Over 100 education academics have signed a letter in support of “Say No to NAPLAN”.
We are a group of Australian academics teaching in universities. As a group we are appalled at the way in which the Commonwealth government has moved to a high stakes testing regime in the form of NAPLAN, despite international evidence that such approaches do not improve children’s learning outcomes.
To date there has been little informed debate in this country about the use of NAPLAN as a measure of student (and teacher) academic achievement. These tests have little merit given they focus on assessment of learning rather than assessment for learning and they are being misused for a variety of political agendas.
Pressure on teachers and children to perform well on NAPLAN tests is narrowing the curriculum and eroding time in classrooms for quality teaching and learning activities. Conservative estimates of this testing regime – which only provides a snapshot of a student’s progress in some aspects of literacy and numeracy at one point in time – are around $100 million annually. Such funding could and should be used more appropriately to meet the needs of children experiencing learning difficulties.
CURRENT SIGNATORIES (more adding each day)
Assoc Prof Michael Anderson, University of Sydney
Julie Anderson, RMIT University
Assoc Prof Peter Aubusson, University of Technology, Sydney
Dr Glenn Auld, Deakin University
Assoc Prof Jon Austin, University of Southern Queensland
Dr Bill Baker, University of Tasmania
Assoc Prof Janette Bobis, University of Sydney
Dr Margarita Breed, RMIT University
Prof Marie Brennan, Victoria University
Martyn Brogan, Victoria University
Assoc Prof Penny Bundy, Griffith University
Dr Peter Burridge, Victoria University
Andrea Burton, Griffith University
Assoc Prof Brian Cambourne, University of Wollongong
Julie Carmel, RMIT University
Nicky Carr, RMIT University
Assoc Prof Annemaree Carroll, University of Queensland
Dr Barbara Chancellor, RMIT University
Garry Collins, Australian Catholic University
Dr Russell Cross, University of Melbourne
Dr Michael Crowhurst, RMIT University
Dr Lexi Cutcher, Southern Cross University
Assoc Prof Gloria Dall-Alba, University of Queensland
Dr Ann Davies, University of New South Wales
Prof Chris Davison, University of New South Wales
Prof Brenton Doecke, Deakin Univeristy
Dr Debra Edwards, La Trobe University
Dr Jennifer Elsden-Clifton, RMIT University
Prof Marie Emmitt, Australian Catholic University
Prof Robyn Ewing, University of Sydney
Dr Beryl Exley, Queensland University of Technology
Dr Julie Faulkner, Monash University
Assoc Prof Heather Fehring, RMIT University
Sylvana Fenech, RMIT University
Debi Futter-Puati, RMIT University
Prof Trevor Gale, Deakin University
Dr Robyn Gibson, University of Sydney
Andrew Gilbert, RMIT University
(Hon) A Prof Libby Gleeson, University of Sydney
Dr Emily Gray, RMIT University
Dr Peter Grootenboer, Griffith University
Prof Susan Groundwater-Smith, University of Sydney
Dr Cathryn Hammond, University of South Australia
Dr Mary Hanrahan, RMIT University
Dr Alan Hill, University of Tasmania
Dr Eileen Honan, University of Queensland
Dr Neil Hooley, Victoria University
Anne Houghton, RMIT University
Dr Mary Ann Hunter, University of Tasmania
Dr Jenny Johnston, Southern Cross University
Dr Robbie Johnston, University of Tasmania
Dr Jayne Keogh, Griffith University
Dr Lisa Kervin, University of Wollongong
Assoc Prof Tony Kruger, Victoria University
Dr Gloria Latham, RMIT University
Anya Latham, RMIT University
Assoc Prof Rosie Le Cornu, University of South Australia
Dr Lynette Longaretti, RMIT University
Assoc Prof Liz Mackinlay, University of Queensland
Dr Mary-Rose McLaren, Victoria University
Dr Kelli McGraw, Queensland University of Technology
Dr Jessica Manei, University of Wollongong
Assoc Prof Jackie Manuel, University of Sydney
Dr Kathy Mills, Queensland University of Technology
Dr Paul Molyneux, University of Melbourne
Dr Greg Neal, Victoria University
Marion Nicolazzo, University of Melbourne
Prof Andrea Nolan, Victoria University
Dr Joanne O’Mara, Deakin University
Dr Graham Parr, Monash University
Dr Rachel Patrick, RMIT University
Dr Louise Phillips, University of Queensland
Dr Marc Pruyn, Monash University
Terri Redpath, Deakin University
Prof Alan Reid AM, University of South Australia
Dr Kerry Renwick, Victoria University
Rowena Riek, Griffith University
Kathy Rushton, University of Sydney
Dr Mary Ryan, Queensland University of Technology
Bronwyn Ryrie Jones, RMIT University
Hon Assoc Ken Searle, University of Sydney
Dr Marg Sellers, RMIT University
Dr Cheryl Semple, RMIT University
Assoc Prof Geoff Shacklock, RMIT University
Andrew Skourdoumbis, RMIT University
Bill Spence, University of Sydney
Dr Madonna Stinson, Griffith University
Elly Thomson, RMIT University
Prof Georgina Tsolidis, University of Ballarat
Dr Jan Turbill, University of Wollongong
Dr Mark Vicars, Victoria University
Jo Virgona, RMIT University
Dr Jana Visnovska, University of Queensland
Dr Mary Weaven, Victoria Univerity
Hon Assoc Nadia Wheatley, University of Sydney
Lyn Wilkinson, Flinders University
Assoc Prof Margaret Zeegers, University of Ballarat
Dr Lew Zipin, Victoria University
Dr David Zyngier, Monash University
This letter was organised and published by the Literacy Educators Coalition