高等教育质量评估体系的有效性:中国的问题与对策

高等教育质量评估体系有效性问题实质上是一个政策评估问题。从宏观层面看,高等教育质量评估体系主要指外部质量评估体系,它包括政府评估、质量认证和大学排名等。根据政府介入程度的不同,外部质量保障体系可分为认可型评估和认证型评估。从问责制的视角看,中国实施的第一轮本科教学评估实质上是一种政府对高校的问责制度安排,属于行政问责。第一轮本科教学评估的有效性被认为"一般",基本上被认可,但改进空间巨大。提高中国高等教育质量评估体系的有效性,必须建立社会问责机制。     

School monitoring and quality assurance in the New Zealand school system

This article reports on the New Zealand education quality assurance and school monitoring system, including its framework, and responsibilities of agencies. It first gives an outline of the education system in New Zealand, and then introduces the role of school charters and levels of schooling. To ensure the quality of schools, the methods of school self-review and external reviews of schools are used by the New Zealand government. Schools are given a list of obligations that they have to follow. Assessment policies and the school curriculum are designed to support learning. Fubuki Sakura formerly called William Leung     

Measured lives: the rise of assessment as the engine of change in English schools

The year 2000 marks the end of compulsory education for the first cohort of students to experience the National Curriculum throughout their school careers. This article describes their experience of assessment and compares it with the testing regime that those children who start school in 2000 are likely to experience. Changes in policy from the early Task Group on Assessment and Testing proposals are analysed, especially the increasing priority given to the use of assessment for monitoring and evaluating the performance of teachers, schools and local education authorities. This shift is interpreted in terms of underlying assumptions about effective strategies for change. While Conservative and Labour governments have pursued somewhat different goals, they have used a similar change strategy. This explains why the general thrust of policy has continued in a broadly similar direction - towards ever more testing in schools and the use of results as performance indicators. It is argued, however, that this strategy cannot be pursued indefinitely. After a point, further improvements will only be made if teachers are helped to work ‘smarter’, not just harder. Policy-makers need, therefore, to look again at the contribution that formative assessment - or assessment for learning as part of pedagogy - can make to lifelong learning, in a more coherent, balanced and ‘educational’ system.     

差异化绩效责任制:美国中小学均衡发展的新举措

21世纪以来,美国加强绩效责任制的应用来推进中小学的均衡发展,进一步引入灵活性和差异性元素,建立更加符合学校改进实际的差异化绩效责任制。通过这种灵活的新模式,联邦教育部希望对落后学校、学区进行有针对性、实质性的干预和介入,从而改善这些学校或学区的绩效状况,提升其教育教学质量,促进学区之间、学校之间在更高水平上的均衡发展。     

Material resources,school climate,and achievement variations in the Philippines: Insights from PISA 2018

Educational reform programs usually institute systemwide changes. However, this assumption of similar school problems mask variations between schools and students. The 2018 Philippine PISA data (n = 7233) reveal salient variations in academic achievement that happen between schools and among students. Between schools, material resource and school climate problems have different origins and influence depending on school type and location, while among students, gender and socioeconomic status act as predictors but fail to fully explain the variation. This has implications for school-specific investments for material resource and school climate improvement, and student-specific interventions that detect and instruct those who are lagging behind.     

Quality assurance and assessment in education in Papua New Guinea

Education in Papua New Guinea (PNG) has experienced major shifts and changes over the last decade or so under the National Education Reform. In that context there is recognition for schools to appreciate their local contexts and conditions regarding assessment. The National Educational Department is also aware of the fact that there is need for some level of control from the national perspective to ensure a level playing field for assessment. Along with school–based assessment and national assessment processes, teacher inspections and appraisal, school and curriculum observations and appraisal are also recognized as elemental in ensuring quality control across the country. This article represents the modes and methods of assessment and quality assurance in PNG within the context of the current policy debates and policy development on education reform.     

Using standards to evaluate accountability policy in context: School administrator and teacher perceptions of a teacher evaluation system

Accountability policy in the United States requiring school districts to design and implement state policy-directed teacher evaluation systems that utilize multiple measures, most often observations of professional practice and student achievement data, has been reflective of shifting international public discourse surrounding educational accountability, specifically related to teacher quality. Although the most recent wave of policy change provides states some flexibility in determining how teachers are evaluated, many are still mired in debate on how to improve teacher professional practice and increase student learning. This study examined the perceptions of school administrators and teachers in a large, suburban, public school district regarding their district’s new teacher evaluation system. Understanding the convergent and divergent views of participant groups regarding how (i.e., the standards by which) they defined and measured the effectiveness of the evaluation system is necessary to not only better understand their lived experiences but also to potentially inform policy change.     

School built environment,gender, and student achievement in Pakistan

We investigate the relationship between school built environment factors including available water, toilet facilities, and electricity access, and Pakistani students’ achievement. Data from a representative sample of 72,843 students attending 5296 schools are analyzed using multilevel modeling. The findings suggest that ceteris paribus, built environment factors have statistically significant effects on achievement. The effects of several of these factors are moderated by student gender such that female students’ achievement is more likely to be affected by the of lack of water and sanitation facilities while male students’ achievement is more likely to be affected by access to electricity. Implications of the findings regarding built environmental effects on educational achievement are discussed.     

From inspection to quality: Ways in which school inspection influences change in schools

Inspection is employed by most European education systems as an instrument for controlling and promoting the quality of schools. Yet there is little research knowledge about how inspection drives the improvement of schools. The study reports on surveys to principals in primary and secondary education in six European countries to attempt to clarify how school inspection impacts on the improvement of schools. Based on an analysis of principals’ perceptions the evidence suggests that inspection primarily drives change indirectly, through encouraging certain developmental processes, rather than through more direct coercive methods. Inspectorates that set clear expectations and standards have an impact on the increased utilization of self-evaluation and on developing the capacity of schools to improve in a variety of ways.     

Differences in pupil achievement in Kenya: Implications for policy and practice

In this study the authors employed multilevel analyses procedures to examine pupil, class and school levels factors that influenced pupil achievement in Kenya.Pupil's age, pupil's socioeconomic background and pupil–teacher ratio were important factors in the prediction of pupil achievement. The provinces with the largest between-school variation were Eastern and Rift Valley. Low social equity was evident in Nyanza, Nairobi and Western while large gender inequities were evident in North Eastern. Implications of the findings for policy and practice are outlined.     

Perceptions of Portuguese undergraduate students about assessment: a study in five public universities

This paper draws upon a broader piece of research on assessment in higher education, particularly focusing on issues regarding the fairness and effectiveness of the assessment methods and their implications for the learning process. The perceptions of undergraduate students are analysed taking into account the effectiveness and fairness of both traditional and learner-centred assessment methods, as well their influence on the learning process. In total, 624 students participated in this study in five Portuguese Public Universities in different areas of knowledge and programmes. Data were collected through questionnaires. Findings suggest that assessment is seen as more effective and fairer when it is done through the use of learner-centred assessment methods rather than by traditional assessment (e.g. written tests or exams). The students also claim that they devote more time to study when assessment is performed through learner-centred assessment methods than by traditional ones. The most used assessment methods are written tests and oral presentations in group. However, differences in the programmes were identified as well as differences according to gender. Implications of the findings for assessment and for the teaching and learning process are discussed.     

中芬幼儿园保育教育质量评估指南的比较与启示

全面提升保教质量是我国新时代学前教育发展的政策导向和重点要求,而有效评估保教质量是提升工作的重要环节。分析和比较中国《幼儿园保育教育质量评估指南》与芬兰《早期教育与保育评估指南与建议》的异同,发现两国保教质量评估体现出相同的教育与评估理念、原则和方式,芬兰侧重于系统的评估组织架构和多元角色的参与。我国应完善国家学前教育监测系统、建立地方管理系统、重视多种角色合作。     

试论素质教育与高校体育教学改革

本文从素质与体育之间关系入手,剖析高校体育教学现状,探索高校体育教学改革的新途径,促进高校体育朝素质教育方向发展。     

Assessing assessment quality: Criteria for quality assurance in design of (peer) assessment for learning - A review of research studies

The interest in assessment for learning (AfL) has resulted in a search for new modes of assessment that are better aligned to students’ learning how to learn. However, with the introduction of new assessment tools, also questions arose with respect to the quality of its measurement. On the one hand, the appropriateness of traditional, psychometric criteria is being questioned in the context of assessment for learning. On the other hand, it has been argued that new criteria need to be formulated to acknowledge the unique features of assessment for learning. The issue dealt with in this review is what quality criteria are specifically relevant to AfL. Studies using (peer) assessment for learning were evaluated with regard to use of quality criteria under two perspectives: their recognition of educational measurement criteria, as well as their consideration of student involvement in the assessment of learning. The selected studies were analyzed to determine what specific criteria were utilized in (successive parts of) the assessment cycle (i.e., the process of construction, administration and follow up of an assessment). Our results indicate that quality criteria are dissimilarly connected to the distinct steps of an assessment cycle, which holds as well for the attention given to student involvement in assessment for learning.     

Multilevel Modelling in Repeated Measures of the Quality of Finnish School Life

The main interest of the paper is methodological: to exploit multilevel modelling in analysing quality of school life data gathered in 1991 and 1995 in Finnish comprehensive schools, with the intention of investigating differences and related changes in the quality of school life over time. The specific methodological aim is to explore the advantages gained and problems encountered while applying multilevel models and the statistical program MLwiN in analysing large scale educational data with repeated measures. The quality of school life was assessed by a representative sample of all the Grade 8 pupils throughout the country with a 4 year interval in the same schools. The measurement of the quality of school life focused on general school satisfaction and on teacher-student relations. The validity of the instrument was confirmed by means of factor analysis. The findings of the multilevel statistical analysis are discussed both from an educational and a methodological point of view.     

The construction of Taiwan’s educational indicator systems: experiences and implications

This study was designed to illuminate the state of education in Taiwan by constructing Educational Indicator Systems. The study, sponsored by the National Science Council between 1998 and 2000, was the first comprehensive indicator project to cover all educational levels in Taiwan. Various research methods were used, including panel discussion, conference, setting up website, Delphi technique, questionnaires and visits to 14 international organizations and government agencies. In the process, two educational indicator systems based upon the “Context-Input-Process-Progress” (CIPP) model were formulated: “Taiwan’s Educational Indicator System by educational level” (TEIS by el) with 99 indicators, and “Significant Indicators of Taiwan’s Education” (SITE) with 34 indicators. Finally, some limitations and suggestions were offered for the future development of Educational Indicator Systems.     

论高等教育评价的交互性

高等教育评价是存在价值关联的关系性活动,评价过程就是建立关系的过程,且有内部评价和外部评价之分。在内部评价与外部评价之间,在外部评价的不同主体之间以及内部评价的不同主体之间,都存在着以价值判断为牵引的、围绕事实探究和描述的交互作用。高等教育评价不同于对“物”的评价。评价对象的主体性和意义建构在评价过程中,并发挥着重要作用。高教评价在特定的场域展开,场域特性影响评价的价值立场和判断,而高教评价的有效性取决于评价主体的交互水平。除了评价过程中的交互性,评价者的专业化水平也是重要的因素。以评价者的专业化为一维,以评价过程的交互性为另一维,按照水平高低建立坐标,可以建立四种评价有效性模式。其中,高专业化水平和高交互性水平的评价模式最为有效。高等教育评价要健康发展,就必须纠正将评价的技术化要求和高教的人性化特质相对立的错误偏向。     

普通高中学业水平考试学业质量评价功能开发的理性思考

普通高中学业水平考试是高中阶段教育教学质量评价体系的重要组成部分,科学开发其学业质量评价功能,是有效服务于高中教育教学的前提。本文讨论了开发普通高中学业水平考试学业质量评价功能的缘由、应秉持的理念、应遵循的原则以及利用其开展学业质量评价的主要环节,并针对该考试及其评价功能开发存在的主要问题提出了建议。     

Designing and developing a programme-focused assessment strategy: a case study

Abstract

This case study describes the process that the Humanities Programme Team, in Dublin City University’s Open Education Unit, has undertaken with regard to developing a systematic, programme-focused assessment strategy. It charts the development of an Assessment Matrix that facilitated the enhancement of programme coherence in the context of a distributed modular provision model, and facilitated the use of an appropriate range and scaffolding of assessment types in relation to learning outcomes. To conclude, four recommendations on developing a programme-focused assessment strategy are presented: explicitly link assessments to both programme and module learning outcomes; provide adequate supports and resources for those designing and writing assessments; provide those Assessment Writers with appropriate professional development, as well as an opportunity to be part of an assessment writing community; and to embed a programme-focused assessment strategy into a programme’s quality assurance processes.     

Evaluating assessment quality in competence-based education: A qualitative comparison of two frameworks

Because learning and instruction are increasingly competence-based, the call for assessment methods to adequately determine competence is growing. Using just one single assessment method is not sufficient to determine competence acquisition. This article argues for Competence Assessment Programmes (CAPs), consisting of a combination of different assessment methods, including both traditional and new forms of assessment. To develop and evaluate CAPs, criteria to determine their quality are needed. Just as CAPs are combinations of traditional and new forms of assessment, criteria used to evaluate CAP quality should be derived from both psychometrics and edumetrics. A framework of 10 quality criteria for CAPs is presented, which is then compared to Messick's framework of construct validity. Results show that the 10-criterion framework partly overlaps with Messick's, but adds some important new criteria, which get a more prominent place in quality control issues in competence-based education.