THEWORLDBANKUnited Arab EmiratesSTUDENT ASSESSMENTSABER Country Report 2013 Key Policy Areas for Student Assessment Status 1. ClassroomAssessmentIn the United Arab Emirates, a formal, publicly available system-level document provides guidelines for classroom assessment. In addition, there are some system- wide resources and materials (such as scoring criteria for evaluating students’ work) available to teachers for carrying out classroom assessment activities. While there are varied and systematic mechanisms in place to monitor the quality of classroom assessment practices, these practices are considered to be of weak quality due to issues such as grade inflation and the uneven application of standards for grading students’ work. 2. ExaminationsThe Twelfth Grade Examination has been administered to grade 12 students since 1967. Students are assessed in mandatory subjects (Islamic education, Arabic language, English language, mathematics, physics, and biology) along with other subjects depending on their section. Examination results are used to certify student completion of the school cycle and to determine selection to higher-education institutions. Examination results are officially recognized by certification and selection systems in the UAE and abroad. In addition, regular funding for the examination is provided by the government and covers all core examination activities. Although expert review groups are in place to monitor the consequences of the examination, there are very limited options for students who do not perform well on the examination. 3. NationalLargeͲScaleAssessment(NLSA)The United Arab Emirates National Assessment Program (UAENAP) has been operating since 2003 and on a regular basis since 2010, assessing students in grades 3, 5, 7, and 9. A formal, publicly available policy document authorizes the NLSA, and there is a written plan for future NLSA activities. In addition, there is regular government funding covering all core NLSA activities and research and development. Opportunities for teachers to learn about the NLSA are occasionally made available. 4. InternationalLargeͲScaleAssessment(ILSA)In the last five years, the UAE has participated in PIRLS (2011), TIMSS (2011), and PISA (2009). At the time of data collection, the UAE had taken concrete steps to participate in PIRLS (2016), TIMSS (2015), and PISA (2012, 2015). Funding for ILSAs is provided through regular government budget and covers all core ILSA activities. Some opportunities to learn about ILSAs are made available in the UAE to a wide audience. While UAE-specific ILSA results are regularly and widely disseminated in the country, it is not known at the time of data collection whether decisions based on ILSA results have had a positive impact on achievement levels.
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THE WORLD BANK
United Arab Emirates
STUDENT ASSESSMENT SABER Country Report 2013
Key Policy Areas for Student Assessment Status
1. Classroom AssessmentIn the United Arab Emirates, a formal, publicly available system-level document provides guidelines for classroom assessment. In addition, there are some system-wide resources and materials (such as scoring criteria for evaluating students’ work) available to teachers for carrying out classroom assessment activities. While there are varied and systematic mechanisms in place to monitor the quality of classroom assessment practices, these practices are considered to be of weak quality due to issues such as grade inflation and the uneven application of standards for grading students’ work.
2. ExaminationsThe Twelfth Grade Examination has been administered to grade 12 students since 1967. Students are assessed in mandatory subjects (Islamic education, Arabic language, English language, mathematics, physics, and biology) along with other subjects depending on their section. Examination results are used to certify student completion of the school cycle and to determine selection to higher-education institutions. Examination results are officially recognized by certification and selection systems in the UAE and abroad. In addition, regular funding for the examination is provided by the government and covers all core examination activities. Although expert review groups are in place to monitor the consequences of the examination, there are very limited options for students who do not perform well on the examination.
3. National Large Scale Assessment (NLSA)The United Arab Emirates National Assessment Program (UAENAP) has been operating since 2003 and on a regular basis since 2010, assessing students in grades 3, 5, 7, and 9. A formal, publicly available policy document authorizes the NLSA, and there is a written plan for future NLSA activities. In addition, there is regular government funding covering all core NLSA activities and research and development. Opportunities for teachers to learn about the NLSA are occasionally made available.
4. International Large Scale Assessment (ILSA)In the last five years, the UAE has participated in PIRLS (2011), TIMSS (2011), and PISA (2009). At the time of data collection, the UAE had taken concrete steps to participate in PIRLS (2016), TIMSS (2015), and PISA (2012, 2015). Funding for ILSAs is provided through regular government budget and covers all core ILSA activities. Some opportunities to learn about ILSAs are made available in the UAE to a wide audience. While UAE-specific ILSA results are regularly and widely disseminated in the country, it is not known at the time of data collection whether decisions based on ILSA results have had a positive impact on achievement levels.
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SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 2
Introduction
The United Arab Emirates has focused on increasingstudent learning outcomes by improving the quality ofeducation in the country. An effective studentassessment system is an important component toimproving education quality and learning outcomes as itprovides the necessary information to meetstakeholders’ decision making needs. In order to gain abetter understanding of the strengths and weaknessesof its existing assessment system, United Arab Emirateshave decided to benchmark this system usingstandardized tools developed under The World Bank’sSystems Approach for Better Education Results (SABER)program. SABER is an evidence based program to helpcountries systematically examine and strengthen theperformance of different aspects of their educationsystems.
What is SABER Student Assessment?
SABER Student Assessment is a component of theSABER program that focuses specifically onbenchmarking student assessment policies and systems.The goal of SABER Student Assessment is to promotestronger assessment systems that contribute toimproved education quality and learning for all.
National governments and international agencies areincreasingly recognizing the key role that assessment ofstudent learning plays in an effective education system.The importance of assessment is linked to its role in:(i) providing information on levels of student
learning and achievement in the system;(ii) monitoring trends in education quality over
time;(iii) supporting educators and students with real
time information to improve teaching andlearning; and
(iv) holding stakeholders accountable for results.
SABER Student Assessment methodology
The SABER Student Assessment framework is built onthe available evidence base for what an effectiveassessment system looks like. The framework providesguidance on how countries can build more effectivestudent assessment systems. The framework isstructured around two main dimensions of assessmentsystems: the types/purposes of assessment activitiesand the quality of those activities.
Assessment types and purposes
Assessment systems tend to be comprised of threemain types of assessment activities, each of whichserves a different purpose and addresses differentinformation needs. These three main types are:classroom assessment, examinations, and large scale,system level assessments.
Classroom assessment provides real time informationto support ongoing teaching and learning in individualclassrooms. Classroom assessments use a variety offormats, including observation, questioning, and paperand pencil tests, to evaluate student learning, generallyon a daily basis.
Examinations provide a basis for selecting or certifyingstudents as they move from one level of the educationsystem to the next (or into the workforce). All eligiblestudents are tested on an annual basis (or more often ifthe system allows for repeat testing). Examinationscover the main subject areas in the curriculum andusually involve essays and multiple choice questions.
Large scale, system level assessments provide feedbackon the overall performance of the education system atparticular grades or age levels. These assessmentstypically cover a few subjects on a regular basis (such asevery 3 to 5 years), are often sample based, and usemultiple choice and short answer formats. They may benational or international in scope.
Appendix 1 summarizes the key features of these maintypes of assessment activities.
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Quality drivers of an assessment system
The key considerations when evaluating a studentassessment system are the individual and combinedquality of assessment activities in terms of theadequacy of the information generated to supportdecision making. There are three main drivers ofinformation quality in an assessment system: enablingcontext, system alignment, and assessment quality.
Enabling context refers to the broader context in whichthe assessment activity takes place and the extent towhich that context is conducive to, or supportive of, theassessment. It covers such issues as the legislative orpolicy framework for assessment activities; institutionaland organizational structures for designing, carryingout, or using results from the assessment; theavailability of sufficient and stable sources of funding;and the presence of trained assessment staff.
System alignment refers to the extent to which theassessment is aligned with the rest of the educationsystem. This includes the degree of congruencebetween assessment activities and system learninggoals, standards, curriculum, and pre and in serviceteacher training.
Assessment quality refers to the psychometric quality ofthe instruments, processes, and procedures for theassessment activity. It covers such issues as design andimplementation of assessment activities, analysis andinterpretation of student responses to those activities,and the appropriateness of how assessment results arereported and used.
Crossing the quality drivers with the differentassessment types/purposes provides the frameworkand broad indicator areas shown in Table 1. Thisframework is a starting point for identifying indicatorsthat can be used to review assessment systems andplan for their improvement.
The indicators are identified based on a combination ofcriteria, including:
professional standards for assessment;empirical research on the characteristics of effectiveassessment systems, including analysis of thecharacteristics that differentiate between theassessment systems of low versus high performingnations; andtheory — that is, general consensus amongexperts that it contributes to effectiveassessment.
Levels of development
The World Bank has developed a set ofstandardized questionnaires and rubrics for collectingand evaluating data on the three assessment typesand related quality drivers.
The questionnaires are used to collect data on thecharacteristics of the assessment system in a particularcountry. The information from the questionnaires isthen applied to the rubrics in order to judge thedevelopment level of the country’s assessment systemin different areas.
The basic structure of the rubrics for evaluatingdata collected using the standardized questionnairesis summarized in Appendix 2. The goal of the rubrics isto provide a country with some sense of thedevelopment level of its assessment activities comparedto best or recommended practice in each area. For
Table 1: Framework for building an effectiveassessment system, with indicator areas
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each indicator, the rubric displays four developmentlevels—Latent, Emerging, Established, and Advanced.These levels are artificially constructed categorieschosen to represent key stages on the underlyingcontinuum for each indicator. Each level isaccompanied by a description of what performance onthe indicator looks like at that level.
Latent is the lowest level of performance; itrepresents absence of, or deviation from, thedesired attribute.Emerging is the next level; it represents partialpresence of the attribute.Established represents the acceptable minimumstandard.Advanced represents the ideal or current bestpractice.
A summary of the development levels for eachassessment type is presented in Appendix 3.
In reality, assessment systems are likely to be atdifferent levels of development in different areas. Forexample, a system may be Established in the area ofexaminations, but Emerging in the area of largescale, system level assessment, and vice versa. Whileintuition suggests that it is probably better to befurther along in as many areas as possible, theevidence is unclear as to whether it is necessary tobe functioning at Advanced levels in all areas.Therefore, one might view the Established level as adesirable minimum outcome to achieve in all areas, butonly aspire beyond that in those areas that mostcontribute to the national vision or priorities foreducation. In line with these considerations, the ratingsgenerated by the rubrics are not meant to be additiveacross assessment types (that is, they are not meant tobe added to create an overall rating for an assessmentsystem; they are only meant to produce an overallrating for each assessment type). The methodology forassigning development levels is summarized inAppendix 4.
Education in the United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a high incomecountry in the Middle East region. GDP per capita
(current, US$) is $39,058, with annual growth ofapproximately 4.4 percent.
The UAE spends 25 percent of total governmentexpenditure on the education sector, and publiceducation is free through the university level forchildren who are citizens. The education system iscomprised of kindergarten (for children between theages of 4 5 years); elementary (for students 6 11 yearsold); intermediate (for students 12 14 years old); andsecondary (15 17 years old). The net primaryenrollment rate is approximately 90 percent, with a 100percent completion rate. In addition, the netenrollment rate at the secondary level is 81 percent.The UAE has one of the lowest student to teacher ratios(15:1) in the world and has made significant progress toensure high literacy (which was 91 percent for theoverall population in 2005), to increase the use ofmodern technology in education programs, and topromote and encourage women’s education.
Government priorities for education reform areoutlined in the Ministry of Education Strategy 20102020. In this strategy, the Ministry identified 20comprehensive initiatives to improve the currenteducation system. Some of these initiatives include: thedevelopment of curricula aligned with higher educationand job market requirements; supporting theprofessional development of all teachers and educationstaff; aligning compulsory school age with internationalstandards; improving national assessments andparticipating in international examinations; andsupporting the technical development of schoolinfrastructure, especially with respect to informationtechnology.
Detailed information was collected on the UAE’sstudent assessment system using the SABER StudentAssessment questionnaires and rubrics in 2011. It isimportant to remember that these tools primarily focuson benchmarking a country’s policies and arrangementsfor assessment activities at the system or macro level.Additional data would need to be collected todetermine actual, on the ground practices in the UAE,particularly by teachers and students in schools. Whilethe UAE is a federal system comprised of sevenemirates, this report analyzes policies only at thenational level, and additional data would need to be
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collected to evaluate policies within each emirate (theMinistry of Education in the UAE oversees publicschooling in the country, and each emirate oversees itsprivate schools). The following sections discuss thefindings by each assessment type, accompanied bysuggested policy options. The suggested policy optionswere determined in collaboration with key localstakeholders based on the UAE’s immediate interestsand needs. Detailed, completed rubrics for eachassessment type in the UAE are provided in Appendix 5.
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Classroom Assessment
Level of development: EMERGING
In the United Arab Emirates, The Guidelines to theImplementing of On going Assessment Tools document,authorized by the Ministry of Education's Directorate ofEvaluation and Examinations in 2010, providesguidelines for classroom assessment.
There are some system wide resources available forteachers to engage in classroom assessment, including adocument that outlines what students are expected tolearn in different subject areas at different grade levelsand textbooks that provide support for classroomassessment. Scoring criteria or rubrics for gradingstudents' work are also available in an electronic systemthat is accessible to all schools.
There are some mechanisms available systematically toensure that teachers develop skills and expertise inclassroom assessment. For example, in service teachertraining is available to all teachers, and online resourceson classroom assessment include question banks. Someteachers also have the opportunity to participate inconferences and workshops, and in item developmentfor, or scoring of, large scale assessments or exams.However, not all teacher training programs include arequired course on classroom assessment, and thereare no pre service teacher training opportunitiesrelated to building skills in classroom assessment.
In general, classroom assessment practices areperceived to be weak. Teachers commonly rely onmultiple choice or selection type questions, andclassroom assessment activities tend to be aboutrecalling information. In addition, grade inflation andthe uneven application of standards for gradingstudents' work are serious problems.
However, there are varied and systematic mechanismsin place to monitor the quality of classroom assessmentpractices. For example, government funding is availablefor research on the quality of classroom assessmentactivities and how to improve classroom assessment,and national reviews of the quality of education includea focus on classroom assessment. Although the weightof classroom assessment in a teacher's performance
evaluation is low, it is indeed a required component of ateacher's performance evaluation and schoolinspection.
In addition, there are a number of required uses ofclassroom assessment to support student learning,including its use as an input for external examinationresults. Classroom assessment activities are used todiagnose student learning issues, develop students' selfevaluation skills, provide feedback to students on theirlearning, and inform parents about their child'slearning.
Suggested policy options:
1. Introduce various mechanisms to ensure thatteachers develop skills and expertise in classroomassessment. For example, make available pre serviceteacher training opportunities that focus on classroomassessment methodologies, and introduce a requiredcourse on classroom assessment for all teachers duringin service teacher training. Ensure that teacher trainingopportunities address the importance of consistentlyapplying standards for grading across student groups.
2. Introduce a variety of system wide resources to helpteachers improve their classroom assessment practices.For example, develop a document that clearly outlinesthe levels of performance that students are expected toreach in different subject areas at different grade or agelevels, which should be made available to all teachers.Additionally, conduct monitoring of classroomassessment activities to ensure that classroomassessment practices are in line with their intendedpurposes and uses.
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Examinations
Level of development: ESTABLISHED
The Twelfth Grade Examination's main purposes are forstudent certification of school cycle completion andstudent selection to higher education institutions. Itwas authorized by the Ministry of Education in 2010with a formal, system level document, the Assessmentand Examination System for Grades 1 12. The TwelfthGrade Examination was first administered in 1967, andit continues to be administered to grade 12 students inmandatory subjects, as well as subjects relevant to thestudent's section. Specifically, all students are assessedin Islamic education, Arabic language, English language,mathematics, physics, and biology. Although studentshave the option to retake the examination or repeat thegrade, they do not have the options to attend remedialor preparatory courses in order to prepare to retake theexamination or to opt for less selective schools,universities, or tracks.
Regular funding is allocated by the government for theexamination, which covers all core examinationactivities, including examination design andadministration, data analysis and reporting, and long ormedium term planning of program milestones.However, funding does not cover staff training, orresearch and development activities.
The Assessment and Examinations Administration, aunit within the Ministry of Education, has had primaryresponsibility for running the Twelfth GradeExamination since 1972. While it has state of the artfacilities to carry out the examination, the allocatedstaff is insufficient to meet the needs of theexamination. However, this lack of permanent staff isoffset by utilizing assistance from technical teams in theEducational Supervision Department within the Ministryof Education and by forming temporary committees toperform the tasks required during examination periods.
The UAE also offers a wide range of opportunities thatprepare for work on the examination, includinguniversity graduate programs, university courses, andnon university training courses or workshops oneducational measurement and evaluation. In addition,internships are offered in the examination office, and
funding is available for attending internationalprograms, courses, or workshops on educationalmeasurement and evaluation.
There is only one systematic mechanism, internalreview or observers, in place to ensure the quality ofthe examination. Other mechanisms, such as pilot orfield testing, are not in place.
At the same time, inappropriate behavior surroundingthe examination process is low. For example, examtakers’ use of unauthorized materials and the provisionof external assistance via the supervisor or mobilephone do not typically occur. When they do occur,inappropriate behaviors are dealt with by the legalaffairs department on a case by case basis.
Only one systematic mechanism, expert review groups,is in place to monitor the consequences of theexamination.
Suggested policy options:
1. Introduce varied systematic mechanisms to ensurethe quality of the examination. Mechanisms to considerinclude carrying out pilot or field testing, translationverification, and external review and certification.
2. Introduce more options for students who do notperform well on the examination, such as allowingstudents to choose to attend less selective universities,or continue their studies in a vocational track.
3. Ensure that varied and systematic mechanisms are inplace to monitor the consequences of the examination.Such mechanisms include holding regular focus groupsor surveys of key stakeholders, commissioning studiesthat are updated regularly, instituting a permanentoversight committee, and providing regular funding forindependent research on the impact of theexamination.
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National Large Scale Assessment (NLSA)
Level of development: ESTABLISHED
The United Arab Emirates National Assessment Program(UAENAP) was first administered in 2003 to students ingrade 5. Since 2010, students in grades 3, 5, 7, and 9have been assessed in the following subjects: Arabic,English, mathematics, and science. The main purposesof the UAENAP include monitoring education quality atthe system level, evaluation, decision making, andsupporting schools, teachers, and policy design. TheMinistry of Education authorized the UAENAP with theImplementing the National Assessment Programdocument in 2010.
There is regular funding allocated by the governmentfor the UAENAP. Funding covers all core activities ofthe assessment, including assessment design andadministration, data analysis and reporting, long ormedium term planning of program milestones, and stafftraining. Funding for the UAENAP also covers researchand development activities.
The NLSA office is a permanent unit created for runningthe assessment within the Administration of Evaluationand Examinations under the supervision of the Ministryof Education. It is adequately staffed with permanentand full time staff to carry out the assessmenteffectively.
The UAE also offers a wide range of opportunities toprepare individuals for work on the UAENAP, includinguniversity graduate programs, university courses, andnon university courses or workshops on educationalmeasurement and evaluation. In addition, funding forattending international programs, as well as internshipsor short term employment in the large scaleassessment office, are available.
Some mechanisms are in place to ensure the quality ofthe NLSA. For example, all proctors or administratorsare trained according to a protocol, all booklets arenumbered, and there is double scoring of data.
In addition, NLSA results are disseminated effectively.Reports with the results are made available to allstakeholder groups and contain information on overall
achievement levels and subgroups, as well as trendsover time overall and by subgroups. There is also amedia briefing organized to discuss results, and resultsare featured in newspapers, magazines, radio, ortelevision.
However, only two mechanisms are in place to monitorthe consequences of the NLSA: expert review groupsand themed conferences that provide a forum todiscuss research and other data on the consequences ofthe large scale assessment.
Suggested policy options:
1. Introduce additional mechanisms to ensure thequality of the NLSA. For example, conduct a pilot beforethe main data collection takes place, and require thedouble processing of data.
2. Introduce a variety of system level mechanisms tomonitor the quality of the NLSA. For example, introduceregular focus groups or surveys of key stakeholders, apermanent oversight committee, and funding forindependent research on the impact of the large scaleassessment.
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International Large Scale Assessment(ILSA)
Level of development: ESTABLISHED
The United Arab Emirates has participated in threeILSAs in the past five years, the Progress in InternationalReading Literacy Study (PIRLS) and Trends inInternational Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) in20111, as well as the Programme for InternationalStudent Assessment (PISA) in 2009. In addition, at thetime of data collection, the UAE has taken concretesteps to participate in several ILSAs in the next 5 years,including PISA 2012 and 2015, TIMSS 2015, and PIRLS2016. A formal policy document, Ministerial Council forServices Decision Number (73/6S/2) authorized by theUAE Cabinet in 2010, addresses participation in ILSAs.
Regular funding for international assessmentparticipation is approved by law. Funding covers allcore activities of ILSAs, including internationalparticipation fees, implementation of the assessmentexercise, processing and analyzing data from theimplementation of the assessment exercise, andreporting and disseminating assessment results.Research and development activities are also coveredby funding for ILSAs.
The ILSA office is adequately staffed and trained tocarry out ILSAs effectively, as team members haveattended all international meetings related to theassessment and have previous experience working oninternational assessments. However, there have beensome issues with the translation of the assessmentinstruments. For example, there are some difficultieswhen translating the original PISA questions fromEnglish to Arabic, given that there are strict guidelinesfor the number of words used in questions.
The UAE also offers some opportunities to learn aboutILSAs, including workshops on using internationalassessment databases, funding for attendinginternational workshops or training on internationalassessments, and online courses on internationalassessments. However, online courses are only
1 In addition, two emirates, Dubai and Abu Dhabi, were benchmarkingparticipants for TIMSS 2011. Dubai was also a benchmarking participant forTIMSS 2007.
periodically available, and there are no stand aloneuniversity courses or workshops on the topic ofinternational assessments.
Country specific ILSA results and information areregularly and widely disseminated in the UAE, andproducts providing feedback to schools and educatorsabout ILSA results are systematically made available.
Results from ILSAs are used in a variety of ways toinform decision making in the UAE, including trackingthe impact of reforms on student achievement levels,and informing curriculum improvement, teachertraining programs, and other assessment activities inthe system. However, at the time of data collection, itwas not known whether decisions based on ILSA resultshave had a positive impact on students' achievementlevels in the UAE.
Suggested policy options:
1. Make available workshops or presentations aboutinternational assessments in the UAE to governmentofficials, and professionals and university staffinterested in assessment.
2. Introduce a variety of opportunities to learn aboutthe ILSA that are regularly available, including onlinecourses that are updated, as well as stand aloneuniversity courses or workshops on the topic ofinternational assessments.
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Appendix 1: Assessment Types and Their Key Differences
Classroom Large-scale assessment Surveys
Examinations
National International Exit Entrance
Purpose To provide immediatefeedback to inform classroom instruction
To provide feedback on overall health of the system at particular grade/age level(s), and to monitor trends in learning
To provide feedback on the comparative performance of the education system at particular grade/age level(s)
To certify students as they move from one level of the education system to the next (or into the workforce)
To select students for further educational opportunities
Frequency Daily For individual subjects offered on a regular basis (such as every 3-5 years(
For individual subjects offered on a regular basis (such as every 3-5 years)
Annually and more often where the system allows for repeats
Annually and more often where the system allows for repeats
Who is tested?
All students Sample or census of students at a particular grade or age level(s)
A sample of students at a particular grade or age level(s)
All eligible students
All eligible students
Format Varies from observation to questioning to paper-and-pencil tests to student performances
Usually multiple choice and short answer
Usually multiple choice and short answer
Usually essay and multiple choice
Usually essay and multiple choice
Coverage of curriculum
All subject areas Generally confined to a few subjects
Generally confined to one or two subjects
Covers main subject areas
Covers main subject areas
Additional informationcollected from students?
Yes, as part of the teaching process
Frequently Yes Seldom Seldom
Scoring Usually informal and simple
Varies from simple to more statistically sophisticatedtechniques
Usually involves statistically sophisticatedtechniques
Varies from simple to more statistically sophisticatedtechniques
Varies from simple to more statistically sophisticatedtechniques
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Appendix 2: Basic Structure of Rubrics for Evaluating Data Collected on a Student Assessment System
Dimension
Development Level
LATENT (Absence of, or deviation from,
attribute)
EMERGING (On way to meeting minimum standard)
ESTABLISHED (Acceptable
minimum standard)
ADVANCED (Best practice) Justification
EC—ENABLING CONTEXT EC1—Policies EC2—Leadership, public engagement
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Appendix 3: Summary of the Development Levels for Each Assessment Type
Assessment Type LATENT EMERGING ESTABLISHED ADVANCED
Absence of, or deviation from, the attribute
On way to meeting minimum standard
Acceptable minimum standard
Best practice
CLASSROOM ASSESSMENT
There is no system-wide institutional capacity to support and ensure the quality of classroom assessment practices.
There is weak system-wide institutional capacity to support and ensure the quality of classroom assessment practices.
There is sufficient system-wide institutional capacity to support and ensure the quality of classroom assessment practices.
There is strong system-wide institutional capacity to support and ensure the quality of classroom assessment practices.
EXAMINATIONS
There is no standardized examination in place for key decisions.
There is a partially stable standardized examination in place, and a need to develop institutional capacity to run the examination. The examination typically is of poor quality and is perceived as unfair or corrupt.
There is a stable standardized examination in place. There is institutional capacity and some limited mechanisms to monitor it. The examination is of acceptable quality and is perceived as fair for most students and free from corruption.
There is a stable standardized examination in place and institutional capacity and strong mechanisms to monitor it. The examination is of high quality and is perceived as fair and free from corruption.
NATIONAL (OR SYSTEMLEVEL) LARGE SCALEASSESSMENT
There is no NLSA in place.
There is an unstable NLSA in place and a need to develop institutional capacity to run the NLSA. Assessment quality and impact are weak.
There is a stable NLSA in place. There is institutional capacity and some limited mechanisms to monitor it. The NLSA is of moderate quality and its information is disseminated, but not always used in effective ways.
There is a stable NLSA in place and institutional capacity and strong mechanisms to monitor it. The NLSA is of high quality and its information is effectively used to improve education.
INTERNATIONAL LARGESCALE ASSESSMENT
There is no history of participation in an ILSA nor plans to participate in one.
Participation in an ILSA has been initiated, but there still is need to develop institutional capacity to carry out the ILSA.
There is more or less stable participation in an ILSA. There is institutional capacity to carry out the ILSA. The information from the ILSA is disseminated, but not always used in effective ways.
There is stable participation in an ILSA and institutional capacity to run the ILSA. The information from the ILSA is effectively used to improve education.
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Appendix 4: Methodology for AssigningDevelopment Levels
1. The country team or consultant collects informationabout the assessment system in the country.
2. Based on the collected information, a level ofdevelopment and score is assigned to each dimension inthe rubrics:
3. The score for each quality driver is computed byaggregating the scores for each of its constituentdimensions. For example:
The quality driver, ‘Enabling Context,’ in the case ofILSA, has 3 dimensions on which a hypothetical countryreceives the following scores: Dimension A = 2 points;Dimension B = 2 points; Dimension C = 3 points. Thehypothetical country’s overall score for this qualitydriver would be: (2+2+3)/3 = 2.33
4. A preliminary level of development is assigned toeach quality driver.
5. The preliminary development level is validated usingexpert judgment in cooperation with the country teamand The World Bank Task Team Leader.
For scores that allow a margin of discretion (i.e., tochoose between two levels of development), a finaldecision has to be made based on expert judgment. Forexample, the aforementioned hypothetical country hasan ‘Enabling Context’ score of 2.33, corresponding to apreliminary level of development of ‘Emerging orEstablished.’ Based on qualitative information notcaptured in the rubric, along with expert judgment, thecountry team chooses ‘Emerging’ as the mostappropriate level.
6. Scores for certain key dimensions under ‘EnablingContext’ (in the case of EXAM, NLSA, and ILSA) andunder ‘System Alignment’ (in the case of CLASS) were
set as ceiling scores, i.e., the overall mean score for theparticular assessment type cannot be greater than thescore for these key dimensions. These key variablesinclude formal policy, regular funding, having apermanent assessment unit, and the quality ofassessment practices.
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Acknowledgements
This report, part of a 16 country benchmarking exercisein the Middle East & North Africa and Africa regions,was prepared by the World Bank SABER StudentAssessment team, in partnership with the Arab LeagueEducational, Cultural, and Scientific Organization(ALECSO) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific,and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), which led datacollection efforts. This effort is part of the Arab RegionalAgenda for Improving Education Quality (ARAIEQ), ledby ALECSO in partnership with the World Bank. Itbenefited from feedback and review from ErnestoCuadra, Lead Education Specialist, and Simon Thacker,Education Specialist, in the World Bank’s Middle East &North Africa region, as well as comments receivedduring a national validation workshop held in UAE.
ReferencesClarke, M. 2012. “What Matters Most for StudentAssessment Systems: A Framework Paper.”READ/SABER Working Paper Series. Washington, DC:World Bank.
Ministry of Education, 2010. “The Ministry of EducationStrategy 2010 2020.” Dubai: Government of the UnitedArab Emirates.
Ministry of Education, 2013. “Education in the UAE.”Dubai: Government of the United Arab Emirates. Dataretrieved from www.moe.gov.ae/English/Pages/UAE/UaeEdu.aspx on October 4, 2013.
———. The United Arab Emirates Country IndicatorData. Washington, DC: World Bank. Data retrieved fromhttp://data.worldbank.org/ on October 3, 2013.
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SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 45
The Systems Approach for Better Education Results (SABER) initiativeproduces comparative data and knowledge on education policies andinstitutions, with the aim of helping countries systematically strengthentheir education systems. SABER evaluates the quality of educationpolicies against evidence based global standards, using new diagnostictools and detailed policy data. The SABER country reports give allparties with a stake in educational results—from administrators,teachers, and parents to policymakers and business people—anaccessible, objective snapshot showing how well the policies of theircountry's education system are oriented toward ensuring that allchildren and youth learn.
This report focuses specifically on policies in the area of studentassessment.
This work is a product of the staff of The World Bank with external contributions. The findings, interpretations, and conclusionsexpressed in this work do not necessarily reflect the views of The World Bank, its Board of Executive Directors, or thegovernments they represent. The World Bank does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this work. Theboundaries, colors, denominations, and other information shown on any map in this work do not imply any judgment on thepart of The World Bank concerning the legal status of any territory or the endorsement or acceptance of such boundaries.