DATA USE AND INTERPRETATION

NAPLAN Test results have ensured that there is now more than sufficient data available which when used in combination with class assessment programs can be utilised effectively for diagnostic purposes up to Year 10. Click below for more information on NAPLAN testing.

Student profiling in Education Queensland schools has ensured that each student in each class is profiled utilising NAPLAN data in combination with the results of school and classroom assessment. Figure 1 provides an example of how Naplan results are provided to a student. 
 

Figure1:NAPLAN report to students (QCAA, 2014c)

Student profiling in Education Queensland schools has ensured that each student in each class is profiled utilising NAPLAN data in combination with the results of school and classroom assessment. Figure 2 provides a demonstrated example of how NAPLAN results can be incorporated in to student profile.

Figure 2: Student Profile A1

 Classrooms and schools data is presented in a different format designed to make it readily available for teachers and administrators to check for overall patterns and discrepancies. This can be particularly useful from a diagnostic perspective to demonstrate where there are gaps in learning for individual students or the cohort as a whole. Obviously consideration must be made of students individual learning needs that may impact on NAPLAN results and indeed overt focus on one type of learning should not act to the detriment of learning in other core curriculum areas.

Figure 3: example of classroom NAPLAN results (QCAA, 2014b)

Engagement in a home-school partnership with parents and carers and the development of clear communication in respect of NAPLAN can serve to assist student learning. This might be as simple as encouraging parents to assist with accessing alternative or additional study for students that are noted as requiring additional assistance, e.g. textbooks from other schools or computer software programs that might assist. Obviously care must be taken to ensure that this action is consistent with school policy and that bias or preference is not shown and a range of choices are provided.  

Using Data - Audio Clip

Most schools use SunLanda program specifically developed by the Analysis and Evaluation branch of the QCAA program to create data analysis reports to highlight learning deficiencies for student cohorts and students themselves identified in the NAPLAN assessments(QCAA, 2014d). This program allows the creation of readily analyzed data that details students that are falling below minimum standards and areas where student cohorts as a group failed in the NAPLAN test.

Figure 4: school NAPLAN results (QCAA, 201e)

Familiarity through professional development with NAPLAN results and the NAPLAN Test Reporting Handbook available on the QCAA website for the previous year, ensures that teachers are familiar with specific constructive feedback on results as to student and cohort performance in the different aspects of the tests (QCAA, 2013e).     

Click to link to Handbook

The Handbook can be a useful resource to assist in examination and analysis of NAPLAN results. In respect of Year 9 Writing Task, analyses the results and gives indications of how this information can used by teachers to improve student learning. 

Figure 5: sample of page 76 of NAPLAN 2013 Test Reporting handbook

Schools administrators tend to implement professional development for teaching staff after release of the yearly handbooks to open a dialogue with teaching staff.This is really a demonstration of Standard 5.4 (ATSIL, 2014) at work as when teachers know how to access the data on students they are then able to interpret it to improve learning outcomes for students