Education Commons^™

Mid-Term Evaluation Report (Final): Global Education Monitoring (Gem) Centre Phase 3, Valerie Haugen

Monitoring Learning

This report provides findings and recommendations from the external mid-term evaluation of Phase 3 of the Global Education Monitoring (GEM Centre) - a long-term partnership between the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) and the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). The goal of the GEM Centre is to improve learning, by ensuring that education policies, practices and investments are influenced by high-quality evidence. The aim of the mid-term evaluation was to enable reflection on the long-term partnership through the GEM Centre. The findings highlight the successes and achievements of the GEM Centre over the past decade, …

International Standard Setting Exercise, Australian Council For Educational Research (Acer)

Monitoring Learning

The GEM Centre provides technical support to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Institute for Statistics (UIS), which has been mandated to monitor the progress of countries towards achieving the education goals of Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4). The International Standard Setting Exercise (ISSE) was undertaken to harmonise quantitative data across assessment programs, and to provide substantive information about children’s learning levels and progress benchmarked against international standards. The goal of the ISSE was to place thresholds on empirical reading and mathematics Learning Progression Scales for the Minimum Proficiency Level at the end of lower primary …

Minimum Proficiency Levels Unpacked, Australian Council For Educational Research (Acer)

Monitoring Learning

This document draws together work from several initiatives to establish Minimum Proficiency Levels (MPLs) for reading and mathematics, for global use in pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goal in Education, SDG 4.1, with a specific focus on indicator 4.1.1. Three educational levels are referred to in this paper as ‘end of lower primary’, ‘end of primary’ and ‘end of lower secondary’. The MPLs are described and elaborated in four ways: nutshell statements; expanded statements; domains, constructs and descriptors; and sample items. A detailed account of the history and evolution of the Minimum Proficiency Levels is provided in Appendix A

Teacher Development Multi-Year Studies. Insights On The Challenges Of Data Availability For Measuring And Reporting On Student Learning Outcomes, Elizabeth Cassity, Debbie Wong

Education Analytics Service

Student learning outcomes are an important source of evidence regarding improved teaching quality. A multi-year teacher development study series was commissioned by the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) to investigate teacher development initiatives in Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Laos), Timor-Leste and Vanuatu. The overall aim of the study series is to understand the extent to which the Australian investment has improved teaching quality and student learning. This paper outlines the different approaches to sourcing and using data in each country context, and then presents initial insights about the challenges associated with the limited availability of data …

Gem Centre: Completion Report For Phase 2 Funding, 2017–2020, Australian Council For Educational Research

Monitoring Learning

In 2014, the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) and the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) established a partnership under the Global Education Monitoring Centre. Since then, there have been two funding periods: Phase 1 from 2014–2017 and Phase 2 from 2017–2020. Phase 3 will cover 2020–2023. This report documents the completion of Phase 2 funding and describes the shared priorities of DFAT and ACER through the GEM Centre, followed by the objectives and key outcomes of the work program during this period. The outcomes and lessons learned, together with findings from the GEM Centre mid-term …

A Man Of Measure And More: John P. Keeves 1924-2020, Petra Lietz (Ed), Katherine Dix (Ed), Juliet Young-Thornton (Ed)

ACER historical documents

John Philip Keeves was an eminent researcher with a lifelong quest to improve teaching and learning by being a researcher, teacher, supervisor and mentor. He produced a myriad of scholarly publications, many on topics of research design, comparative research and educational measurement. In 1962, John was recruited to the Australian Council for Educational Research and he moved to Melbourne, later becoming Associate Director from 1972 to 1977 and then Director until his retirement in 1984. During this time, he also undertook research fellowships at the Australian National University and the Institute of International Education in the University of Stockholm. After …

Piaac Numeracy Task Complexity Schema: Factors That Impact On Item Difficulty, Dave Tout, Iddo Gal, Mieke Van Groenestijn, Myrna Manly, Mary Jane Schmitt

Transition and Post-School Education and Training

This paper describes some lessons learned from international adult numeracy assessments that can help in understanding the challenges that people, including both adults and school students, have when solving numeracy tasks and their levels of performance on functional mathematical problems. The paper presents a theoretical schema of five factors that predict, separately and in interaction, the complexity or level of difficulty of mathematically-related assessment tasks, including tasks that incorporate texts and require literacy or reading skills, which are very common in adults' lives. The model was originally developed as part of the development of the Adult Literacy and LifeSkills survey …

Measuring What Matters: Insights On The Value Of Whole Child Development, Porticus, Australian Council For Educational Research, Pina Tarricone, Yung Nietschke, Kylie Hillman

Monitoring Learning

This policy analysis report captures how cities and countries value, define, and measure Whole Child Development (WCD) - and equivalent - both broadly and in the context of reaching those in extreme adversity. The WCD conceptual framework of this study refers to 11 key themes: values, life skills, social and emotional learning, spirituality, academic knowledge, student engagement, adult support, community, academically challenging learning, safe environments, and health. The report provides insights into the challenges experienced in embedding WCD in education systems and offers evidence around the growing recognition and momentum globally around WCD and holistic learning. One of the key …

The Early Grade Reading Assessment: Assessing Children’S Acquisition Of Basic Literacy Skills In Developing Countries, Australian Council For Educational Research

Assessment GEMS

The Early Grade Reading Assessment (EGRA), administered individually in about 15 minutes, measures the most basic foundation skills for literacy acquisition in the early grades. The assessment was developed by the Research Triangle Institute (RTI) through funding provided by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the World Bank, in addition to resources provided by RTI. In the context of this emerging focus on measuring basic literacy skills, EGRA was developed to provide a battery of assessments of basic reading skills for developing countries to monitor the status of early reading in primary schools. The assessment tool was …

The Southern And Eastern Africa Consortium For Monitoring Educational Quality, Australian Council For Educational Research

Assessment GEMS

The Southern and Eastern Africa Consortium for Monitoring Educational Quality (SACMEQ) carries out large-scale cross-national research studies in member countries in the Southern and Eastern Africa region. SACMEQ aims to assess the conditions of schooling and performance levels of learners and teachers in the areas of literacy and numeracy.

Measurement Of Young Children's Learning For Program Evaluation, Jen Jackson, Syeda Kashfee Ahmed, Toby Carslake, Petra Lietz

Monitoring Learning

The global commitment to early learning has been expressed in the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals Agenda (SDG) (United Nations, 2016) and access to support for early learning is considered a human right for all children, whether provided by the family, community, or institutional programs (UNESCO, 2013). Inadequate cognitive stimulation has been identified as one of the key psychosocial risk factors associated with poor child development – a factor that is modifiable, with the right interventions (Walker et al., 2007). Thus, insights into how early learning supports may be delivered effectively in various contexts are essential. To explore the …

The Unesco Institute For Statistics Reporting Scales: Concept Note, Australian Council For Educational Research (Acer)

Monitoring Learning

Measurement of learning achievement is essential to monitor how well education systems are delivering on the promise of universal quality education. This promise is reflected in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Number 4 (Target 4.1): By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes. Goal 4 can only be meaningful if there is a shared global understanding of quality education, and relevant and effective learning. The various indicators associated with SDG Target 4.1 attempt to translate its key constructs into measurable outcomes against …

Is Setting Higher Standards The Answer?, Geoff N. Masters Ao

Teacher columnist – Geoff Masters

Raising the expected performance standard in each year of school and holding all teachers and students accountable for achieving these higher standards may not be the most effective way to improve levels of performance in Australian schools.

A Different Way To Organise The School Curriculum, Geoff N. Masters Ao

Teacher columnist – Geoff Masters

There are good reasons to rethink how we organise the school curriculum. An alternative would be to structure the curriculum as a sequence of proficiency levels unrelated to age or year level.

Final Report: Development Of An Online Engagement Scale, Darren Matthews, Ling Tan, Daniel Edwards

Higher education research

The Commonwealth Department of Education and Training commissioned the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) to review the Learner Engagement Scale (LES), a key measure of student experience. It is administered as part of the Student Experience Survey, an annual survey of a sample of the 400 000 first and final year undergraduates studying at Australian Higher Education institutions – 80 per cent on-campus and around 8 per cent off-campus. Over the years, LES results have consistently shown substantially lower engagement levels in off-campus students – far in excess of the variation between teaching modes that might be expected – …

Shifting The Focus Of Naplan, Geoff N. Masters Ao

Teacher columnist – Geoff Masters

The decision to move NAPLAN online provides an opportunity to place less emphasis on comparing the performances of schools and more emphasis on supporting student learning, according to Professor Geoff Masters AO.

But Can We Measure It?, Geoff N. Masters Ao

Teacher columnist – Geoff Masters

It’s often asserted that some things can’t be measured, Professor Geoff Masters AO writes in his latest column. But how true is this? And if we can’t measure something, should we stop pretending we can teach or develop it?

Review Of The Piaac Numeracy Assessment Framework: Final Report, Dave Tout, Diana Coben, Vince Geiger, Lynda Ginsburg, Kees Hoogland, Terry Maguire, Sue Thomson, Ross Turner

Transition and Post-School Education and Training

The Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) is an international assessment of the proficiency of adults (aged 16-65 years) in key information processing skills (reading, numeracy and Problem Solving in Technology-Rich Environments). The PIAAC Survey of Adult Skills has revealed that a considerable number of adults in OECD countries possess only limited literacy and numeracy skills. The OECD is currently reviewing the content of the frameworks and cognitive assessment instruments for the 2nd cycle of PIAAC ready for delivery in 2021-22. This report is the result of a review of the numeracy construct and assessment in PIAAC. …

Fostering Understanding Of Early Numeracy Development, Kate Reid, Nicola Andrews

Monitoring Learning

In 2012, the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) began the Longitudinal Literacy and Numeracy Study: Transitions from Preschool to School (LLANS:TPS). The study is part of a program of longitudinal literacy and numeracy research at ACER that started with a seven-year longitudinal study of children’s developing literacy and numeracy throughout primary school, which began in 1999 with a cohort of 1000 children from 100 schools around Australia (Meiers et al., 2006). The original Longitudinal Literacy and Numeracy Study (LLANS) developed new instruments for assessing children’s literacy and numeracy understanding in the first three years of primary school and described …

Mapping Progress – Using Data For Teaching And Learning, Geoff N. Masters Ao

Teacher columnist – Geoff Masters

It’s important to keep in mind that there are three central uses of data in school education. Professor Geoff Masters AO discusses.

Monitoring Student Growth, Geoff N. Masters Ao

Teacher columnist – Geoff Masters

In any given classroom, students are likely to be at very different points in their learning and development. Professor Geoff Masters AO explores why it is important for teachers to be able to track the long-term progress that each student makes.

Schools As Learning Organisations, Geoff N. Masters Ao

Teacher columnist – Geoff Masters

School improvement is most likely when an entire school has a shared improvement agenda and is committed to learning how to improve. Professor Geoff Masters AO discusses a five-step improvement cycle.

Five Challenges In Australian School Education, Geoff N. Masters Ao

Policy Insights

There is no shortage of challenges in school education. Some of the biggest challenges we face can appear frustratingly intractable. Despite reform efforts, regular government reviews and ongoing calls for change, progress in addressing our most significant challenges is often slow and solutions continue to elude us. In this paper Professor Geoff Masters discusses five significant challenges facing school education.

1. Equipping students for the 21st Century, including by increasing reading, mathematical and scientific literacy levels;
2. Reducing disparities between Australia's schools, particularly along socioeconomic lines, by ensuring that every student has access to an excellent school and excellent teaching;
3. Reducing the …

Is There Another Way To Think About Schooling?, Geoff N. Masters Ao

Teacher columnist – Geoff Masters

There is a well-established way of thinking about schooling. But is there another way? Professor Geoff Masters AO discusses.

Getting All Children Off To A Good Start, Geoff N. Masters Ao

Teacher columnist – Geoff Masters

One of the biggest challenges we face in improving quality and equity in our schools is to better address the learning needs of the many children who, on entry to school, are at risk of being locked into trajectories of long-term low achievement, writes Professor Geoff Masters AO.

The ‘Long Tail’ Of Underachievement, Geoff N. Masters Ao

Teacher columnist – Geoff Masters

One of the biggest challenges educators face is to find better ways to meet the learning needs of the many students who fall behind in our schools, fail to meet year-level expectations (often year after year) and, as a consequence, become increasingly disengaged, writes Professor Geoff Masters AO.

Reducing Disparities Between Australian Schools, Geoff N. Masters Ao

Teacher columnist – Geoff Masters

According to Professor Geoff Masters AO, one of the biggest challenges we face in school education is to reduce current disparities in the schooling experiences of students in Australia’s most and least advantaged schools

‘Big Five’ Challenges In School Education, Geoff N. Masters Ao

Teacher columnist – Geoff Masters

Real reform and significant progress in improving the quality and equity of Australian schooling depend on tackling our deepest and most stubborn educational challenges, writes Professor Geoff Masters AO.

Assessing End-Of-School Attainment, Geoff N. Masters

Teacher columnist – Geoff Masters

Is there a ‘best’ way to establish the levels of knowledge, understanding and skill that students have attained in a subject by the end of Year 12?

Incentives - An Ineffective School Improvement Strategy?, Geoff N. Masters

Teacher columnist – Geoff Masters

By the turn of the century, the observation had been made in many countries that substantial increases in expenditure on schools had failed to deliver measurable improvements in student performance. But just how effective are incentives as an improvement strategy?