September 2017
Ready, set, go
Significant planning, development, research and trialling have occurred since 2012 to support the move to NAPLAN Online.
NAPLAN Online readiness activities continue, to ensure all schools are prepared to transition to NAPLAN online. The commitment and effort required of schools, students and parents in assisting with these readiness activities are recognised and greatly appreciated.
Over the past five weeks, schools across Australia have been taking part in school readiness testing (SRT). This testing allowed schools to assess their ICT capacity (including bandwidth, wireless connectivity and devices) for NAPLAN Online and to become familiar with administration and logistics for the assessment. The level of engagement by students and schools with the online experience has been very positive; education authorities will use the results to identify where further support and attention are needed.
For more information about key benefits, viewthe NAPLAN Online: A better assessment for all infographic (PDF 700 kb).
Automated scoring
As part of the move to NAPLAN online and as a result of research and trials, automated scoring has been identified as a viable solution for marking the NAPLAN writing task.
Automated scoring systems use computer algorithms designed to emulate human scoring. In effect, the computer models the decisions of experienced human markers.
More than 1,000 samples of students’ writing and the same NAPLAN marking guide used by human markers have been used to train and customise the automated essay scoring (AES) system.
The NAPLAN Online AES system can mark thousands of essays consistently, reliably and quickly, enabling results to get back to students, parents and teachers within weeks instead of months. This will in turn help teachers and schools to respond more quickly to identified student learning needs.
To provide reassurance of reliability, in 2018 ACARA proposes that NAPLAN writing be marked by both the AES and a human marker, with any differences resolved by a senior human marker.
For more information, view the 'Automated essay scoring' (AES) fact sheet (PDF 567 kb).
Schools and students give NAPLAN Online a thumbs-up
Over the past five weeks, schools across Australia have been participating in school readiness testing to prepare for the move to NAPLAN Online. School readiness testing has now finished, with teachers, schools and students generally finding the online experience a positive one.
“Across the country, schools have participated in school readiness testing as part of the preparation to move NAPLAN online from next year,” said ACARA’s
General Manager of Assessment and Reporting, Dr Stanley Rabinowitz.
Visit the news page of the ACARA website to read more.
In the news 
Dr Stanley Rabinowitz, General Manager of Assessment and Reporting at ACARA, explains the benefits and measures taken to ensure a successful transition to NAPLAN Online in the article of the October 2017 edition of the
Australian Teacher Magazine,
'NAPLAN Online – better, faster or reinforcing inequality?'
Work samples for Years 7–10 Civics and Citizenship
Work samples portfolios for Years 7–10 Civics and Citizenship have been published on the Australian Curriculum website. The work samples portfolios show ‘satisfactory’ and ‘above satisfactory’ student achievement of curriculum standards for Years 7–10 in Civics and Citizenship.
Work sample portfolios support teachers and schools in making balanced judgements of student performance over time, in relation to the relevant achievement standard. The portfolios have been selected, annotated and reviewed by classroom teachers and curriculum experts.
See the work samples on the Australian Curriculum website.
Visit the STARportal 
Visit the STARportal, Australia’s first centralised national portal for exciting and engaging STEM activities from around the country.
This searchable database connects parents, students and teachers with their local and online STEM activities in real time. The Office of the Chief Scientist, along with key industry partners, has developed this resource.
Check it out!
NAPLAN Online: technical requirements 
Students, teachers and parents can become familiar with NAPLAN Online by completing mini-tests available on our public demonstration site, located within the NAP website. Visit the NAP website to find out the minimum technical requirements for completing NAPLAN Online.