Improving both quality and equity Hong Kong, 21 November 2003 Andreas Schleicher Head, Indicators and Analysis Division OECD OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) Insights from PISA

Improving both quality and equity

The significance of educational outcomes. Changing contexts for education systems.

Changing contexts for education r Knowledge workers the only fast growing share of the workforce l By about the time when school reforms put in place today will begin to show effects in labour markets......Manufacturing output in OECD area is likely to double… …Manufacturing employment is likely to shrink to 10% of the workforce l Knowledge as the key economic and social resource –and the only scarce one

Traditional jobs are changing too… Literacy skills in the manufacturing sector Pages Source : Georg Spöttl, 2002 Year Total number of pages of repair manuals for Opel cars from 1933 to 1998

Unique opportunities r Unlimited upward mobility… l Knowledge changes rapidly l Everybody starts from ignorance –Knowledge differs from traditional means of production in that it cannot be inherited or bequeathed l Knowledge is “public” –Knowledge has to be put in a form in which it can be taught and is therefore universally accessible l Every impediment to mobility… …is perceived as a form of discrimination …if our education systems deliver on their promises

Rise in baseline qualifications over one generation Proportion of the population with completed upper secondary education by age group (37 countries) Data for Hong Kong unavailable

Where we are today. What PISA shows about student performance and the social distribution of learning opportunities in OECD countries.

PISA - The OECD Programme for International Student Assessment r A regular assessment of the yield of education (2000, 2003, 2006, 2009,…) l including and beyond the curriculum r Comparable skill measures l that can guide policy decisions r Insights into the mix of factors which contribute to the development of knowledge and skills l and how these factors operate similarly or differently across countries r A strong substantive and cross-cultural core for defining performance targets

PISA - The OECD Programme for International Student Assessment r The most comprehensive international assessment to date l Geographic and economic coverage –340,000 students randomly sampled –All 30 OECD countries plus a growing number of non- OECD countries l Subject matter coverage –Reading, Mathematics, Science –Cross-curricular competencies l Variety of task formats l Depths –A total of 7 hours of assessment material

Three broad categories of key competencies Using “tools” interactively to engage with the world Acting autonomously Interacting in diverse groups e.g. Using language, symbols and texts Interacting with information Capitalising on the potential of technologies e.g. Relating well to others Co-operating, working in teams Managing and resolving conflicts e.g. Acting within the bigger picture Forming and conducting life plans Taking responsibility and understanding rights and limits To analyse, compare, contrast, and evaluate To think imaginatively To apply knowledge in real-life situations To communicate thoughts and ideas effectively PISA 2000: A new concept of literacy Accessing, managing, integrating and evaluating written information in order to develop ones knowledge and potential, and to participate in, and contribute to, society

Using “tools” interactively to engage with the world Acting autonomously Interacting in diverse groups e.g. Using language, symbols and texts Interacting with information Capitalising on the potential of technologies e.g. Relating well to others Co-operating, working in teams Managing and resolving conflicts e.g. Acting within the bigger picture Forming and conducting life plans Taking responsibility and understanding rights and limits To analyse, compare, contrast, and evaluate To think imaginatively To apply knowledge in real-life situations To communicate thoughts and ideas effectively Reading literacy Using, interpreting and reflecting on written material

Using “tools” interactively to engage with the world Acting autonomously Interacting in diverse groups e.g. Using language, symbols and texts Interacting with information Capitalising on the potential of technologies e.g. Relating well to others Co-operating, working in teams Managing and resolving conflicts e.g. Acting within the bigger picture Forming and conducting life plans Taking responsibility and understanding rights and limits To analyse, compare, contrast, and evaluate To think imaginatively To apply knowledge in real-life situations To communicate thoughts and ideas effectively Mathematical literacy Emphasis is on mathematical knowledge put into functional use in a multitude of different situations in varied, reflective and insight-based ways

Using “tools” interactively to engage with the world Acting autonomously Interacting in diverse groups e.g. Using language, symbols and texts Interacting with information Capitalising on the potential of technologies e.g. Relating well to others Co-operating, working in teams Managing and resolving conflicts e.g. Acting within the bigger picture Forming and conducting life plans Taking responsibility and understanding rights and limits To analyse, compare, contrast, and evaluate To think imaginatively To apply knowledge in real-life situations To communicate thoughts and ideas effectively Scientific literacy Using scientific knowledge, identifying scientific questions, and drawing evidence-based conclusions to understand and make decisions about the natural world

Using “tools” interactively to engage with the world Acting autonomously Interacting in diverse groups Under development: PISA assessment of –Problem-solving skills PISA self-reports on: –Dispositions to learning –Learning strategies –Engagement with school

Using “tools” interactively to engage with the world Acting autonomously Interacting in diverse groups Not yet developed

10% 22% 12% 6%6% 22% 29% OECD Average Levels of reading literacy Level 5 Level 4 Level 3 Level 2 Level 1 Below Level 1 Reading Literacy Level 5: –Retrieving information –Locate and sequence/combine multiple pieces of deeply embedded information, some of which may be outside text –Infer which information on text is relevant to the task –Deal with highly plausible competing information –Interpreting texts –Construe the meaning of nuanced language –Demonstrate full and detailed understanding of a text –Reflection and evaluation –Critically evaluate or hypothesise, drawing on specialised knowledge –Deal with concepts that are contrary to expectations –Draw on deep understanding of long and complex texts Hong Kong: 10% Germany: 9% USA: 12% Finland: 19% Reading Literacy Level 1: –Retrieving information –Locate one or more independent pieces of explicitly stated information, –typically meeting a single criterion –With little or no competing information in the text –Interpreting texts –Recognise the main theme or author’s purpose in a text about a familiar topic –Reflection and evaluation –Make a simple connection between information in the text and common knowledge Hong Kong: 7% Germany: 13% USA: 12% Below Level 1: –Many of these students have technically learned to read… …but they can not use reading for learning Hong Kong: 3% France: 4% Germany: 10% USA: 6% l Overall, Hong Kong has few low-performers l But the risk for boys in Hong Kong to perform poorly is 3 times as high as for girls ! –Percentages at Levels 1 and below –Boys: 12% –Girls: 4%

Percentage of students at each of the proficiency levels in reading literacy Level 2 Level 1 Below Level Level 5 Level 4 Level

Variation in reading literacy performance

Variation in reading literacy performance

Variation of performance between schools Variation of performance within schools Variation in reading literacy performance

Social Advantage Low PISA Index of social background Social background is a powerful factor influencing student performance (Parental occupation, wealth, cultural resources, parental education, family structure, immigrant status) But poor performance does not automatically follow High performance Student performance in PISA Social Background and Student Performance

High performance Low PISA Index of social background Student performance in PISA Social Background and Student Performance Social Advantage

Where we can be. What the best performing countries show can be achieved.

Low Performance High Performance Low performance Low social equity High performance Low social equity Low performance High social equity High performance High social equity Low Social equity High Social equity

Low Performance High Performance Low performance Low social equity High performance Low social equity Low performance High social equity High performance High social equity Low Social equity High Social equity r Quality and equity can be achieved together ‘dumbing down’ is not an inevitable consequence of the pursuit of equity ‘levelling up’ is achievable (e.g. Finland, Korea, Canada)

Policy levers. Overall findings

Policy Levers r Performance in reading l Students from advantaged backgrounds… …have a greater chance of coming to school more engaged in reading and entering into a virtuous circle of increasing reading interest and improved reading performance …but not all engaged students come from privileged homes… …and those from more modest backgrounds who read regularly and feel positive about it are better readers than students with home advantages and weaker reading engagement l Schools can make a significant difference to bring students into the virtuous circle –Seeking mutual reinforcement of cognitive skills and motivation, particularly for boys

Policy Levers r Student approaches to learning l The ability to manage one’s learning is both an important outcome of education and a contributor to student literacy skills at school –Learning strategies, motivation, self-related beliefs, preferred learning styles l Different aspects of students’ learning approaches are closely related –Well-motivated and self-confident students tend to invest in effective learning strategies and this contributes to their literacy skills l Immigrant students tend to be weaker performers …but they do not have weaker characteristics as learners l Boys and girls each have distinctive strengths and weaknesses as learners –Girls stronger in relation to motivation and self-confidence in reading –Boys believing more than girls in their own efficacy as learners and in their mathematical abilities

Policy Levers r Student engagement at school l An important outcome in itself –Disaffection at age 15 can potentially be a precursor to the onset of more serious problems among vulnerable young people –Engagement at age 15 is likely to influence students’ choices and educational pathways l The prevalence of disaffected students varies significantly across schools in each country –Only weak link to student’s social background – there is thus scope for school policy/practice to engage students –But strong link to school’s social background l Students in schools with strong average engagement tend to perform well –Engagement and performance seem to work complementary –The school climate seems to make more of a difference than resources l For individual students, strong performance does not necessarily ensure strong engagement at school –Relationship complex

Policy levers. Some characteristics shared by some strongly performing countries Combining the empirical results obtained through PISA with qualitative information on the socio- cultural conditions and education policy strategies.

Sympathy doesn’t raise standards – aspiration does r In the countries studied l National research teams report a strong “culture of performance” –Which drives students, parents, teachers and the educational administration to high performance standards l PISA shows that students perceived a high degree of teacher support –Which should not be simply equated with “achievement press”

Governance of the school system r In the countries studied… l Decentralised decision-making is combined with devices to ensure a fair distribution of substantive educational opportunities l The provision of standards and curricula at national/subnational levels is combined with advanced evaluation systems –That are implemented by professional agencies l Process-oriented assessments and/or centralised final examinations are complimented with individual reports and feed-back mechanisms on student learning progress

Low Social equity High Social equity High Performance Low Performance E.g. Learning environment and course offering High degree of autonomy Low degree of autonomy % Variance between schools

Organisation of instruction r In the countries studied… l Schools and teachers have explicit strategies and approaches for teaching heterogeneous groups of learners –A high degree of individualised learning processes –Disparities related to socio-economic factors and migration are recognised as major challenges l Students are offered a variety of extra- curricular activities l Schools offer differentiated support structures for students –E.g. school psychologists or career counsellors l Institutional differentiation is introduced, if at all, at later stages –Integrated approaches also contributed to reducing the impact of students socio-economic background on outcomes

Low Social equity High Social equity High Performance Low Performance Early selection and institutional stratification Low degree of stratification High degree of stratification

Support systems and professional teacher development r In the countries studied… l Effective support systems are located at individual school level or in specialised support institutions l Teacher training schemes are selective l The training of pre-school personnel is closely integrated with the professional development of teachers l Continuing professional development is a constitutive part of the system l Special attention is paid to the professional development of school management personnel

Summary of common characteristics “hit and miss” Universal high standards “Inputs” Outcomes BureaucraticDevolved responsibility Look up Look outwards Received wisdom Data and best practice Uniformity Diversity Prescription Informed profession Evaluation to control Motivating feedback and incentivising success and innovation

One challenge – different approaches The tradition of education systems has been “knowledge poor” The future of education systems needs to be “knowledge rich” National prescription Professional judgement Informed professional judgement, the teacher as a “knowledge worker” Informed prescription Uninformed professional judgement Uninformed prescription, teachers implement curricula

Further information l l l l …and remember: Without data, you are just another person with an opinion