“My School” Looks Dangerous
The site allows you to type in a schools name, and then a profile for that school will appear showing statistics about enrolment, socio-educational status and academic results. The main purpose is to compare schools academically, below is a screenshot of the site.
This school is above the national average, and statistically comparable with similar schools
The issue with the academic results is that they are based of singular nation wide tests called the NAPLAN tests.
Parents are being encouraged to use the “My School” website to compare their school to similar schools, and they are also being encouraged to talk to teachers about their schools results. The website states that it aims to introduce “a new level of transparency and accountability to the Australian school system.”
If parents are encouraged to judge schools based off this one test, then this test will start to take over teaching. Instead of teachers teaching students what they need to know over the course of a year, teachers are going to be forced to teach students what they need to know to do well in the NAPLAN test.
Teaching for a test is not good for learning.
I doubt that the “My School” website will benefit education in Australia.
What do you think?
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February 5th, 2010 at 12:19 pm
You’ve done well Calum to highlight a big danger of what “My School” coukd lead to. Overall, I’m opposed to the website. However, I’m hoping that there are enough good teachers and principals out there, that schools will be able overcome the pressures from parents and even governments to teach to a test, but I do share your concerns.
I think my biggest frustration with the whole process is that it runs the risk of parents failing to take a wholistic approach to choosing a school, teachers as individuals the culture of the school, subject opportunities etc. On the other hand, I know the wonders of talking and think that school choice will be decided more but what people hear and not statistics- but it won’t work on all people.
I guess if the government feels its appropriate to spend money on such a website- there is a long way to go before our dream education system (if there even is one).
February 5th, 2010 at 12:24 pm
Thanks for your comments Simone.
It certainly does seam that a dream education system is a long way off…
If only this money could be spent on something that would help the system, not draw highlights to it’s flaws.
I’m sure teachers will be able to still teach well under the strain, there are some amazing teachers out there!
February 12th, 2010 at 10:44 am
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