OECD Review on Evaluation and
Assessment Frameworks for Improving
School Outcomes
Assessing key competencies: some
reflections
Deborah Nusche
Early Childhood and Schools Division
Directorate for Education, OECD
Education for Innovative Societies, 26 April 2012
Image: dan / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
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: www.oecd.org/edu/evaluationpolicy
FINAL REPORT TO BE PUBLISHED IN 2012
Assessing key competencies:
Some broad trends across countries
• ‘Key competencies’ or ‘21st 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?
Assessing key competencies:
Some promising approaches
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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:
www.oecd.org/edu/evaluationpolicy