Image: dan / FreeDigitalPhotos.net Deborah Nusche Early Childhood and Schools Division Directorate for Education, OECD Education for Innovative Societies, 26 April 2012 OECD Review on Evaluation and Assessment Frameworks for Improving School Outcomes Assessing key competencies: some reflections

OECD Review on Evaluation and Assessment Frameworks for Improving School Outcomes (2009 – 2012) Purpose: To explore how systems of evaluation and assessment can be used to improve the quality, equity and efficiency of school education. Comprehensive approach: The Review looks at the various components of assessment and evaluation such as: Student assessment; Teacher appraisal; School evaluation; Education system evaluation. Focus: A Review of national approaches to evaluation and assessment in school education (ISCED 1-3) Participation: 24 countries; 12 countries opted for an in-depth Country Review Australia, Austria, Belgium (Flemish Community), Belgium (French Community), Canada, Chile, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Korea, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Sweden. All outputs available at: FINAL REPORT TO BE PUBLISHED IN 2012

Assessing key competencies: Some broad trends across countries ‘Key competencies’ or ‘21 st century competencies’ receive increasing attention in all countries – in national education goals and curricula (e.g. European Key Competence Recommendation, 2006) But: while curricula might be competency-based, assessment systems tend to lag behind and remain more traditional. –National standardised assessments: the majority focus on literacy and numeracy and use paper-and-pencil tests. Linked to concerns about reliability, resources, timescales. –Classroom-based assessment: challenges in translating competency aims into concrete teaching and assessment; transversal nature of competencies; high visibility of standardised tests. How to align curricula, teaching and assessment?

Clear goals, descriptions, criteria, exemplars Sophisticated ICT-based large-scale assessments Sample-based assessments covering larger parts of the curriculum Innovative approaches in the VET sector Support for teachers: professional learning opportunities, test banks, assessment resources, moderation Building the evaluation and assessment framework around valued competencies: –Teacher appraisal with a focus on classroom and assessment practices –School evaluation focussing on a wide range of quality indicators including schools capacity to promote and assess key competencies –Education system evaluation gathering information on both quantitative and qualitative, cognitive and non-cognitive aspects. For more information, watch this space: Assessing key competencies: Some promising approaches