Towards a Better Future

Recommendations

Info

Chapter Four: Assessment: Primary and Junior Cycle Literacy, Mathematics and Science every three years since 2000. The ERC, in addition to managing the administration of the various surveys, also provides a most valuable and professional service in preparing and issuing detailed reports on how students in Ireland perform on the various assessment surveys. In considering the findings of standardised tests, or indeed any other tests of achievement, it is important to bear in mind that any single test result only provides a limited picture of achievement and needs to be interpreted against other test findings and the context in which they are conducted. However, analysing the outcomes of assessments conducted over a number of cycles of the same survey programme can be useful in tracing trends in achievements over time. In the interests of coherence and in order to facilitate comparisons between studies, assessments conducted at primary level are grouped together, and similarly those at post-primary level. In so doing, differences in all aspects relating to the design and administration of the various assessment programmes should be borne in mind when comparing outcomes. (a) Standardised Assessment at Primary Level In this section, we explore the main findings of national assessments in Reading Literacy and Mathematics (Shiel et. al., 2014; Kavanagh et. al., 2015); DES, 2016f), international assessments in Reading Literacy, PIRLS, (Eivers et al., 2012), and Mathematics and Science, TIMSS, (Clerkin et al., 2016). (a1) Reading Literacy Attainments at Primary Level The National Assessment conducted in 2014 reported improved outcomes in Second Class compared with the previous assessment in 2009. Significant improvements were reported in reading vocabulary, reading comprehension and on ‘retrieve, infer, integrate and interpret process’ subscales, while improvements were also noted at both the lower level (Proficiency Level 1) and the higher levels (Levels 3 & 4). A similar pattern emerged at Sixth Class. Compared with the 2009 findings, improvements were noted across all proficiency levels and content areas, with the exception of the ‘examine and exclude’ subscale, where less progress was reported. Significant improvements were also reported in DEIS schools, but no reduction in the gap between these schools and other schools. With the exception of Second Class in Band 2 schools, a large number of struggling readers was noted in DEIS urban schools, with 44% in Second Class and 47% in Sixth Class performing at or below Level 1. In the overall study, girls in Second Class significantly outperformed boys and in Sixth Class, but not significantly so in this case. The PIRLS 2011 assessment of reading in South Class showed Ireland performing very well,with a mean score significantly above the international average and in 10th place overall. While Ireland’s score was only marginally lower that of the four countries immediately above it, it was significantly lower than that of the top five countries. Ireland also performed well on the benchmarks set for the study, with more than half reaching the higher benchmark and a lower percentage falling below the lower benchmark. As in the national assessment, girls outperformed boys. — 69 —
Towards a Better Future: A Review of the Irish School System (a2) Mathematics Attainments at Primary Level In the 2014 National Assessment, performances at both Second and Sixth Classes were higher than in a previous assessment in 2009. Significant increases at Second Class were found on three of the four main content areas and all five process areas. No significant improvement was found on the ‘data content’ area. Improvements were also noted across all proficiency levels. Significant increases at Sixth Class level were noted across all content areas and all proficiency levels. In the case of DEIS schools, while improvements were noted, especially in Second Class in Band 2 schools, improvements have only kept pace with those of pupils in other schools. Boys in both classes outperformed girls, but in neither case was the difference significant. In the most recent TIMSS survey conducted in 2015, Fourth Class primary pupils achieved a score of 547, which was significantly above the TIMMS centre point average, and ranked ninth among 49 countries. This was a significantly higher score than that recorded in 1995 or 2011, and an improvement in ranking from 17th out of 50 countries in 2011. Improvement in performance has also been made across the three assessment cycles among the ‘below-average’ and the ‘above-average’ range, with much of the improvement appearing to have occurred since 2011 and among the ‘lowestachieving’ pupils. Relative strengths were noted in the content area of Number and relative weaknesses in Geometric Shape and Measures. In the cognitive domain, strengths in Knowing and Weaknesses in Reasoning were recorded. No significant gender differences were noted. (a3) Science Attainments at Primary Level A score of 529, significantly above the centre point average, was recorded in the 2015 TIMSS survey, and ranked Ireland’s pupils 19th out of 47 countries, significantly higher than reported in 1995 and 2011. Substantial improvement was found among the ‘lowest-achieving’ group and a small disimprovement among the ‘highest-achieving’ pupils. Earth Science was a particular strength in the ‘content’ area, and Physical Science a weaknesses, while broadly similar performances were found across the three cognitive domains of ‘knowing, applying and reasoning’. No significant gender differences were noted. (b) Standardised Assessments at Junior Cycle Ireland has participated in two international standardised surveys of achievement - TIMSS and PISA - at Junior Cycle level over a number of cycles. TIMMS, already referred to in the context of primary assessment, conducts surveys of achievement in Mathematics and Science among students mainly in the Second Year of the Junior Cycle. Ireland participated in the first international survey in 1995. The most recent survey was conducted in 2015 and the findings presented here are based on a report published by the ERC (Clerkin et al., 2016). The aim of PISA is to measure how well students at age 15 are prepared to meet the challenges they may encounter in future life. PISA conducts an international assessment of the skills and knowledge of — 70 —
Page 1 and 2:
Towards a BETTER FUTURE A Review of
Page 3 and 4:
Published in Ireland by IPPN (the I
Page 5 and 6:
Towards a Better Future: A Review o
Page 7 and 8:
Page 9 and 10:
Page 11 and 12:
Page 13 and 14:
Page 15 and 16:
Page 17 and 18:
Page 19 and 20:
Page 21 and 22:
Page 23 and 24:
Page 25 and 26:
Page 27 and 28:
Page 29 and 30:
Page 31 and 32:
Page 33 and 34: Towards a Better Future: A Review o
Page 83: Towards a Better Future: A Review o
Page 135 and 136:
Page 137 and 138:
Page 139 and 140:
Page 141 and 142:
Page 143 and 144:
Page 145 and 146:
Page 147 and 148:
Page 149 and 150:
Page 151 and 152:
Page 153 and 154:
Page 155 and 156:
Page 157 and 158:
Page 159 and 160:
Page 161 and 162:
Page 163 and 164:
Page 165 and 166:
Page 167 and 168:
Page 169 and 170:
Page 171 and 172:
Page 173 and 174:
Page 175 and 176:
Page 177 and 178:
Page 179 and 180:
Page 181 and 182:
Page 183 and 184:
Page 185 and 186:
Page 187 and 188:
Page 189 and 190:
Page 191 and 192:
Page 193 and 194:
Page 195 and 196:
Page 197 and 198:
Page 199 and 200:
Page 201 and 202:
Page 203 and 204:
Page 205 and 206:
Page 207 and 208:
Page 209 and 210:
Page 211 and 212:
Page 213 and 214:
show all

Towards a Better Future

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?