Children across the country are preparing to take the annual NAPLAN tests starting Tuesday, which will mark the first time that all schools will participate in online assessments.
Around 1.2 million Australian students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 are expected to take the literacy and numeracy tests at more than 9,500 schools and campuses across Australia.
Ready to be tested: Students at Sacred Heart Elementary School in Mt Druitt.Credit:Edwina Pickles
It will also mark the last year that standardized national tests will be completed in May, moving to March from next year so that results are available to education authorities sooner.
This year, all tests, except for the writing task in Year 3, must be taken on a computer for the first time, which means that the online tests are adapted to each student. Most state and Catholic schools in NSW have already moved to computer-based assessments.
NAPLAN Online automatically adjusts to a student’s test performance and asks questions that match their level of achievement. All students start at the same level, but depending on whether a question is answered correctly or incorrectly, the next set of questions may be easier or more difficult.
Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority chief executive David de Carvalho said it provided teachers and schools with more targeted and detailed information about student performance.
“Customized testing means students are given questions that are better suited to their abilities, so they can show what they know and can do,” he said.
“NAPLAN Online also offers a variety of accessibility adjustments, so students with diverse abilities, learning needs, and functional abilities can participate.”
Pupils at Sacred Heart Primary School, Mount Druitt, have been taking the online assessments for several years.
