While students preparing for their Higher School Certificate (HSC) may not have access to their teachers during the upcoming school holidays, they can rely on other forms of guidance online.

 

As Central West and Central Tablelands senior high school students prepare for one of the toughest challenges of their lives so far, they are finding it easier to cope with online resources being only a click away.

 

Since the inception of the internet, the access to information has become more readily available and for students like Miss Lucy Graham in Cowra, it’s made studying less difficult. Her study weapon of choice is NSW HSC Online http://hsc.csu.edu.au/. “The site is essential in my study routine,” Miss Graham said. “Personally, I find the site to be very useful as it is well organised and easy to follow and doesn’t cost anything.”

 

Teachers are also supporting the use of government approved websites such as NSW HSC Online. Mr Darren Hamilton, a head teacher at Bathurst High Campus-Denison College believes that in preparing for the HSC, there is a place for websites like NSW HSC Online.

 

“Home access has become more common place, particularly for the higher achieving students within each cohort,” Mr Hamilton says. “Retention of the material is achieved through the revision of content within class, but also through the use of NSW HSC Online and other related and support material.”

 

Secondary school advisor at Orange Anglican Grammar School, Ms Joanne McRae has worked as an HSC marker in the past. “If students are going to look for resource material on the internet, they can waste a lot of time searching unless they use one-stop sites such as NSW HSC Online. Students use the Board of Studies website a lot and having a link to sites like NSW HSC Online reinforces its reliability.”

 

Developed in collaboration with the NSW Department of Education and Training, the Charles Sturt University hosted website NSW HSC Online delivered nine million pages to users in 2009, offering information to students, teachers and parents. Project co-ordinator and CSU academic, Dr Deborah Clarke believes that students and teachers benefit greatly from the site. “With material for 50 HSC subjects, supplemented by advice on study strategies and the availability of past examination papers and markers’ comments, the page deliveries always peak in October itself, with monthly figures expected to approach two million this year.  For students contemplating life after the HSC, there are links to career information, universities, the media and sporting sites,” Dr Clarke said.

Kinross Wolaroi director of Sport, Mr Matt Winslade sees the use of online resources beneficial to certain students who prefer to study at their own pace. “It depends on the student, those who do find it very helpful can engage in a medium they are comfortable with and at a pace they can control.”

 

During these school holidays, Year 12 students can study with confidence knowing there is help at just the click of a button.