The Canberra Times – Emma Macdonald
“They may appear permanently glued to their smart phones and tablets, but Australian students are less able to navigate basic computer tasks now than three years ago. And the greatest collapse in results has happened in the ACT. The Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority has delivered a stark warning alongside the latest report on student assessment in ICT – that Australia’s level of computer literacy in Year 6 and Year 10 is in decline and “warrants serious attention.” It has suggested that one of the reasons for the fall in standards is the increasing use of communications devices among young people and the assumption that they are able to also manage and process information. Indeed, the majority of 10,562 students who took place in the online testing in October and November last year expressed confidence in using social media, downloading music and uploading files to a website. But only one fifth were confident in creating a database, constructing a web page, or using anti-virus software.”(more)