Pencils and paper are out and computers are in, as students across the Northern Territory prepare to complete NAPLAN tests online this year.
From tomorrow, students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 will participate in the National Assessment Program - Literacy and Numeracy which provides a nationwide snapshot of student achievement in reading, writing, language conventions and numeracy.
NT students have been preparing to move to online testing for several years, with Federal, State and Territory Education Ministers agreeing to complete the transition by 2022.
A number of Territory schools began the transition to online testing in 2019, with the remaining schools now ready to follow suit.
Online testing provides a more engaging assessment, faster turnaround of results and more precise measurement.
While many schools and students in remote areas have infrastructure limitations that make internet connectivity unreliable, the Northern Territory has collaborated with national and jurisdictional partners to provide technical solutions that allow all students to have the same test experience.
NAPLAN is the only assessment undertaken by all school students across Australia. It provides comparable data about student performance in literacy and numeracy nationally, and over time.
The online test window, from 11 – 21 May, allows for flexibility in scheduling.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Education Lauren Moss:
"NAPLAN is one of the tools teachers use to track the progress of students; it provides important information that enables governments to test whether children are reaching important literacy and numeracy milestones and how they are performing in comparison to their peers in other jurisdictions.
"It is also used to inform policy development, resource allocation and the delivery of effective teaching and learning.
"Transitioning to online testing in the Northern Territory has been challenging due to our geographic diversity, however extensive preparation has ensured students can complete all tests on the internet this year."
