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Latin American Experience with Enhancing Quality and Measuring Quality

Latin American Experience with Enhancing Quality and Measuring Quality. South Asia Regional Conference on Education Quality New Delhi, India October 24-26, 2007 Eduardo Velez Sector Manager for Education Human Development Sector Latin America and the Caribbean.

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Latin American Experience with Enhancing Quality and Measuring Quality

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  1. Latin American Experience with Enhancing Quality and Measuring Quality South Asia Regional Conference on Education Quality New Delhi, India October 24-26, 2007 Eduardo Velez Sector Manager for Education Human Development Sector Latin America and the Caribbean

  2. Current Situation in Latin AmericaAssessment Systems - Most countries have at least an incipient national assessment system based on standardized student achievement test, periodically applied to samples or all students of certain key grades in core academic subjects. - Some countries have sub-national assessments systems Most have participated in one or more international text -A few countries and sub-national entities have been producing school- and system-report cards

  3. Report Cards Various models Different variables Different processes All lead to focusing on outcomes, some give more space for consideration of processes All promote improvement and accountability among various stakeholders -

  4. Assessment Systems. What kinds of results are found? Lower than expected Huge differences in averages between rural and urban population, public and private schools, poor and non-poor, indigenous and non-indigenous populations Increasingly small, if any, differences between girls and boys. Slow change in outcomes

  5. Assessment Systems. What kinds of results are found? Positive results The following are important inputs: school climate, high expectations, principal’s leadership and permanence, homework, peer effects, educational materials, teacher’s satisfaction and knowledge of subject matter, active pedagogy, parents’ SES and participation, use of classroom assessment as a pedagogical tool, Time on homework, interest in subject, student perception of relationship with teacher, understanding that science & math associated w/ better job opportunities & future financial security, Mother’s education, home educational resources, assessment systems, school autonomy (process and human resources), less influence from unions, …….. just like everywhere else!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  6. Assessment Systems. What kinds of results are found? Negative results The following characteristics have a negative impact: -Memorization, rote learning -Mother’s employment -Number of siblings -High student-teacher ratio -Frontal teaching method -Technology has mixed results

  7. Assessment Systems & Report Cards. Big challenge. Quality of Education is the challenge It should take 2 to 3 (at very most) grades to learn to read. If it is taking 4 to 6, are systems working at about 50% effectiveness? Poorest 53 countries spend $16 billion on primary education, are they “wasting” $8 billion of it?

  8. International Comparisons

  9. NLD HKG JPN KOR FIN NZL CAN AUS GBR CHE BEL FRA AUT ISL DNK LIE SWE IRL NO CZE USA DEU HUN RUS ESP POL LVA ITA PRT LUX GRC ISR THA BUL ROM ARG MEX CHL MKD ALB IDN BRA PER PISA 2000: Math Scores & Dispersion 600 Mean Score 400 200 280 Dispersion 240 340 380 420

  10. PISA 2003: Math Scores & Dispersion

  11. Assessment and AccountabilityThe Uruguay Experience (1) • Participation, consensus building and face to face discussion with teachers, principals, and supervisors (sample, all schools get results, all teachers can apply the test to their students, and can compare with national results)

  12. Assessment and AccountabilityThe Uruguay Experience (2) • In-service teacher training as the first consequence of the assessment (starting with assessments’ results, voluntary and collective --involves the teacher team of a school--, exchange of experience with other teams, all year round—once a fortnight; participants receive 20% of salary; schools in poor areas are priority; focus on how to teach; and emphasis on practical activities in the classroom)

  13. Assessment and AccountabilityThe Uruguay Experience (3) • Evidence on the impact -70% of teachers support national assessment -70.2% read MOE’s publications -55% changed teaching and evaluating practices -78% apply school based assessment “When MOE appeared I had a brick in each hand.. Little by little they convinced us.. Now it is a valuable experience. We have changed our practice”

  14. Language, percentage of students achieving an acceptable level in the test /Primary 6th grade Poor ………………………………………Rich EVOLUTION OF THE RESULTS BY SOCIAL CONTEXT

  15. Assessment and AccountabilityThe Mexican Experience (1) • Increase Autonomy To improve quality, efforts are needed to move decision-making to the school level, thus increasing school autonomy Increasing school autonomy can compensate disadvantaged schools Autonomy can help raise the schooling outcomes of indigenous peoples School autonomy reinforces the role of homework, learning styles and future value of education With more autonomy, schools could determine the appropriate mix of technology for their students

  16. Assessment and AccountabilityThe Mexican Experience (2) • Improve Accountability Accountability mechanisms can improve school quality Accountability mechanisms that put people at the center of service provision can go a long way in making services work and improving outcomes Flexible and wide-ranging accountability mechanisms could encompass various types of services To improve quality, efforts are needed to move decision-making to the school level, thus increasing school autonomy

  17. Assessment and AccountabilityThe Mexican Experience (3) • Continue learning from the assessment Assessment testing can be used to inform policy decisions. Analysis of assessments can foster public and civil society involvement in education reform. However, governments must be proactive in encouraging public debate using assessment results. Expand coverage of the national assessments. National and international assessments could be used to inform school reform process

  18. PISA 2003: Mathematics

  19. Assessment and AccountabilityUsing Early Grade Reading (EGR) • Some start to use it to monitor reading but also to increase involvement of parents and other stakeholders (an accountability mechanism). It is not an alternative to assessment systems. Let’s see some pros and cons.

  20. Where are the countries? • Chile, Grade 1: • “We expect children to read fluently and with comprehension. This means that they should be able to: • read, fast enough not to impede comprehension, stories of about 200 words; • identify the type of text read; • comprehend literal meaning; and • make simple inferences.” (Paraphrase.) • This is measurable, or can lead to something measurable • Peru, Haiti, Honduras

  21. Are there any results (from EGR)? • To early to say. But in Peru there is some evidence that introducing EGR at the school level has a significant return. In six schools in five municipalities in Peru, after six months of introducing EGR the changes were on average 80% and the worst off the school (in terms of education quality) the biggest the impact. • Also in Peru the Government decided to use the results of an assessment system to evaluate its education policy starting with a baseline at the beginning of the Administration.

  22. Some lessons for Assessment Policy • Assessment Unit must be committed with producing materials useful for teachers and with dissemination and use of results. (School reports with useful information about their performance and activities) • Technical legitimacy of tests and frameworks is crucial • Timely and accurate data to inform policymaking • Unit must be autonomous from political interests • Importance of detailed planning of actions and coherent implementation

  23. Some lessons for Assessment Policy • You need an assessment strategy, not just to administrate tests… policymakers use the results of evaluation of existing interventions to inform design and implementation of policies • A "teacher-friendly" approach to assessment facilitates its use by teachers • Articulate dissemination of results with an effective in-service training program • Teachers need space and time to meet, study, discuss, try new things

  24. Some lessons for Assessment Policy • Autonomy… with support. More autonomous schools can implement appropriate education policies • Accountability. A more accountable system will encourage more active participation by parents, teachers, and others, which is key to improving learning outcomes • Assessment. A system that is based in constant assessment and participation in international benchmarking exercises will improve cost-effectiveness

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