Two-thirds of Queensland’s year 10 students do not meet national benchmarks for computer and technology literacy, despite most having “extensive” AI experience, the Australian curriculum authority has found.
Students in years 6 and 10 were tested on their ability to safely access and evaluate online information, use digital tools, and work with “emerging and future technologies”, with tasks including creating online documents and coding.
In Queensland, the number of year 10 students who passed the test at a proficient level was down more than 10 per cent since the last testing period in 2022.
The Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority tested almost 5500 year 6 students from 328 schools nationwide and about 4750 year 10 students from 313 schools.
The results, released on Wednesday, showed technology proficiency in Queensland’s year 10 students had slumped almost every year since testing began in 2005.
In 2025, it was four percentage points below the national average – the lowest of any mainland state.
However, in year 6, the number of students achieving the national benchmark remained fairly consistent across the same period, with about half proving proficient in their use of technology.
Vanessa Bertagnole, P&C president at West End State School, said her daughter had quickly developed digital and typing skills using an iPad the family bought for use in the school’s opt-in bring-your-own-device program.
Bertagnole said she wanted her children to learn how to use technology within the safe environment of a classroom.
“It’s like sugar, right? Sugar is bad for you, but it tastes good – it’s learning how to be controlled and measured with it because it’s going to be in everything,” she said.
Bertagnole said other parents at the school had decided not to sign their children up, opting instead for pen and paper homework.
“Even though they’re not opting in to the bring-your-own-device program, students are still using screens as a learning tool in the classroom,” she said.
The ACARA report said more year 6 students in Queensland used technology daily than in any other state, and half also used it outside the classroom every day. This was exceeded only by Western Australia, where the figure was 52 per cent.
In high schools, ACARA found that nationally, about 60 per cent of year 10 students had used AI at least once a month. However, about a quarter said they frequently used it to help with schoolwork.
ACARA chief executive Stephen Gniel said the statistics contradicted students’ self-reported “extensive experience using digital tools”.
In tertiary classrooms, Queensland University of Technology lecturer Dr Henry Fraser – who specialises in AI regulation and impact – said he was surprised how students in his courses treated the technology.
“I’ve noticed that younger students have to be trained and taught not to take the output at face value,” he said.
In a project where students could critique their own work using AI, Fraser said some did not refine their questions to get results equal to the feedback a person might give.
“These younger students would get the AI and it would give just endless amounts of slop, and they would just be like, ‘OK, well, that’s my feedback’,” he said.
The Queensland Education Department – which was rolling out an AI program for secondary students – said it embedded technology literacy into primary school work.
A department spokesperson said year 7 and 8 students took compulsory courses, which could be continued as electives until year 10.
“In addition, schools also provide opportunities for students to develop digital literacy, which is a general capability embedded within and across the prep to year 10 Australian curriculum,” the spokesperson said.
The department also expected to boost technology learning opportunities with the rollout of its AI program.
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