories, there is autonomy for States and Territories to continue to offer existing syllabi. For example, the NSW Technologies Mandatory Years 7-8 curriculum content and the NSW K-6 Science & Technology Syllabus have been redesigned to align with the new Australian Curriculum. A key theme includes ‘paddock to plate’ learning contexts.

Initially, this article reports on the implementation of an interdisciplinary teaching program, written in collaboration between SCU researchers and primary school teachers in rural New South Wales, Australia. The research responded to an expressed school aspiration to foster a greater understanding of food sustainability in a cross-cultural setting as being integral aspects of a holistic learning program.

We also explore the transfer of ideas from this project to the Digital Technologies learning domain and how it might translate into the Secondary context. Our collective analysis elicits an examination of assumptions about pedagogy and our collaboration explores the broader meaning and potential for garden-based programming in creating digital solutions. This is important because there are very little resources on food and fibre available in this subject area. The STEM in the Garden project provides unique insight and potential for offering empowerment for students to develop as enterprising, ethically and ecologically driven designers.