Curriculum experts say moving the NAPLAN tests online will bring new opportunities for students and teachers. The national test has been paper-based since its introduction in 2008.
“The goal is to have everyone online by 2019,” said Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority CEO Robert Randall.
Computer adaptive testing will be introduced, meaning children will be shifted through items that suit their skill level while completing the test.
“Instead of everyone doing the same set of questions, they’ll be presented with more demanding or less demanding items,” said Mr Randall.
Year 7 student at Sydney’s Maronite College of the Holy Family Celine Moussa said she felt prepared for this week’s tests and that she wouldn’t mind using a laptop or computer in the future.
“I’m not the neatest writer sometimes and it’s faster. Writing can be sometimes time consuming,” she said.
ACARA said the switch to online testing will mean faster test results.
“At the moment it takes us about 12 weeks to get the reports and the information back to schools,” said Mr Randall.
“When we move online, we’re expecting to get that back within a couple of weeks.”
NAPLAN tests students in years 3, 5, 7 and 9 in the areas of reading, writing, language conventions and numeracy.
ACARA says the data and information gained from NAPLAN drives ongoing improvement in schools. However the process has faced ongoing criticism that it causes significant stress for teachers and students.
“The pressure is there yes,” said Maronite College Principal, Dr Margaret Ghosn.
“Because it’s public data that everyone sees and if students don’t perform then teachers will think ‘I haven’t performed,’ …which can be unfair.”
ACARA said it’s important adults and teachers ‘keep NAPLAN in context', and that the test should be viewed as ‘complimentary’ to existing exams.
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