Research confirms NCEA benefits

Media Release

4 July 2006

Research confirms NCEA benefits

Research released today into the impact of the NCEA on student motivation is an important step in the right direction but more research is needed, PPTA President Debbie Te Whaiti said today.

The research report The Impact of the NCEA on Student Motivation was commissioned by the Ministry of Education and conducted by staff of the College of Education and School of Psychology at Victoria University.

“This is useful research which originated from a recommendation in PPTA’s own 2005 research, Teachers talk about NCEA, that research on student motivation under NCEA was needed. We applaud the fact that it has been done but emphasise that this is just the start of what is needed and the Ministry must commission more research, including longitudinal studies of the impact of NCEA on student success.”

Debbie Te Whaiti said the research endorsed NCEA as fundamentally a sound approach to qualifications but needing further refinement, which was consistent with PPTA’s views.

It raised some interesting questions about the design of NCEA such as:

- the de-motivating effect for some students of the 80 credit requirement for the Certificate at each level;

- the efficacy of the current range of grade levels; and

- whether unit standards in conventional subjects should be replaced by achievement standards.

ENDS

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