Memorandum to Schools 89/2008
6 October 2008
Teacher Professional Learning: Assessment for Better Learning using NAPLAN Data
The Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) are providing a Teacher Professional Learning Program for the NAPLAN Data Service. The program will be delivered on behalf of the VCAA by School Research Evaluation and Measurement Services (SREAMS), at no cost to participants and principals will receive an invitation letter from SREAMS in the first week of Term 4.
The program, called Assessment for Better Learning using NAPLAN Data, will focus on two main themes:
- How classroom teachers can use the responses to questions on the NAPLAN 2008 tests as a diagnostic tool to inform them about the strengths and weaknesses of students in their classes
- How curriculum leaders and classroom teachers can use their school-level data to analyse the impact of their school’s learning programs.
The Teacher Professional Learning program will be offered as a three-hour workshop to be delivered during October and November. These three-hour workshops are for principals, NAPLAN co-ordinators and classroom teachers and are free of charge to participants.
Workshops will commence with a ‘live’ demonstration on how to access your data through the NAPLAN Data Service website. Schools can access the service by using the same User ID and password which was issued for the AIM Data Service in 2005. If you have changed your password from the original one, you may continue to use the changed password. If you are unable to locate your User ID and/or password, contact the NAPLAN Help Desk by email: vcaa.naplan.help@edumail.vic.gov.au entering ‘NAPLAN password request’ in the subject line and ensuring that the name of the school is in the body of the text.
The second segment of the workshop will have a ‘whole school’ focus concentrating on the interpretation of data to inform curriculum and school-wide policies. There will be opportunities for participants to reflect on their own school’s data and to seek clarification regarding interpretation of the data.
To support this activity, schools are asked to bring hard copies of a selection of the NAPLAN 2008 Data Reports. Details about which reports to bring will be provided once participants have registered. To register for a workshop please follow the instructions below.
The workshops will be presented on behalf of the VCAA by either Philip Holmes-Smith or Barrie Fenby at venues across Victoria (see attachment).
Registration Instructions
A list of locations, venues, dates and times for the three-hour workshops can be found in the attachment to this Memorandum. Schools may elect to send a reasonable number of staff to any one of the three-hour workshops. Please select the time and location most suitable to you and lodge your registration online at:
On completion of your online registration, you will receive confirmation of your booking and information on which hard copy NAPLAN 2008 reports to bring to the workshop. We suggest that at the time of registration, you print a copy of your registration confirmation and the list of reports to bring to the workshop.
Workshop details are also available on the VCAA website at: www.vcaa.vic.edu.au
Please note that places are strictly limited at some of the workshop venues, so bookings are essential.
I urge you to encourage your staff, particularly any new staff members who are less familiar with large scale testing, to participate in this valuable Teacher Professional Learning activity.
Contact details
If you have any queries please contact Jillian Holmes-Smith by email at
holmes-smith.jillian@sreams.com.au or telephone (0438 558 633)
Attachment
Teacher Professional Learning: Assessment for Better Learning using NAPLAN Data - Workshop Venues (PDF - 42KB)
