The desks have changed; it must be NAPLAN time: How NAPLAN affects teaching and learning of mathematics

Linda Cranley, Christine Robinson, Gregory Hine and Dee O'Connor
The University of Notre Dame, Australia

The National Assessment Program - Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) was introduced into Australian schools in 2008. Since NAPLAN's standardised tests are now regarded as high-stakes assessment, how well students perform has now become much more important. The findings presented in this paper pertain to students' experiences of how NAPLAN has affected their learning of mathematics. This investigation makes a contribution to understanding student experiences of high-stakes testing, from an Australian perspective. To best ascertain students' experiences of NAPLAN and to gain an understanding of how NAPLAN affected the teaching and learning of mathematics, a qualitative approach to research design was selected.
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Authors: Linda Cranley is the coordinator of the Bachelor of Education (Primary) degree at the University of Notre Dame Australia. Linda holds an MPhil from The University of Notre Dame Australia with research conducted into the impact of standardised testing (the National Assessment Program Literacy and Numeracy). Linda is currently completing a PhD investigating active and informed citizenship in the Foundation to Year 2 classroom. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0008-4542 Email: linda.cranley@nd.edu.au Dr Christine Robinson is the coordinator of the early childhood programs including the Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood & Care: 0-8 years), the Graduate Certificate in Early Childhood and the MEd (Early Childhood). Christine holds a PhD in young children's spirituality from University of Notre Dame Australia. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8938-2994 Email: christine.robinson@nd.edu.au Dr Gregory Hine's teaching career spans 22 years. He has taught in Australia and the United States, predominantly in the areas of mathematics, science, and religious education, to middle and high school students. In 2011 Greg was appointed to an academic position in the School of Education, University of Notre Dame Australia. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4589-3159 Email: gregory.hine@nd.edu.au Dr Dee O'Connor is an Associate Professor of Education at University of Notre Dame Australia. Dee has a professional background of pedagogical and leadership roles within early childhood education policy and practice. Dee's research interests relate to holistic early learning and development, learning environments, outdoor learning and nature pedagogy. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8710-4571 Email: dee.oconnor@nd.edu.au Please cite as: Cranley, L., Robinson, C., Hine, G. & O'Connor, D. (2022). The desks have changed; it must be NAPLAN time: How NAPLAN affects teaching and learning of mathematics. Issues in Educational Research, 32(4), 1306-1320. http://www.iier.org.au/iier32/cranley.pdf