There’s so much focus on ATAR scores, but is that dedication misplaced?

The ATAR score has long held sway over the university placement of students. However, its relevance and usefulness is now under investigation.

New analysis released this week by Victoria University’s Mitchell Institute shows a pronounced disconnect. Schools and students place an enormous importance on the ATAR score. But the higher education sector uses it less and less as a basis for admission.

A recent article quotes figures showing the pathways to commencing domestic undergraduate enrolments in Australian universities in 2016 (see below).

Is that dedication misplaced?

The ATAR was designed to assist universities to better target enrolments. Clearly, it appears to have just limited usages. On the downside, schools face the dilemma of educating students. At the same time, they are paying homage to the need to produce an acceptable ATAR for the same students.

These need not be competing goals but they do restrict teachers to rigorous adherence concentrating on topics, which produce marks in the final HSC. The occasional straying from the syllabus may have sound educational benefits for students. However, at the detriment to their HSC results and such excursions should be welcomed.

The present situation does not mean that the ATAR score is irrelevant but educators need to view it in the context that it becomes meaningless for three quarters of HSC students after completing school. The most important lesson for students, in today’s society, is that learning is a lifetime process and learning how to learn should be the main goal of schools.

How Children Learn

Understanding ‘How Children Learn’ should be a topic that is paramount to every student, teacher and parent. Many years ago I wrote my thoughts on such a topic. Grab a free copy of this paper by emailing rob@mastercoachingaustralia.com.

See: The Western Weekender (Page 52)