Gunnedah High School supports the ban, based on inadequate facilities and support... Andrew Urquahart, Donna Maree King and John Watson.

Year 10 CSA and trial banned

By Jennifer Leete

Federation placed a ban on the 2006 mandatory Year 10 Computing Skills Assessment (CSA) at its Council meeting on August 6.

Further, Council directed those schools involved in the 2005 Computer Skills Assessment trial to withdraw from the trial.

The Office of the Board of Studies has been trialling the Year 10 CSA and current plans are for it to be mandatory and be reported on as part of the School Certificate package in 2006.

The Year 10 CSA is a test of various information and communications technology (ICT) competencies which have been integrated into the new year 7-10 syllabuses. These syllabus outcomes are being implemented for year 7 and year 9 in 2005 in the mandatory syllabus areas. The syllabuses and the year 10 CSA, as part of the School Certificate, apply to both public education students and non government school students.

Federation's Senior Officers have been calling on Education Minister Carmel Tebbutt to defer the mandatory nature of the test for 2006. The Minister has been fully briefed on year 7-10 syllabus requirements in relation to mandatory ICT competencies. The Minister has been provided with details of the difficulties faced by schools in terms of inadequate technology support and inadequate access to up-to-date and effectively functioning computer hardware and software. Several hundred schools completed detailed pro formas in which they documented problems being experienced in attempting to meet syllabus requirements. These problems relate to inadequate or non-functioning computers and a lack of proper technology support. Details of these have been made available to the Minister.

In addition, Federation has had continuing representations and complaints from schools about the Government's failure to provide proper resourcing in order that we can adequately prepare our students for these tests and meet syllabus requirements. Secondary school principals and computer coordinators as well as classroom teachers, throughout 2004, were expressing grave concerns about the Government's failure to provide schools with the computers which were promised as part of the 2004 rollout.

In fact, the 2004 rollout did not occur. Earlier in 2005 then Minister Andrew Refshauge announced a new rollout called the T4L program. However, many schools, especially the larger metropolitan schools, will not receive new computers until the last half of 2005.

Many schools report that they are attempting to teach with computers that are now four or five years old, which regularly break down and which are very expensive to maintain.

In requesting the Minister to defer the mandatory nature of the test Federation has made it clear that the union's major concern is for students. As professionals, teachers need to feel confident that their students have been adequately prepared for tests, including statewide tests. Without access to the necessary effectively functioning computers, teachers are unable to properly teach the competencies to be tested.

The Minister has not yet agreed to defer the mandatory nature of the test.

Consequently, all members are advised:

1. A ban has been placed on the 2006 Year 10 Computing Skills Assessment.
2. All schools currently involved in the 2005 trial Computing Skills Assessment are directed to withdraw from the trial.
3. The Web Services ban remains in place.

Federation Organisers should be contacted for assistance if necessary.

Jennifer Leete is the Deputy President.

For further information

August 2005 contents