Concerns over online NAPLAN compared with pen, paper version

There are concerns results of students who sat online NAPLAN may be incomparable to those of the pen-and-paper version.

The Australian Curriculum and Assessment Authority has moved to hose down controversy over this year’s NAPLAN data, amid claims that the results of students who sat the new online test could be incomparable to those who took the traditional pen-and-paper version.

ACARA chief executive Robert Randall this morning assured schools that results would be available in the “coming days”, denying there was a delay.

“Contrary to media reports the 2018 results are not delayed,” Mr Randall said.

Robert Randall, CEO of the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority.

“As this is the first year of online assessment extra attention has been given to reviewing the data and ensuring it is comparable with previous years and between online and paper test modes.

“ACARA’s data analysts and measurement advisory experts have advised the data is valid and comparable.”

The defence comes after the ABC reported that the results had been delayed as a result of disagreement with some states over how they should be reported. Some states had questioned whether the data from the new online tests and traditional tests could accurately be statistically compared.

The apparent hiccup comes after the Federal Government recently reported that the online trial, involving almost 193,000 students and 1285 schools a “resounding success”. It is in the process of expanding online tests next year.

The Australian Education Union, which has been campaigning for the eradication of NAPLAN, has called for the Federal Education Minister, Simon Birmingham, to provide an immediate explanation.