Basic Education Curriculum and Assessment Review in Southeast Asia: The SEA PLM Initiative by: Dr Ethel Agnes P. Valenzuela

Overview 1.The 35 th SEAMEO High Officials Meeting in November 2012 and the 47 th SEAMEC in March 2013 approved the SEA-PLM to complement global learning Metrics Task Force (LMTF) initiative. 2.SEA does not currently have its own metrics for assessing student achievement at the primary level. TIMSS and PISA covered lower secondary. While TIMSS covered 9 year olds, no country in SEA participated in such assessment 3.SEAMEO plans to develop a common primary education learning metrics for SEA which will also provide more timely, high quality data to stakeholders and policy makers for effective reforms and interventions.

Rationale – UNICEF and SEAMEO INNOTECH Collaboration on Southeast Asian Primary learning metric (SEA PLM) To develop a common set of tools and protocols for SEA countries to measure the learning outcomes of children of primary school age. To use the SEA-PLM research and development process as an opportunity to build capacity and strengthen partnerships on learner assessment within and between SEA countries. SEAMEO INNOTECH then was tasked to: – To provide the technical aspects for the Regional Experts Reference Group – that includes draft work plan, draft TOR for various mechanisms and team, introduction to SOLO Taxonomy and Rausch Modelling, technical sessions, recommend national strategic plan to build country- level communities of practices, capacity-building gaps, and training packages for stakeholders at the national level, as well suggest process for enhancing national capacity and decision making and provide focal point for UNICEF

Activities Conducted SEAMEO INNOTECH Review SEAMEO member countries National Curriculum at Primary levels to identify commonalities and unique elements within curricula frameworks and compare this to the LMTF seven domains and compare the broad domains of learning as structured in national core curriculum frameworks Do a compilation of comparable grade level curricula expectations or expected outcomes for children aged 8 to 11 years. Review SEAMEO member countries National Curriculum at Primary levels to identify commonalities and unique elements within curricula frameworks and compare this to the LMTF seven domains and compare the broad domains of learning as structured in national core curriculum frameworks Do a compilation of comparable grade level curricula expectations or expected outcomes for children aged 8 to 11 years. Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) Conduct a desk review of experiences with primary learning metrics – and within PISA and TIMMS – in the region To map out what types of LM have been introduced in which SEA countries Regional experiences with primary learning metrics reviewed – including innovative approaches, issues, and lessons learned of relevance to the SEA - PLM initiative Conduct a desk review of experiences with primary learning metrics – and within PISA and TIMMS – in the region To map out what types of LM have been introduced in which SEA countries Regional experiences with primary learning metrics reviewed – including innovative approaches, issues, and lessons learned of relevance to the SEA - PLM initiative

Basic Education Curriculum and Assessment Comparison

ACER Review of Primary Learning Metric used a simplified framework of multilevel approaches to assessment Source:

SEA Approaches to assessment Source: CountriesAssessment TypesNames of Tests CambodiaHybrid, Regional and National EGRA, PASEC, LAS Lao PDRHybrid, Regional, National EGRA, PASEC, NLS, ASLO, IndonesiaHybrid, Regional, National EALAS, Literacy Boost, TIMSS, PIRLS, LAS MalaysiaNational, InternationalPSAT, TISS MyanmarHybridEALAS PhilippinesHybrid, International, National EGRA, Literacy Boost, EALAS, Phil-IRI, TIMSS

SEA Approaches to assessment Source: CountriesAssessment TypesNames of Tests SingaporeNational, InternationalCRP, TIMSS, PIRLS ThailandHybrid, National, International Nationwide Assessment, TIMSS Timor LesteHybridEGRA, EALAS VietnamHybrid, National, Regional, Reading and Maths Assessments Study, EGRA, EALAS, Literacy Boost, PASEC

2. SEAMEO INNOTECH’s Primary Education Curriculum Review The purpose of SEA PLM curriculum review is to survey the primary education curriculum of 11 SEA countries according to the primary learning metric in the areas of English, Social Studies, Mathematics, and Science at the primary level (years 1 to 6). The learning metric was developed by the UNESCO LMTF that serves as a global framework for measuring learning. This supports advocacy on MDGs, EFA, and access to education plus learning.

SEA PLM SEAMEO INNOTECH Primary Education Curriculum Review followed the Global Framework for Learning Domains

SEAMEO INNOTECH Product : A Review of Primary School Curriculum in Southeast Asian Countries Initially, SEAMEO INNOTECH reviewed the curriculum of 7 SEA countries using the 7 domains for Learning Outcomes under the LMTF. The review identified commonalities and unique elements within curricula frameworks in the participating countries The contents were compared using the LMTF domains

Domain 1 : Physical Well-Being CountriesPhysical Well-Being Brunei DarussalamScience 4-6 CambodiaAll subjects 1 to 6 Lao PDRScience 1-5; Math 4-5 PhilippinesScience 4-6 SingaporeScience 1-2 ThailandLanguages 4-6; Math 2-6; Science 2-3; Social Studies 2-6

Domain 2 : Social and Emotional CountriesSocial and Emotional Brunei Darussalam Languages 1-6;Science 1-6 CambodiaAll subjects 1 to 6 Lao PDRLanguages 3-6; Science 1-5 PhilippinesLanguages 1-6; Science 3 &5; Social Studies 2-6 SingaporeLanguages 1, 5-6; Science 1-6; Social Studies 1-6 ThailandLanguages, Science, and Social Studies 1-6 VietnamLanguage, Math, Science and Social Studies 1-6

Domain 3 : Culture and the Arts CountriesCultural and the Arts Brunei Darussalam Languages and Maths- Gr 1-6 Science 4-6 CambodiaAll subjects Gr 1-6 Lao PDRLanguages 4-6; Maths 1-6; Science 1-4 PhilippinesLanguages-Gr 1-2; Filipino 1-6;Social Studies 2 -6 SingaporeMaths 1-5; Science 1-2; 4-6; ThailandLanguages 1-6;Maths 3-6; Social Studies 1-6 VietnamSocial Studies 1-6

Domain 4 : Literacy and Communication CountriesLiteracy and Communication Brunei Darussalam Languages 1-6; Maths 1-3; Science 4-6 CambodiaAll subjects Gr 1-6 Lao PDRLanguages 4-6; Maths 1-6; Science 1-4 PhilippinesLanguages-Gr 1-2; Filipino 1-6;Social Studies 2 -6 SingaporeMaths 1-5; Science 1-2; 4-6; ThailandLanguages 1-6;Maths 1-6; Social Studies 1-3 VietnamLanguages – 1-5; Maths and Sciences 5-6

Domain 5: Learning Approaches and Cognition CountriesLiteracy and Communication Brunei Darussalam Languages 1-6; Maths 1-6; Science 4-6 CambodiaAll subjects Gr 1-6 Lao PDRLanguages 3-6; Maths 2-6; Science 1-5; Social Studies 1-5 PhilippinesLanguages-Gr 1-5; Science 2-6 SingaporeLanguages 1-6; Maths 1-5; Science 4-6; Social Studies 4-6 Thailand Languages (Thai) 1-6;Maths 1-6; Science 1-4; Social Studies 1-5 VietnamLanguages – 1-5; Maths and Sciences 5-6

Domain 6: Numeracy and Mathematics CountriesLiteracy and Communication Brunei Darussalam Languages 1-6; Maths 1-6; Science 4-6 CambodiaLanguage Gr 1; Maths 1-6 Lao PDRMaths 1-6 PhilippinesMaths 1-6; Science SingaporeMaths 1-6; Science 1-2 Thailand Languages (Thai) 1-3;Maths 1-6; Science 3; Social Studies 3-4 VietnamMaths 1- 6

Domain 7:Science and Technology CountriesScience and technology Brunei DarussalamScience 1-6 CambodiaScience and technology and Social Studies 1-6 Lao PDRScience and Social Studies 1-5 PhilippinesPhilippines Gr 1 and 6; Science 3-6 SingaporeScience 1-6 ThailandScience 1-6 VietnamScience and Social Studies 1-6

Agreements in SEA PLM RERG Conference (24-26 September 2013)  Overall approach  Preparation of common tools and assessment items will be based on curriculum standards – identifying common domains of learning across SEA countries and restructuring tools to reflect the unique values and culture of SEA  Age of students to be covered in the assessment  Original plan was for two assessments to cover 8 & 11 year olds to allow tracking of cohort performance.  However there are countries in SEA such as Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam which only have 5 years of primary education  A grade-reference assessment instead of age-referenced assessment was agreed upon since will have a stronger link to the curriculum and allow for policy revision  An assessment covering two primary grade levels is still a long term goal, however, initially project will start with GRADE 5

Agreements in SEA PLM RERG Conference (24-26 September 2013)  Subject areas to be covered  Maths/Numeracy  Reading and Writing (as separate metrics)  Global Citizenship (main value-added component)  Ways of conducting the assessment  Language of instruction used in teaching will also be used as the language of assessment  Use of SOLO Taxonomy  High level of expertise would be needed to support of the regional and national teams

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