Research Projects

During 2008 ACER conducted the second cycle of the national sample assessment of ICT Literacy on behalf of the Performance Measurement and Reporting Taskforce of MCEETYA. This sample survey builds on the successful completion of the first cycle of this assessment survey conducted in 2005. It focused on developing a computer-based assessment instrument and using that instrument to assess the performance of a representative sample of approximately 10,000 students in Year 6 and Year 10.

For the second cycle of the assessment of ICT Literacy the delivery method made maximum possible use of school computers connected over the internet to a remote server or to a local server supplied by ACER. The second cycle included three modules held secure from the first cycle (to enable trends to be measured) and four new thematic modules. ACER was assisted by SoNET Systems (subcontracted to ACER) to provide technical expertise. The new modules (both the simulation screens and the large tasks) were based on open-source software.  The analysis involved the challenge of equating Year 6 and Year 10 and equating 2005 and 2008 results.

A National Review Committee is set up to monitor the project and review progress. Reports on the survey describe student achievement in ICT Literacy against the assessment framework (based on three strands of ‘working with information’, ‘creating and sharing information’ and ‘using ICT responsibly’), standards established in relation to the framework and performance in the 2005 assessment.

2005 – 2010

MCEECDYA

John Ainley

Public report and technical report to MCEECDYA and reporting of summary test information to schools and students and school release materials in 2009.