Designing the Classroom Curriculum Designing the Classroom Curriculum | Page 141

Lynch, Smith, Howarth
Figure 11.2: Screen Shot of the SMART Data Tool Web-based Console
To assist principals and teachers in the interrogation and analysis of NAPLAN and other systemic data
collected about their school, the NSW Department of Education 60 has developed a web-based tool known
as ‘Smart Data’. “The School Measurement, Assessment and Reporting Toolkit (SMART) system is a
powerful diagnostic tool that provides feedback on the NAPLAN and ESSA results (‘Essential Secondary
Science Assessments’ in secondary schools 61 ) to NSW schools and their communities. The web-based SMART
system is available to schools (via restricted password access) as a centralised data system and is accessed
through the Department of Education and Communities (DEC) portal”. 62 The site contains a console of
information based on each school in processed form (various statistical calculations conducted on data and
presented with various teaching references). This information is organised as; School Summary, School
Analysis, Student Analysis and Reports. See Figure 11.2 for a sample view of the Smart Data console.
Using NAPLAN Data in your Classroom
When using NAPLAN data in your classroom the important thing to understand is that there are ‘National
Minimum Standards’. See Figure 11.3 for details. It is these minimal standards, and the associated data
representations in the reports that accompany NAPLAN tests, that trigger a teacher to make associated
teaching decisions. In its simplistic form students who are below these ‘minimums’ require ‘special
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See: http://www.schools.nsw.edu.au/learning/7-12assessments/smart/
See http://www.schools.nsw.edu.au/learning/7-12assessments/essa/
See: http://www.schools.nsw.edu.au/learning/7-12assessments/smart/
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