Digital tech transforms learning and achievement at Bream Bay College
25 January 2024
Facing the issue of fluctuating attendance, Bream Bay College saw an opportunity to use digital technology to transform and progress teaching and learning.
We ask Andrea Gray, Deputy Chief Executive Digital Assessment Transformation, NZQA for the latest update on the delivery and direction of digital NCEA exams.
This year NZQA is offering 58 digital NCEA exams across 21 subjects at all levels. Last year around 200 schools participated, with more than one in 10 students sitting at least one digital exam. We are currently delivering most of the text-based subjects. For harder to digitise subjects, like maths and sciences, we need to develop credible assessments with a good user experience before we offer them.
Most jobs require digital skills. How we assess students’ learning needs to reflect the digital world they live and learn in, supporting their transition to work or further study. Our vision is to offer digital exams that are authentic, relevant and credible.
We also know new ways of assessing will support innovative teaching and learning and drive equity of NCEA outcomes for Māori and Pacific students. This includes different ways of asking questions and students showing what they know and can do.
To do their best work in the exam, students must be familiar with the device they are using and be experiencing digitally enabled teaching and learning. They must be familiar with the exam platform, including using features like spellcheck or toggling between te reo Māori and English for translated papers, The school network and internet connectivity must be secure and reliable, and students need connectivity beyond the school gate for learning and assessment.
As schools scale up their use of NCEA Online, we are working with Network for Learning (N4L) and the Ministry of Education, focussing on security, reliability and performance from the exam platform to the student’s device. $49 million is being spent over four years on ICT and cyber security support.
Many schools increased online teaching and learning in their response. Covid-19 has highlighted that NCEA Online could support a more flexible approach to teaching, learning and assessment. For example, NZQA has research projects exploring options for exams being offered at different times of the year and remotely supervising exams.
Almost $39 million over four years will enable NCEA Online to continue to grow and become embedded as digital learning increases.
What’s your message to schools that have yet to start offering digital exams?
When you are teaching digitally, start small and scale up, and work with NZQA and N4L to get the right supports.
We have no definitive date but we expect digital exams will be routine for most schools in two to three years. Ninety-seven percent of students who responded to our 2019 survey found it an overall positive experience and they may drive demand.
See the NZQA (external link)website for more information about the direction digital assessment is taking.
BY Education Gazette editors
Education Gazette | Tukutuku Kōrero, reporter@edgazette.govt.nz
Posted: 1:32 pm, 3 September 2020
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