Technology education has been a part of the New Zealand curriculum in many forms since its inception as a craft subject. With a global push towards technological innovation and an increased awareness of the impact of technology on society, it is reasonable to assume that technology education has an established role in student learning around the local and international social issues that intersect with technology. This article is based on the initial findings of doctoral research, which aims to illustrate how teacher's perceptions and previous experiences influence their understandings around the nature of technology education in their school.