The Hungarian PISA Reception And the catharsis will never come...!?

Let’s see what’s inside the black sheep...

Outline Main issues+ Hungarian specificities  Methodology  Formal structures  Key actors  International participation  Debate about PISA  PISA+Ed policymaking  ABC a Hungarian KRT  Conclusions

Methodology and main sources of data Interviews: semi-structured, total: 20 Two scientific journals, yearly, total: 43 Policy documents: laws, governmental decrees, ministerial webpages, parliamentary records... Mass Media:

Formal structures Scientific discourse National public policy discourse Media and public discourse Decision making (Ministry of Education) Education Policy Committee Knowledge production (Szeged U+HAS) PGB Coordination PISA National Center National Board for the Evaluation of Public Education

3 key actors Political: Bálint Magyar Scientific: Benő Csapó Technical: Péter Vári PISA says...

International participation Unquestionable entrance: “We joined the OECD at the right time, because we could enter the PISA program right away.” (BPC representative) Passive or active? “I did not exhibit myself on the board meetings”(BPC representative) Symbolic aspect “It is obvious that Hungary does not count as a faceless country. We stood out from the crowd from the very beginning.”(CERI member)

PISA criticism is an urban legend.... Only a few moments of resistence: „two big public policy ideology, lifelong learning and competency…these were used by politicians and professionals are their suppliers”(an ed scientist) “the PISA panic is the typical attempt of educational policymakers to generate sentiments after the bad position achieved in the race of nations”(an ed scientist) “some prestigious surveys that are hard to apply to Hungarian conditions showed that the quality of public education is on the decline” (right wing daily) IEA(PIRLS) vs OECD PISA

PISA and Education Policymaking

Assessment of Basic Competences a PISA inspired KRT National precedents: The „Monitors” (from 1986) Impact of PISA and SIALS  Knowledge conception borrowed from PISA Measures: „porcedural knowledge”, „skills” „competences” Objective: „Life long learning”, preparing students for the labor market Tasks: „borrowed” from PISA Not related to school subjects The first ABC: From 2008: Whole sampling (grade 6th,8th,10th) The ABC as KRT  Feedback to the schools  Sanctions for under-performing schools  Aim is to influence the content taught in schools  Used as an indicator for „equal opportunity plans”

Conclusions Were/Are/Have we ever been shocked or not...!? PISA is an empty container….lack of deeper reflection Does not become a common space Equity and Quality in target setting