Technical Requirements
ACARA is conscious that a move to online
delivery of NAPLAN will raise many questions about the technical
requirements that will need to be met. As research is completed and
decisions are made by state and territory ministers, information about
technical requirements will be updated and disseminated.
It
is recognised that many schools will not have one-to-one device ratios.
Due to the nature of tailored testing, it will no longer be necessary
for test security purposes to have all students take NAPLAN tests at the
same time. ACARA will widen the test window to allow increased
flexibility for tests to be staggered over a longer period of time.
Schools will be notified about changes to the test window once a final
decision has been made about the length and structure of the test window
for 2016.
Minimum technical specifications for devices
A delivery platform is being built that will
support the broad possible range of devices. ACARA is working with
partners to define the baseline (or minimum) device specifications for
NAPLAN online. These specifications are expected to be available in
mid-2014.
ACARA understands that schools will
already be looking at buying computers for 2014 onwards. The following
requirements should be considered for new purchases:
- minimum screen size of 25.4cm
- minimum screen resolution of 1024 x 768 pixels
- a physical keyboard for tablets (on-screen keyboards reduce the screen real-estate available for the display of test items)
- headphones or earphones
- appropriate networking for the applicable classroom (wired Ethernet or WiFi)
- operating system version which is current at the time of new purchase and which the vendor will support until at least June 2016
- web browser that is current at time of purchase (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, Safari) with JavaScript enabled.
Older devices may be supported if they meet
the minimum device specification when it is developed. However the
minimum screen size, resolution and need for a physical keyboard and
headphones, will also apply to those devices.
Internet connectivity requirements
Transitioning to NAPLAN online assumes that
schools have reliable access to the internet. However, some provisions
will also be made for students, only where necessary, to complete the
same tests on computers that do not have adequate or any internet
connection.
ACARA is working with state and
territory governments, and sector representatives to assess the steps
that need to be taken to ensure that schools have access to sufficient
internet bandwidth to undertake the tests online.
Bring Your Own Device (BYOD)
Many schools are moving towards a BYOD policy
that allows students to use their own computer at school. The use of a
personal computer or tablet for national tests raises a number of issues
around test security and privacy.
ACARA is
currently consulting with schools, education departments and sector
representatives to work through these issues and to develop an
appropriate policy regarding the use of personal devices for NAPLAN
tests.
