General Achievement Test

Last updated

General Achievement Test
AcronymGAT
TypePaper-based standardised exam
Developer / administrator Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority
Knowledge / skills testedWriting, literacy, numeracy, reasoning
PurposeAssessing literacy and numeracy skills, quality assuring VCE assessments
Year started1987 (pilot)
1992 (compulsory)
DurationSection A: 2 hours and 15 minutes
Section B: 1 hour and 45 minutes
Score / grade range0-50 study scores (for students completing both sections)
OfferedAnnually
Countries / regions Victoria, Australia [lower-alpha 1] [lower-alpha 2]
LanguagesEnglish
Scores / grades used by Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre (VTAC) for VCE score moderation, universities (limited)
Website www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/assessment/vce-assessment/general-achievement-test

The General Achievement Test (often abbreviated GAT) is a test of general knowledge and skills including communication, mathematics, science and technology, the arts, humanities and social sciences in the Australian state of Victoria. [1]

Contents

Although the GAT is not a part of the graduation requirements and does not count towards a student's final VCE results or ATAR, the GAT plays an important role in checking that a school's assessments and examinations have been accurately assessed. [2]

History

The General Achievement Test was introduced as a pilot program in 1987, designed to test the feasibility and effectiveness of a general test that assesses skills and knowledge that was not specific to any VCE subjects. After the successful pilot program, the GAT was fully implemented as a compulsory test for all Year 12 students studying for the Victorian Certificate of Education in 1992. The GAT has since then been conducted annually and remains an important part of the VCE assessment process. [3]

From 2006 to 2007, Year 12 Western Australian students sat the GAT for a short period. [4] This test was introduced into Western Australia as a trial to provide schools with feedback on the standard of assessment used for the new WACE courses. However, the results of the trial were inconclusive due to the test not being taken seriously by a large number of students, and a more sophisticated analysis than the initially suggested regression analysis was found to be required. Also, the renewed primacy of marks in scaling scores for WACE meant the original purpose for the GAT no longer existed. Therefore, in 2007 the Curriculum Council of Western Australia decided to discontinue the test after an independent review. [5]

In 2007, Monash University began taking the GAT into consideration for middle band students. It was initially for Victorian students who missed out on courses because their ATAR score was just below the cut-off score. Currently, it is only considered if two students have the same ATAR, prerequisite study scores and are trying to get into the same course. Their GAT score can then be used to differentiate between one getting in and the other not. [6]

In 2020, the GAT was rescheduled from June to October due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with masks being mandatory for all students undergoing the test. [7]

These issues continued into 2021, with the GAT being rescheduled four separate times due to COVID lockdowns. In the lead-up, Victorian Education Minister James Merlino encouraged students in hotspot areas to receive COVID tests before sitting the GAT, uncovering 33 cases. [8] After the exam was conducted, at least four positive cases were linked to students that attended. [9]

Since 2022, the GAT had been split into two sections, and the total exam time was increased from 3 hours and 15 minutes to 4 hours. It also started explicitly reporting a student's literacy and numeracy skills against the new standards in addition to its original role in quality-assuring VCE assessments, bringing it in line with similar tests in other states and territories. [10]

Format

The GAT is delivered in two sections, held as two separate tests on the same day. Section A assesses literacy and numeracy. Section B assesses mathematics, science, technology, arts, and humanities. All senior secondary students in Victoria, including Senior VCAL students, sit in Section A. All students enrolled in one or more VCE Unit 3/4 subjects (including scored VCE VET) sit both Sections A and B. [11]

Both sections of the GAT are done with pen and paper, with separate question booklets and answer booklets. After the examination, students are allowed to bring the question booklet home. No prior study is needed, as past studies in English, mathematics, science and history already prepare students for the test by building their knowledge and skills in writing, numeracy, and reasoning. [12]

Section A: Literacy and numeracy skills

Section A is a two-hour Literacy and Numeracy test with 15 minutes of reading time (2 hours and 15 minutes in total), composed of:

Note: Time for each part are suggestions only. Students are free to spend more or less time on any other parts in Section A.

In the writing tasks, students are presented with images and/or texts and asked to respond to 2 prompts. Students are assessed on the effectiveness of the writing for the audience and purpose, ideas, structure and cohesion, as well as the mechanical aspects of writing, including grammar, punctuation, and spelling. The multiple-choice questions are based on a range of contexts including daily-life questions. [13] [14]

Section B: General knowledge and skills

Section B is a 1.5-hour General Knowledge and Skills test with 15 minutes of reading time (1 hour and 45 minutes in total), including [11]

Note: Time for each part are suggestions only. Students are free to spend more or less time on any other parts in Section B.

Section B is similar in format to those GATs prior to the reform in 2022. [15] In the writing task of Section B, students develop a piece of writing presenting a point of view in response to several prompts. In addition to the information provided, students are accessed on their ability to draw on their own ideas to communicate clearly and effectively to the reader. The multiple-choice questions in Section B cover mathematics, science, technology, humanities, arts and social sciences. [16] This section consists of groups of questions or units. Each unit offers one or more pieces of information, with several questions relating to that information. [13]

Scores

Section A only

Victorian Literacy and Numeracy Standards
AreaClassificationPercentageTotal percentage
ReadingMet
 
85.7%96.4%
Met with excellence
 
10.7%
WritingMet
 
85.0%96.3%
Met with excellence
 
11.3%
NumeracyMet
 
84.3%96.4%
Met with excellence
 
12.1%
Percentage of students in 2022 who met and met with excellence in the Victorian Literacy and Numeracy Standards [17]

All senior secondary students enrolled in one or more VCE or scored VCE VET Unit 3/4 sequence are tested against the Victorian Literacy and Numeracy Standards when they sit the General Achievement Test. [18] The standards are derived from Level 3 of the Australian Core Skills Framework (ACSF), which are required to engage with everyday life, work and further study beyond schooling. [19] All students who completed part A of the General Achievement Test will receive a statement in three areas: Reading, writing and numeracy in their results if they have met the standards.

Section A and Section B

The normal distribution graph of VCE study scores. Note: Students can only achieve a score no more than 50. Standard deviation diagram VCE.svg
The normal distribution graph of VCE study scores. Note: Students can only achieve a score no more than 50.

Students who completed both parts of the General Achievement Test will be issued a standardised score between 0 and 50 in addition to the statements above. The score is calculated in the same way as VCE study scores, which compare a student's performance in relation to all other students who undertook that study. Scores are given to three areas of interest: Writing and written communication, Reading and humanities/arts/social sciences, and Numeracy and mathematics/science/technology. If the student has been given EAL status, it is also noted on the Statement of Results. [20]

Study scores are calculated according to a normal distribution, where the mean is 30 and the standard deviation is 7, with most study scores falling in the range 23 to 37, and a study score of 40 or more places a student in the top 9% of all students in that subject. [21] This statement is also given in the bottom section with the following table:

Standardised Score454035302520
Proportion of students on or above this position (approximate)2%9%26%53%78%93%

GATchphrase

In 2009, a student-organised movement headed by Lucas Shipsides and fuelled by Facebook brought the GAT to the attention of the national press, by suggesting that students make as many references to actor George Clooney as possible in their answers. This became known as "Project Clooney '09". Over 8,000 students are believed to have participated in the statewide prank/meme. [22] [23] [24]

After this level of participation was observed, it became customary, as a form of parody/protest, to incorporate GAT catch phrases, or GATchphrases in the test in following years. In late April 2016 a poll was held on the VCE Discussion Space Facebook group to choose the "Gatchphrase" for that year. Over 1,500 votes were cast, with the theme of Shannon Noll was robbed of the 2003 Australian Idol title winning with over 1,000 votes. [25] [ better source needed ] A public Facebook event page was created for the theme, and by the date of the GAT it had an attendance of over 3,600 students. [26] [ better source needed ]

YearGATchphrase
2009 George Clooney [23] [24]
2018If the teacher doesn't arrive within 15 minutes students are legally allowed to leave [27]
2019 I Got the Horses in the GAT [27]

Notes

  1. Also internationally in selected schools that offers VCE including China, Malaysia, Philippines, Timor-Leste and Vietnam
  2. Also in Western Australia from 2006 to 2007

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Standardized test</span> Test administered and scored in a predetermined, standard manner

A standardized test is a test that is administered and scored in a consistent, or "standard", manner. Standardized tests are designed in such a way that the questions and interpretations are consistent and are administered and scored in a predetermined, standard manner.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Graduate Management Admission Test</span> Computer adaptive test (CAT)

The Graduate Management Admission Test is a computer adaptive test (CAT) intended to assess certain analytical, quantitative, verbal, and data literacy skills for use in admission to a graduate management program, such as a Master of Business Administration (MBA) program. Answering the test questions requires reading comprehension, and mathematical skills such as arithmetic, and algebra. The Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) owns and operates the test, and states that the GMAT assesses critical thinking and problem-solving abilities while also addressing data analysis skills that it believes to be vital to real-world business and management success. It can be taken up to five times a year but no more than eight times total. Attempts must be at least 16 days apart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Advanced Placement</span> American program with college-level classes offered to high school students

Advanced Placement (AP) is a program in the United States and Canada created by the College Board. AP offers undergraduate university-level curricula and examinations to high school students. Colleges and universities in the US and elsewhere may grant placement and course credit to students who obtain qualifying scores on the examinations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Victorian Certificate of Education</span> School qualification offered in Victoria, Australia

The Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) is one credential available to secondary school students who successfully complete year 11 and 12 in the Australian state of Victoria as well as in some international schools in China, Malaysia, Philippines, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam.

The National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) is the official secondary-school qualification in New Zealand. Phased in between 2002 and 2004, it replaced three older secondary-school qualifications. The New Zealand Qualifications Authority administers NCEA.

The Equivalent National Tertiary Entrance Rank (ENTER) was the national Australian tertiary entrance rank, administered by Universities Australia. It was a percentile ranking, designed to simplify the comparison of entrance levels for students educated in different processes of admission for university applicants from interstate. It was replaced by the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank from 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre</span>

The Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre (VTAC) is the administrative body that processes tertiary course applications for universities in the state of Victoria, Australia. Incorporated in 1967, it has offices located at South Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It is a member of the Australasian Conference of Tertiary Admission Centres (ACTAC).

The Ohio Graduation Test (OGT) is the high school graduation examination given to sophomores in the U.S. state of Ohio. Students must pass all five sections (reading, writing, mathematics, science and social studies) in order to graduate. Students have multiple chances to pass these sections and can still graduate without passing each using the alternative pathway. In 2009, the Ohio legislature passed an education reform bill eliminating the OGT in favor of a new assessment system. The development and transition of replacement began in 2014 and ended in 2022.

The Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE) is the credential awarded to students who have completed senior secondary education in the state of Western Australia. It is the Western Australian graduation certificate of the Australian Senior Secondary Certificate of Education. Students are required to meet various breadth and depth requirements, achievement standards and literacy and numeracy standards across their final years of schooling. As of the 2020 WACE, there are 106 courses available for students to study. Many WACE students are awarded an Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR), summarising their results across all areas of study into one ranking for the purposes of university admission. Students may choose from ATAR courses, which count directly towards their ATAR, Vocational Education and Training courses, which are more practical courses and can lead to further vocational opportunities, and, from 2021, General courses, which provide pathways to university, employment, or further vocational education and training. From 2010, the WACE replaced the Tertiary Entrance Exam (TEE), as the standard academic examination for school leavers in Western Australia.

Advanced Placement (AP) Spanish Language and Culture is a course and examination offered by the College Board in the United States education system as part of the Advanced Placement Program.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority</span> Statutory authority responsible for curriculum and assessment in Victoria, Australia

The Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) is a statutory authority of the Victoria State Government responsible for the provision of curriculum and assessment programs for students in Victoria, Australia. The VCAA is primarily accountable to the Victorian Minister for Education. It is also responsible to the Minister for Training and Skills and the Minister for Families and Children in relation to sections of Part 2.5 of the Education and Training Reform Act 2006.

Primary School Achievement Test, also known as Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah, was a national examination taken by all students in Malaysia at the end of their sixth year in primary school before they leave for secondary school. It is prepared and examined by the Malaysian Examinations Syndicate, an agency that constitutes the Ministry of Education.

The Achievement Improvement Monitor (AIM) program was a testing scheme used to monitor the development of literacy and numeracy skills of school students in Victoria, Australia.

The Psychometric Entrance Test (PET) – commonly known in Hebrew as "ha-Psikhometri" – is a standardized test that serves as an entrance exam for institutions of higher education in Israel. The PET covers three areas: quantitative reasoning, verbal reasoning and English language. It is administered by the National Institute for Testing and Evaluation (NITE) and plays a considerable role in the admissions process. A score combining students' performance on the PET with the average score of their high school matriculation tests has been found to be a highly predictive indicator of students' academic performance in their first year of higher education.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Education in Victoria</span> Overview of the education in Victoria, Australia

Education in Victoria, Australia is supervised by the Department of Education and Training, which is part of the State Government and whose role is to "provide policy and planning advice for the delivery of education". It acts as advisor to two state ministers, that for Education and for Children and Early Childhood Development.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Australian Tertiary Admission Rank</span> Grading system for university entry in Australia

The Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) for all domestic students, or the ATAR-based Combined Rank (CR) for all International Baccalaureate (IB) students, are the primary criteria for determining the Selection Rank (SR) for admission into undergraduate courses in Australian public universities. Domestic Students are students who are Australian or New Zealand citizens, or Australian permanent residents, or the holder of long-term refugee visa. ATAR & CR are not applicable for international students as they must apply directly to each university separately and their SR is calculated by the university. The ATAR is calculated by each state or territory's own state-level Tertiary Admission Center (TAC) for all domestic students studying within their geographical limits. Interstate Domestic Students must apply to the TAC of their respective state. The Selection Rank is calculated by each University separately based on the ATAR or CR as well as additional points for each university's unique criteria such as a student's educational disadvantage or subject performance. ATAR is not a mark, but rather a percentile ranking between 0.00 and 99.95 which shows the student’s relative position compared to all other students in the range of 16 to 20 years old who would have completed their respective year 12 exams in that state in a year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NAPLAN</span> Australias national school assessment program

The National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) is a series of tests focused on basic skills that are administered to Australian students in year 3, 5, 7 and 9. These standardised tests assess students' reading, writing, language and numeracy and are administered by the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA). The National Assessment Program is overseen by the Education Ministers Meeting.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Center for Assessment in Higher Education</span>

Measurement is derived from the verb 'to measure' which means to assess something; in Arabic 'yaqees' 'measure' has the meaning of comparing something to something else. In this sense, measurement is a daily practice that manifests itself in all our assessment activities, whether we assess concrete things in terms of size and color, or abstract things such as human relations. The ultimate goal of 'measuring' something is to assess ourselves in comparison to everything else in the world.

Advanced Placement (AP) International English Language is an AP Examinations course managed by Educational Testing Service (ETS) with the sponsorship of the College Board in New York. It is designed for non-native speakers to prepare for studying in an English-speaking university, particularly in North America. The course also gives students a chance to earn college credit. The three-hour exam assesses four language skills: listening, reading, writing, and speaking. The test paper has two sections: multiple-choice questions and free-response questions. APIEL committee consists of high school and university English teachers from Belgium, China, France, Germany, Switzerland, and the United States.

The 2023 Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) exam period began on 2 October with oral language and performance examinations and concluded on 15 November. During the exam period, multiple controversies arose regarding student behaviour on muck-up day and mistakes being made on multiple written examinations.

References

  1. "Pages - General Achievement Test (GAT)".
  2. "Pages - About the GAT".
  3. VCE, all about the GAT, general achievement test : a booklet for students and parents. Carlton, Vic.: Victoria Board of Studies. 1994. ISBN   073064670X.
  4. "Parliamentary Questions". Parliament of Western Australia . 11 April 2006. Retrieved 4 June 2017.
  5. "Annual Report 2007-2008" (PDF). Curriculum Council of Western Australia. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  6. "Monash trials use of GAT for middle band selection". Monash University. 23 April 2007. Archived from the original on 5 October 2012. Retrieved 4 June 2017.
  7. "School students return for first test of exam season". The Age. 6 October 2020. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  8. "Students in COVID-19 hotspots wary of return to class". The Age. 5 October 2021. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  9. "Senior students in isolation after some sat the GAT exam while infected with COVID-19". 9 News. 6 October 2021. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  10. Tatchell, Helen (11 February 2022). "Changes to General Achievement Test | The Moorabool News". The Moorabool News. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  11. 1 2 https://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/assessment/vce-assessment/general-achievement-test/Pages/WhattoExpect.aspx
  12. Andrews, Daniel. "Victoria's Senior Secondary Students Sit New GAT | Premier of Victoria". www.premier.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  13. 1 2 "GAT Overview". www.vcaa.vic.edu.au. VCAA. Retrieved 17 April 2023.
  14. "Victorian students to sit the revamped GAT". Geraldton Guardian. 6 September 2022. Retrieved 17 April 2023.
  15. "General Achievement Test (GAT) Information for schools and providers" (PDF). VCAA. Retrieved 17 April 2023.
  16. Carey, Adam (25 April 2022). "Are you smarter than a VCE student? Sample questions released for revamped GAT". The Age. Retrieved 17 April 2023.
  17. "Victorian Literacy and Numeracy Standards Statistical Information 2022". www.vcaa.vic.edu.au. VCAA. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
  18. "Victorian Literacy and Numeracy Standards". www.vcaa.vic.edu.au. VCAA. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  19. "Explicit reporting of literacy and numeracy". Department of Education and Training. Retrieved 17 April 2023.
  20. 1 2 "Statement of Results samples". www.vcaa.vic.edu.au. VCAA. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  21. "VCE and VCAL Administrative Handbook 2014" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 April 2016.
  22. "Northcote High School Newsletter - Issue 7: Opportunity: GAT PowerClass".
  23. 1 2 Cooper, Mex (11 June 2009). "George Clooney the answer for VCE pranksters". The Age. Retrieved 2 July 2011.
  24. 1 2 "Students launch George Clooney Facebook exam campaign". Illawarra Mercury. 11 June 2009. Retrieved 4 June 2017.
  25. Devereux, Thomas (2016). "Okay guys lets work out a GAT theme". VCE DiscussionSpace. Facebook. Retrieved 4 June 2017.
  26. "2016 GAT THEME Shannon Noll was robbed of winning Australian Idol 2003". Facebook. 2016. Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  27. 1 2 Gunn, Nathan (15 June 2019). "The best memes to come out of Victoria's 2019 GAT test". The Brag. Retrieved 8 July 2019.