scholarly journals Finnish Education System and its Triumph in Pisa: Lessons to Learn for Pakistan

2020 ◽  
Vol V (I) ◽  
pp. 479-487
Author(s):  
Sobia Altaf ◽  
Abid Shehzad ◽  
Aneela Sana Akhtar
Keyword(s):  
Education System ◽  
International Student ◽  
Educational Achievement ◽  
Student Assessment ◽  
The Other ◽  
Educational Policies ◽  
Educational Structure ◽  
International Student Assessment ◽  
Long Run ◽  
System 2

Finland has emerged as world leader in terms of educational achievement and become a symbol for school development and reforms since the first exam of Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), a test structured for the fifteen-year-old students, in science and language literacy, on which it ranked highest among Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) nations. The major aim of the study was 1) to review the factors behind the phenomenal success of Finnish education system, 2) what lessons possibly Pakistan could learn while considering the differences. The findings were that there were no isolated factors that have a contribution in the success of Finnish Education system rather there were numerous interrelated factors that had added strength to Finland�s successful educational structure. Moreover, the educational policies in the long run, the culture of trust and the passion of Finnish citizens for reading are the other reasons for this triumph.

Effects of Different Types of Educational Tracking on Achievement and Achievement Variance

2013 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erika Anne Leicht
Keyword(s):  
International Student ◽  
Educational Opportunity ◽  
Educational Achievement ◽  
Student Assessment ◽  
Minor Role ◽  
Highly Educated ◽  
International Student Assessment ◽  
Educational Backgrounds ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Educational Tracking

Despite their stated intention of providing equal educational opportunity for all, many democratic countries separate their students into different classes or even different schools based on their demonstrated academic ability and likely future career. This practice is often referred to as “tracking or “ability grouping.” This study aims to determine whether different types of educational tracking have different effects on students’ academic achievement. Specifically, this study investigates whether disparities in educational achievement between students of highly educated versus minimally educated parents are greater in countries that practice more explicit and complete forms of tracking. It also explores tracking’s effects on average achievement and overall achievement variance. Analysis of data from the 2009 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) indicates that tracking generally does increase score disparities between children from different educational backgrounds. Tracking is also associated with higher overall variance of scores. At the same time, tracking may have a slight positive effect on average achievement. However, results are not consistent across all countries, and patterns are different in different subject areas and for different types of tracking. The results of this study neither condemn nor extol tracking. Rather, they indicate that tracking plays a relatively minor role in determining the quality and equity of an education system.

scholarly journals Educational Achievement Gaps between Immigrant and Native Students in Two “New” Immigration Countries

2012 ◽  
Vol 643 (1) ◽  
pp. 46-77 ◽  
Author(s):  
Davide Azzolini ◽  
Philipp Schnell ◽  
John R. B. Palmer
Keyword(s):  
International Student ◽  
Immigrant Students ◽  
Educational Achievement ◽  
Student Assessment ◽  
Achievement Gaps ◽  
Empirical Literature ◽  
Socioeconomic Background ◽  
School Type ◽  
Native Students ◽  
International Student Assessment

The authors use 2009 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) data to determine how immigrant children in Italy and Spain compare with native students in reading and mathematics skills. Drawing on the vast empirical literature in countries with traditionally high rates of immigration, the authors test the extent to which the most well-established patterns and hypotheses of immigrant/native educational achievement gaps also apply to these comparatively “new” immigration countries. The authors find that both first- and second-generation immigrant students underperform natives in both countries. Although socioeconomic background and language skills contribute to the explanation of achievement gaps, significant differences remain within the countries even after controlling for those variables. While modeling socioeconomic background reduces the observed gaps to a very similar extent in both countries, language spoken at home is more strongly associated with achievement gaps in Italy. School-type differentiation, such as tracking in Italy and school ownership in Spain, do not reduce immigrant/native gaps, although in Italy tracking is strongly associated with immigrant students’ test scores.

Educational standards resist improvement in Peru

2016 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
International Student ◽  
Educational Achievement ◽  
Student Assessment ◽  
Educational Standards ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Fiscal Constraints ◽  
International Student Assessment ◽  
University Courses ◽  
Low Wages

Subject Efforts to improve educational standards. Significance Of the 65 countries covered by the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) study in 2012, Peru came last for educational achievement. Although President Ollanta Humala's administration has received praise for the priority it has given to the educational sector, Peru will need to expend more effort in improving standards if it is ever to be admitted to the OECD. Impacts Teachers' low wages will continue to represent an obstacle to educational improvements. Fiscal constraints will make it more difficult for the next government, which takes office in July, to devote more money to education. There is still a mismatch between existing university courses and the need to boost technological expertise.

Modeling Educational Inequalities: Class, Academic Achievement, and Regional Differences in Turkey

2017 ◽  
Vol 51 (5) ◽  
pp. 659-692 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ela Ataç
Keyword(s):  
Academic Achievement ◽  
International Student ◽  
Educational Achievement ◽  
Educational Inequality ◽  
Student Assessment ◽  
Entrance Examination ◽  
International Student Assessment ◽  
Regional Inequalities ◽  
Geographical Variations ◽  
National University

As it has been realized that education is a key to a long-term economic growth and to reducing social and economic disadvantages, educational inequality and its reflections in the geography have become some of the major issues in many countries. Turkey is in many ways a good example to analyze the relations between class, education, and regional inequalities where education is strongly a class-related issue and there has also been a strong dimension of “geography” as far as the educational provision and performance are considered. The purpose of the article is to contribute to two debates on the relation of education and inequality in Turkey. One is a specific and practical way of understanding about the effect of socioeconomic backgrounds of the students on their educational achievement. The other is an understanding on causal relations based on socioeconomic variables and geographical variations and how these lead to or indeed are partly caused by regional inequalities in Turkey. Using the datasets of PISA (Program for International Student Assessment) database, the datasets of National University Entrance Examination and Census, the article finds that for Turkish students where (the region and the place of residence) and with whom (socioeconomic qualifications of parents) they live are the powerful indicators of academic achievement.

Cross-cultural Measurement Invariance of the Items in the Science Literacy Test in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA-2015)

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 16
Author(s):  
Betül Alatlı
Keyword(s):  
Measurement Invariance ◽  
International Student ◽  
Science Literacy ◽  
Student Assessment ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
The Other ◽  
Item Bias ◽  
International Student Assessment ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Literacy Test

This study aimed to investigate cross-cultural measurement invariance of the PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment, 2015) science literacy test and items and to carry out a bias study on the items which violate measurement invariance. The study used a descriptive review model. The sample of the study consisted of 2224 students taking the S12 test booklet from Australia, France, Singapore, and Turkey. Measurement invariance analyses for the test were done using Multi-Group Confirmatory Factor Analysis (MGCFA). Differential Item Functioning (DIF), in other words, measurement invariance of the test items, was analyzed using the item response theory log-likelihood ratio (IRTLR), Hierarchical Generalized Linear Model (HGLM), and the Simultaneous Item Bias Test (SIBTEST) methods.According to the findings, the test was determined to exhibit structural invariance across cultures. The highest number of items showing DIF was observed in the comparisons of Australia-Singapore and Australia-France with 35%. The number of items showing DIF, with 24%, determined in bilateral comparisons which included Turkey, the only country taking the translated form among other countries, did not show a significant difference compared to the other comparisons. While the lowest number of items showing DIF was obtained from Singapore-France samples with 12%, the rate of items indicating DIF in the France-Turkey samples was 18%. On the other hand, 35% of the items showed cross cultural measurement invariance. An item bias study was carried out based on expert opinions on items identified and released as showing DIF in the comparisons of Turkey with Australia and Singapore.According to the findings, translation-bound differentiation of the items, familiarity of a culture group with the contents of the items, polysemy in the expressions or words used in the items, the format, or the stylistic characteristics of the items were determined to be the cause of the bias in the skills measured with the items.

scholarly journals Taiwan: Performance in the Programme for International Student Assessment

2020 ◽  
pp. 203-226
Author(s):  
Su-Wei Lin ◽  
Huey-Ing Tzou ◽  
I-Chung Lu ◽  
Pi-Hsia Hung
Keyword(s):  
Gender Gap ◽  
Education System ◽  
International Student ◽  
Cultural Beliefs ◽  
Student Assessment ◽  
Government Investment ◽  
International Student Assessment ◽  
Rural And Urban ◽  
Top Performers ◽  
Math And Science

AbstractTaiwan has, from 2006, participated in five Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) surveys. This chapter discusses Taiwan’s performance in PISA and its implications. At first, the education system and the process of educational reform in Taiwan were described. Then Taiwan’s performances for reading, math, and science in PISA were delineated. Taiwanese students have had consistently excellent performance for math and science; its reading performance, although not as outstanding as those for math and science, has improved significantly from 2009 to 2018. The gender gap in reading, in favour of female students, has narrowed, and the gender gap in math and science has been small. Educational equity, especially between rural and urban students, has also improved from 2006 to 2018. The proportion of high performers in reading and the proportion of low performers in reading, math, and science has increased from 2006 to 2018, while the proportions of top performers in math and science have decreased. These findings are interpreted from the perspectives of cultural beliefs, changes in the education system and national assessment, government investment in the related domains, and the nature of the PISA assessment.

scholarly journals Comparing Students’ Engagement in Classroom Education Between China and Germany

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shu Deng
Keyword(s):  
Academic Success ◽  
Student Engagement ◽  
Classroom Environment ◽  
International Student ◽  
Educational Achievement ◽  
Student Assessment ◽  
Learner Engagement ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
International Student Assessment ◽  
The Uk

Since the mid-1980s, there has been an academic shift toward students’ involvement in the learning process. A great number of studies have focused on the relationship between student engagement and educational achievement. They have highlighted that appropriate educational input and a supportive classroom environment are necessary, but optimum learning should occur when students are engaged with the curriculum as well as the institution, particularly in higher education institutions. Many scholars claimed that higher levels of engagement will help students deal with academic anxiety and develop a sense of belonging, which may lead to higher academic success. Educational experts and policymakers have begun to propose nationwide and international strategies and programs to promote student engagement in the classroom, which has led to the proposal of well-known programs such as the National Survey of Student Engagement, the UK Engagement Survey, and Program for International Student Assessment. Such engagement-centered international measures have been used across the globe (e.g., Germany) and translated into different languages (e.g., Chinese). Although the findings of relevant studies confirm the effectiveness of engagement on learning achievement, there is still the need to conduct further (cross-sectional) studies considering the implementation of such programs in a different context. The present study is an attempt to review the related literature regarding student engagement among Chinese and German students across a variety of disciplines. The findings suggest that researchers should devote more time and budget to investigate the significance of learner engagement, especially in Germany and China.

The impact of professional capital on educational excellence and equality in Estonia

2016 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 237-252 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maie Kitsing ◽  
Alan Boyle ◽  
Hasso Kukemelk ◽  
Jaan Mikk
Keyword(s):  
Education System ◽  
International Student ◽  
Student Assessment ◽  
General Level ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Professional Capital ◽  
International Student Assessment ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
High Level ◽  
The Impact

Purpose – Estonia’s results in programme for international student assessment (PISA) studies between 2006 and 2012 showed both high-level attainment and social equity. The combination of excellence and equity makes Estonia stand out from other countries. The purpose of this paper is to explore the wide range of factors that influence Estonian students’ performance in these tests and note how professional capital fits into the overall picture. Design/methodology/approach – First the authors present a brief analysis of the outcomes in terms of the PISA results. Then the authors describe a wide range of contextual factors in Estonia such as: the country’s general level of human development; historical and cultural factors; demographics and social factors. These are the inputs to the education system. Finally the authors explore the interplay between features of the education system itself – the schooling processes – and note the impact of professional capital. Findings – The authors judge that the interplay between professional capital with other factors that work in harmony explains why the system is highly effective. This coherence is not accidental; it is the outcome of a series of deliberate reforms and investment over a single generation. Originality/value – Between 2009 and 2012 Estonia increased its share of top performers in PISA tests while, at the same time, reduced the proportion of low performers. This is commonly referred to as “raising the bar and closing the gap”. Individual schools struggle to close attainment gaps between different groups of students. Estonia is one of a very small number of countries to achieve both excellence and equality across the whole national system.

Educational Attainment and Integration of Foreign Students in Spain

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sergio Andres Cabello ◽  
Joaquín Giró Miranda
Keyword(s):  
Education System ◽  
School Environment ◽  
Foreign Students ◽  
International Student ◽  
Student Assessment ◽  
Academic Failure ◽  
Immigrant Parents ◽  
International Student Assessment ◽  
Attention To Diversity ◽  
Spanish Education

Education is one of the pillars of the welfare state in Spain, and one of the main ways of reducing inequalities and, potentially, integrating members of the immigrant population. Schools serve to promote social and cultural integration of foreign students and their families. Spain, although its history as a country of immigration has been short, has been quite efficient in integrating the emigrant population, especially at school. It is important to bear in mind that schools and the school environment are the main point of encounter between families of different cultures. There were significant difficulties incorporating foreign students in schools in the first decade of this century. The importance of integration in the process of normalizing relations between immigrant families and schools has been indisputable. However, one of the main difficulties with this integration has been the poorer performance and academic achievement of foreign students in the Spanish education system. Foreign students’ performance is significantly different. For example, they achieve significantly lower grades in the different standardized tests (Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA)), e.g., and higher rates of dropout, academic failure, and grade repetition. However, it is also true that these differences are significantly smaller for second-generation students born in Spain of immigrant parents. Faced with these facts, there have been numerous theoretical analyses and research projects that have tried to determine which variables affect this situation and which of them can be attributed to immigration, excluding any other socioeconomic factors. The results and the academic attainment of foreign- and immigrant-origin students in the Spanish education system are associated with some factors attributed to immigration. One of the most important is school segregation processes and their consequences for the educational and social integration of this group. Likewise, the financial crisis that has affected public policy and the Spanish welfare system, with the resulting budget cuts in education, has conditioned compensatory measures and attention to diversity.

Modeling strategies for enhancing educational quality

2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 160-173
Author(s):  
William K Cummings ◽  
Olga Bain
Keyword(s):  
Global Economy ◽  
International Student ◽  
Educational Achievement ◽  
Student Assessment ◽  
System Level ◽  
Path Modeling ◽  
Educational Achievements ◽  
International Student Assessment ◽  
National Analysis ◽  
National Systems

With the strengthening of the global economy, contemporary societies have come to view the educational achievements of their young people as a major component of national competiveness. But there are substantial variations in the strategies employed by different nations. To maximize educational achievements, some nations believe that the provision of a stratified system of schooling is effective, at least for the minority who are able to gain entry to the elite academic stream. In contrast, other nations prefer a more egalitarian strategy to education where all students attend a common school devoid of ability streams until well into their secondary level studies. The egalitarian strategy is believed to be just and fair. But does it enhance educational achievement? Several other strategies are also being advanced, and the same questions can be asked about them. There are a number of studies that explore the academic consequences of different strategies within particular national systems, but there are relatively few studies that explore these questions across several national systems. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development-supported Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) studies enable a cross-national analysis; but the official reports from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development primarily provide bivariate analyses of these relations whereas a multivariate strategy taking into account several system level variables is preferred. In this paper we examine the historical origins of six contemporary strategies, and draw on the PISA studies to compare the relative efficacy of these strategies relying on path modeling.

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