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Lifelong Learning for All, the report emerging from the meeting of OECD Education Ministers signals their own commitment to advancing further this orientation in national education systems. Subsequent meetings of Labour and Social Affairs Ministers endorsed the relevance of a lifelong learning approach to address important aspects of labour and social policy issues.
This report is the first country study organised in the form of an education policy review. It analyses the obstacles and challenges encountered thus far in adapting a lifelong learning approach to policy making in education and training from pre-school to adult education and retraining. Particular attention is given to education and the economy, regional development, new forms of distance education and financing.
The agenda of universities has moved on from a desire to simply increase the general education level of the population and the output of scientific research; there is now a greater concern to harness university education and research to specific economic and social objectives. Nowhere is this demand for specificity more clear than in the field of regional development. What contribution do universities make to the development of the regions they are located in? They certainly have passive impacts in terms of direct and indirect employment; yet, how can the resources of universities be mobilised to actively contribute to the development process? The challenge addressed in this book is how should higher education institutions respond to demands which are emanating from a set of actors and agencies concerned with regional development and thus help reach national objectives. This book is based on case studies presented at various conferences focusing on Australia, the Baltic States and Scandinavia, continental Europe, the United States and the United Kingdom. The case study material is supplemented by other sources of information about national higher education policy, including major national surveys of higher education in Australia, Finland and the United Kingdom each of which embrace the regional agenda.
The appraisal of the substantial investments which are made in educational facilities remains a largely unexplored field of research. Is it possible to develop reliable and effective criteria for evaluation, given the wide range of parameters from planning and cost-effectiveness of buildings to their impact on the performance of the educational system as a whole?
These questions, which are facing every modern educational system, are of concern to investors and funding bodies, as well as those who are responsible for planning, managing and designing educational facilities.
In a rapidly changing world, the success of nations, communities and individuals may be linked, more than ever before, to how they adapt to change, learn and share knowledge. This report helps clarify the concepts of human and social capital and evaluates their impact on economic growth and well-being. Although the evidence on social capital is less developed, reflecting the novelty of the concept in economic and social science, the report draws on a number of empirical studies which suggest potentially important linkages between human and social capital. The evidence suggests that human and social capital can be of key importance in contributing to a wide range of positive outcomes, including higher income, life satisfaction and social cohesion. Although there is no evidence for systematic "under-investment" in either human or social capital, concerns are expressed about the distribution and quality of each form of capital and how this might impact on future well-being. There is limited scope for public policy to change the quality, stock and distribution of human and social capital in the short-term. However, a number of areas are discussed in which public, private and voluntary actors may leverage long-term improvements in both human and social capital.
In 2000 commentators everywhere were hailing the boom in some western economies as the dawn of a new economy. In 2001, with a slowdown biting in the US economy, dot.coms folding and information and communications technology firms feeling the pinch globally, the headline writers have swung the other way, saying that it was all a myth. Was it?
The New Economy: Beyond the Hype looks past the elation and gloom to help policymakers think and act with the facts. It explores the causes of the discrepancy in economic performance in the OECD area. It shows that while technology has had a pervasive and profound effect on economies and societies, it alone was not the reason for fast growth. What counts more is how that technology is put to work. The book argues forcefully that whatever the outlook for the business cycle, we are now faced with a new economic environment. It urges policymakers to adopt a comprehensive growth strategy combining five policy areas that can engage ICT, human capital, innovation and entrepreneurship in the growth process alongside policies to mobilise labour and increase investment for the long term. Naturally, good fundamentals -- macroeconomic stability, openness and competition, as well as sound economic and social institutions, and proper social protection -- are a prerequisite for success.
PISA 2003 Assessment Framework – Mathematics, Reading, Science and Problem Solving Knowledge and Skills presents the conceptual underpinnings of PISA 2003 assessments. Within each assessment area, the volume defines the content students need to acquire, the processes they need to perform, and contexts in which knowledge and skills are applied.
Teachers Matter provides a comprehensive, international analysis of trends and developments in the teacher workforce in 25 countries around the world; research on attracting, developing and retaining effective teachers; innovative and successful policies and practices that countries have implemented; and teacher policy options for countries to consider.
While documenting many areas of concern about teachers and teaching, the report also provides positive examples of where policies are making a difference. It spotlights countries where teachers’ social standing is high, and where there are more qualified applicants than vacant posts. Even in countries where shortages have been a concern, there are recent signs of increased interest in teaching, and policy initiatives appear to be taking effect.
At a time when many countries are facing an ageing teaching workforce and having trouble attracting new recruits, this book provides insights into how governments can successfully deal with these issues.
Many adults in OECD countries have low language, literacy and numeracy (LLN) skills. The consequences of these low foundation skills span the economic, health and social well-being of individuals, families and communities. Investment in this sector of adult education is therefore crucial.
This study looks specifically inside the programmes for adult LLN learners, with a focus on formative assessment. Drawing upon evidence gathered in country reports, exemplary case studies and international literature reviews, it examines the impact and implementation of different teaching, learning and assessment practices for adult LLN learners; the way innovative programmes address the very diverse needs and goals of this population; and the policies that support or hinder effective practice.
This book provides a strong foundation for understanding the fundamental issues at stake in the adult LLN education, and can guide future policy, practice and research. A companion report which studies formative assessment in lower secondary schools was published in 2005 under the title Formative Assessment: Improving Learning in Secondary Classrooms.
This new biennial publication presents the latest available information on 26 major current trends in education, grouped in 9 broad themes (ageing, global challenges, the new economic landscape, work and jobs, the learning society, ICT, citizenship and the state, social connections and values, and sustainable affluence). For each trend, there is a two-page spread, containing a short introduction, two figures with accompanying text followed by three key questions about the impact of the trend on the future of education. A dynamic link (StatLink) is provided for each figure, which directs the user to a web page where the corresponding data are available in Excel®.
“The new ‘bible’ of Post-secondary education.”
-Paul Cappon, President of the Canadian Council on Learning
“An exceptionally useful and interesting review.”
-Tom Boland, Chief Executive, Higher Education Authority of Ireland
“The reference text for the future debate on tertiary education.”
-José Joaquín Brunner, Professor and Director,
Centre for Comparative Education Policies, University of Diego Portales, Chile
What does PISA actually assess? This book presents all the publicly available questions from the PISA surveys. Some of these questions were used in the PISA 2000, 2003 and 2006 surveys and others were used in developing and trying out the assessment.
After a brief introduction to the PISA assessment, the book presents three chapters, including PISA questions for the reading, mathematics and science tests, respectively. Each chapter presents an overview of what exactly the questions assess. The second section of each chapter presents questions which were used in the PISA 2000, 2003 and 2006 surveys, that is, the actual PISA tests for which results were published. The third section presents questions used in trying out the assessment. Although these questions were not used in the PISA 2000, 2003 and 2006 surveys, they are nevertheless illustrative of the kind of question PISA uses. The final section shows all the answers, along with brief comments on each question.
The rapidly growing demand for highly skilled workers has led to a global competition for talent. While basic competencies are important for the absorption of new technologies, high-level skills are critical for the creation of new knowledge, technologies and innovation. The OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) has taken an innovative approach to examining educational excellence, by directly assessing students’ knowledge, skills and attitudes and exploring how these relate to the characteristics of individual students, schools and education systems. Based on PISA survey results, this report examines who the highest performing students are, what the characteristics of the schools they attend are, to what extent they engage in science related activities outside of school, what their motivations and attitudes towards science are, and what their career intentions are.
This report uses recent economic modelling to relate cognitive skills – as measured by PISA and other international instruments – to economic growth, demonstrating that relatively small improvements to labour force skills can largely impact the future well-being of a nation. The report also shows that it is the quality of learning outcomes, not the length of schooling, which makes the difference. A modest goal of all OECD countries boosting their average PISA scores by 25 points over the next 20 years would increase OECD gross domestic product by USD 115 trillion over the lifetime of the generation born in 2010. More aggressive goals could result in gains in the order of USD 260 trillion.
The OECD’s new Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) has been designed to provide data and analyses on the conditions needed for effective teaching and learning in schools. As the first international survey with this focus, it seeks to fill important information gaps that have been identified at the national and international levels of education systems.
This TALIS Technical Report describes the development of the TALIS instruments and methods used in sampling, data collection, scaling and data analysis phases of the first round of the survey. It also explains the rigorous quality control programme that operated during the survey process, which included numerous partners and external experts from around the world.
The information in this report complements the first international report from TALIS, Creating Effective Teaching and Learning Environments: First Results from TALIS (OECD, 2009) and the User Guide for the TALIS International Database.