A Deep Dive into Remote Student Performance

Students outside major cities are on average 1.75 years behind in literacy and two years behind in numeracy compared with their urban peers. The phenomenon is persistent but pinning down what needs to be done to improve the situation has yet to be fully resolved.

A good place to start is with data and 5000 free-of-charge student benchmarking tests will be delivered to schools in target communities over the next two years in a program run by EdTech Janison and the University of Sydney which seeks to identify what rural students need to boost their results.

The Data-led Education Equity Program (DEEP), gives state of the art student assessment tools to participating schools in target communities within NSW as well as ICAS academic competition tests.

ICAS’ Reach student benchmarking tests allow teachers to assess full cohorts and instantly pinpoint where each student sits against learning objectives, and then address gaps with evidence-based teaching practices.

Through complex problem solving, ICAS captures students’ true potential in ways not revealed by testing knowledge alone and supports them in education paths that maximise future career opportunities. Interestingly, ICAS discovered the abilities of Australian student Adam Ritchie, who played a key role in the University of Oxford’s development and manufacturing of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.

Participating principal Donna Wright from Victoria and a 2020 Australian Principal of the Year feels that rural students’ performance deficit comes from reduced opportunity.

“The term ‘achievement gap’ is commonly used in education-related conversations, media reports, scholarship, and teacher training materials; however, many educators prefer to use the term ‘opportunity gap’.

“The phrase ‘opportunity gap’ implies that all students can achieve when given the resources and opportunities they deserve. The collaboration between business and education providers such as the University of Sydney is an excellent partnership to provide country students more significant opportunities to be the best they can be with the spin off being improved access to learning and higher education,” says Wright.

Complex social, economic, and service factors underly the differences in academic performance between city and bush. The Gonski report found that Australia has one of the most significant gaps among developed nations between high and low-performing students.

“The more resources drawn into country education, the better the results will be for all students.

“Allowing students to engage in academic programs free of charge levels the playing field, as financial hardship does not factor into opportunity. Education equity will improve outcomes if disadvantaged schools are offered more essential resources. Best practice teaching and learning focus on programming at the student's point of need based on formative and summative assessment. This program, which engages ICAS and REACH, is positioned to provide tools and support to schools to identify students' strengths and areas for development,” says Wright.

If there is a knock on the program it is that already heavily tested students will have more testing still, which might lead to some examination fatigue.

“Challenging students to do their best work under test conditions is not directly linked to detrimental exam fatigue. Generally, students feel exam fatigue after a testing period due to the stress of taking the exam, a response to being hyper-stimulated, and the body needs time to recuperate, much like you might feel after a sports game when the stakes are high,” says Wright.

“Motivating students to test their skills in a highly competitive environment is an opportunity for students to test their knowledge against other like-minded students. It is like competing in the state finals for athletics, swimming or even dancing, any other activity that requires performance level skills. Academic testing such as ICAS allows students to assess their prowess; outcomes are not public, personal achievement goals are celebrated, or new goals are set. Motivating capable students is believing in them and allowing them to make choices to improve and challenge and test their capabilities.”

Teacher time will be critical to develop the skills required to apply the testing regime, and for teachers to reflect on the next steps in education pertinent to their class.

“Teachers, like any professional, will benefit from optimistic leadership. In schools, this will involve strategically planning for new challenges in assessment reform and catering to adult learner diversity.”

Eligible Australian schools can apply for the Janison DEEP program for Years 5 to 10 students via the ICAS Assessments website www.icasassessments.com/deep-program

Image by Rachel Claire