Online NAPLAN defended
NAPLAN organisers say next year’s tests will provide more precise results.
Schools will soon start testing their internet systems and speeds ahead of online exams in 2018.
The Australian Curriculum and Assessment Reporting Authority (ACARA) says running NAPLAN online will allow the test to be automatically adapted to students’ performances, and tailor the test to have more- or less-demanding questions.
ACARA spokesperson Robert Randall said it would prevent disadvantage.
“What it means is the more able kids — the kids that would normally get through a paper and pencil test and get it done very quickly, we'll be able to continue to challenge them and actually see how far up the scale they can go,” he said.
“We'll get more accurate results.”
Mr Randall said the tailored test would be more engaging too.
“Those who struggle with the existing paper and pencil test, because maybe a third of the way through they find the questions too challenging, we will get them to focus in that area of where their level of performance is, but zoom in a little bit more and get more accurate assessments,” he said.