Case Study

Case Study

Ashdale Secondary College

With the introduction of the Online Literacy and Numeracy Assessment (OLNA) in WA, it was evident that many students were not switched on to English and maths and lacked the functional skills needed to successfully pass the assessment. A variety of reasons such as limited schooling in English and an active decision that maths was not required in future educational pathways meant that the students did not know where to start with finding the right keys for success. The program (OLNAWA) established by its creator Phillip Judge is able to diagnose a student’s weakness or gaps in their learning and consequently present them with a range of questions that build on their background knowledge, eventually building to the level required to grasp the concepts needed in order to demonstrate functional numeracy and literacy skills and ultimately success in the OLNA. The program successfully moves students on who have not been able to pass the assessment previously. The program gives the students confidence in their own abilities, provides them with immediate feedback and presents maths problems, both numerically and in a written format which is so vital to building success for our students. Students were keen to use the program and monitor their own progress and consequently approach the online OLNA with not only renewed confidence but also in some cases looking forward to the challenge. Equally, the reading and writing components have helped the students immensely. The many quizzes and prompts give the students ample opportunity to improve their skills in these areas.

Kylie Bottcher Principal Ashdale Secondary College