Year 10 Computing Skills Assessment in IRC

By Jennifer Leete

Almost three months after Federation placed a ban on the Year 10 Computing Skills Assessment test (CSA-10) for 2005 and 2006, the Department of Education and Training (DET) has lodged a dispute about the matter in the Industrial Relations Commission (IRC).

Federation and DET went before Justice Patricia Staunton on November 8.

Federation's submissions included the August Council decisions which placed the ban on the 2006 tests and the directive to withdraw from the 2005 trial after several representations to the Minister had failed to achieve a delay to the 2006 Computer Skills Assessment due to DET's failure to provide the computers promised in the 2004 rollout. Federation argued that there was inadequate access to computers to both teach and assess the computer skills test.

Justice Staunton directed DET to provide to her and Federation information on the number of computers provided to each high and central school, on a school by school basis; whether all those computers were able to support the software required to teach and assess the test; and the amount of technology support available to schools.

The matter goes back to the IRC on November 22.

Federation's November Council on November 19 was due to consider developments in relation to both Web Services and the CSA-10.

Jennifer Leete is the Deputy President.

Web Services abandoned

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November 2005 contents