Richard Thornton writes in defence of NZQA's plans to replace paper based exams with digital ones.
Parents, whanau and pupils can have full confidence in NCEA. It is a robust and internationally recognised qualification that is flexible enough to meet pupil needs no matter where they may be headed - into further tertiary study, work, or vocational training.
So it can continue to meet the needs of 21st century students, NZQA is asking questions about how pupils will be learning in the decades to come and what assessment will look like at secondary school and beyond.
The points raised by Terry Crooks (ODT, 26.8.15) are good ones. NZQA agrees there is a lot it needs to think about when it comes to increasing the use of digital assessment for NCEA.
That is why it has been implementing its Future State programme of work. It is all about finding out what NZQA needs to do to be responsive to the global, digital and connected environment that pupils are living in, and to ensure
New Zealand qualifications remain credible and relevant in an increasingly borderless, global environment.
The current generation is comfortable using technology - in fact, those under 12 have never known a world beyond the digital one.
If pupils are living and learning in a world where technology is always at their fingertips in one way or another, then it makes sense that today's (and tomorrow's) pupils should also be assessed using technology they are familiar with, in a digital environment.
By 2020, NZQA envisages offering a wide range of digital assessment.
Clearly, this will not be realised overnight but NZQA has been trialling new processes and technologies with schools so it can understand more about what works and what might be possible.
It is currently undertaking a series of school visits and presentations to engage with schools about the way in which technology is changing teaching and learning, and also to tell NZQA's story about the increasing use of technology in assessment.
It has produced three documentaries with schools to help tell this story and these can be viewed on its website or its YouTube channel. NZQA is looking to introduce the use of technology in external assessment (end of year exams), as appropriate, to better reflect and enhance what is happening in teaching and learning.
Already, there are many schools which are themselves assessing pupils digitally and submitting assessment to NZQA digitally.
This year, NZQA is also running a trial of a computer based maths assessment that will give it a much better understanding of how digital assessment works and give schools a chance to experience and test it themselves.
More than 230 schools and about 13,000 pupils have asked to take part and 52% of schools are involved in at least one of the trials.
NZQA is delighted with the response from schools and that so many want to participate.
It is also offering online papers in the end of year exams to pupils who are entitled to the assistance of a reader/writer (as part of their Special Assessment Conditions), and are experienced using a keyboard.
It is working closely with schools and taking a managed and measured approach that is ''opt in'' and considers school and pupil readiness to move into a digital environment. It will at all times ensure the robustness of NCEA assessment.
Innovation at NZQA is part of its collective strategic and daily thinking - meeting the needs of pupils in a constantly evolving, digital age, is its challenge and it is one NZQA is endeavouring to respond to.
It has added a large amount of information to the area of its website dedicated to innovation and assessment trials it is undertaking.
I encourage you to have a look at the work it has been doing and please do provide your feedback and thoughts on the Future State programme of work.
• Richard Thornton is NZQA's deputy chief executive digital transformation.
