Research Projects

ACER will work with the Papua New Guinea Measurement and Standards Unit and Curriculum Development Directorate to develop items to assess students in the areas of Literacy and Numeracy in Years 3, 5 and 8. The Pilot is designed to provide base line data to the Department of Education for the monitoring of the initiatives of curriculum reforms to be implemented in 2003.  In addition, ACER is to build capacity within the relevant PNG units for the potential continuation of the program into the future. The project Pilot test aims not only to provide test forms and analysis services, but also to make recommendations regarding the feasibility and potential longevity of the program including consideration of the internal capacity of the PNG curriculum and assessment units and the issues uncovered in terms of logistics and the resources required to continue the program. 

A challenge of particular interest is the requirement that Year 3 tests reflect the learning paradigms in PNG in which the teaching medium of the early primary school may be a vernacular language in many cases. ACER has been requested to pilot tests using combinations of English and/or the vernacular at the Year 3 level. This request presents both pragmatic and measurement issues which will be investigated and reported during the project.

The program has four major components:

  * Development of items and trial testing of items;
  * Implementation of Pilot Test program in November 2003;
  * Professional Development of PNG staff in areas of test development and analysis and
  * Project reports and recommendations regarding future programs.