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Events
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3rd READ Global Conference and 6th ECA Education Conference
October 23-26, 2011Eschborn, Germany

ľ¹ÏÓ°Ôº held a joint Third READ Global Conference and Sixth World Bank ECA Education Conference in Eschborn, Germany from October 23-26, 2011.

ľ¹ÏÓ°Ôº held a joint Third READ Global Conference and Sixth World Bank ECA Education Conference in Eschborn, Germany from October 23-26, 2011. The event was hosted at the headquarters of the Deutsche Gesellschaft f¨¹r Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and sponsored by the Russia Education Aid for Development (READ) program, the World Bank's department for education in the Europe and Central Asia Region (ECA), and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

Theme

Under the theme "Using Student Assessment Results for Education Quality and Systems Strengthening", the 2011 conference focused on ways in which data from various assessment activities (international and national large-scale assessments, examinations, and classroom assessments) could be used to strengthen education systems and improve learning outcomes. Assessments provide a way to gather information on what students know, understand, and can do and to identify areas in need of improvement. Assessment activities are only effective in improving education quality when they are used in ways that inform policymakers¡¯ decisions, help teachers improve their teaching practices and empower parents with information about how well their children are learning.

Conference Objectives

The key objective of the conference was to help READ supported and ECA countries to strengthen their ability to use assessment results in meaningful ways that would ultimately contribute to improvements in education quality. The conference helped participants to develop a better understanding of how to:

  • use assessment results to improve education policy and practice at national/sub-national and school levels;
  • support efforts to help teachers and other educators understand how to interpret assessment data; and
  • involve students, parents, and public stakeholders in monitoring learning outcomes in their schools and communities.

Additionally, the conference provided participants with an opportunity to learn lessons from other countries¡¯ experiences with the use of student assessment results. Site visits with local stakeholders that use student assessment results highlighted recent developments and the practical, concrete ways that Germany is using assessment data to improve its student learning outcomes.

Conference Participants

  • Delegations of senior education officials/assessment practitioners from the eight READ-supported countries (Angola, Armenia, Ethiopia, Mozambique, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Vietnam, and Zambia);
  • Delegations of senior education officials/assessment practitioners from ECA client countries;
  • High-level donor representatives from Russia, the World Bank, and Germany;
  • International experts in assessment and education quality (including experts from Russia and Germany);
  • World Bank experts on assessment, READ program staff, and members of the READ Technical Group;
  • World Bank education staff from the ECA region;
  • GIZ representatives working in ECA and READ supported countries.

For more background information about the conference, please refer to the Conference Concept Note


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Day 1: 

OPENING REMARKS

Elizabeth King, World Bank, Education Sector Director

Andrei Volkov, Moscow School of Management SKOLKOVO

Elena Ilina, Ministry of Finance, Russian Federation

Adolf Kloke-Lesch, GIZ


INTRODUCTION TO CONFERENCE OBJECTIVES AND THEME

Alberto Rodriguez, World Bank
Presentation: English 


KEYNOTE ADDRESS: Using Assessment Results to Improve Education Quality: A Global Perspective

Ludger Woessmann, Ifo Institute, University of Munich, Germany
Presentation: English 


TABLE DISCUSSION: Effective Reporting of Large-Scale Assessment Results for Equity

Anil Kanjee, READ Technical Group
Presentation: English


COUNTRY CASE STUDIES ON USES OF ASSESSMENT RESULTS

Chile - Maria Jose Ramirez, World Bank (READ Technical Group)
Presentation: English

The Gambia - Ousmane Senghor, The Gambia Ministry of Education
Presentation: English

Germany - Jean-Paul Reeff, Leibniz Institute for Educational Research and Educational Information
Presentation: English 

Jordan - Osamha Obeidat, Jordan Education Initiative
Presentation: English

Poland - Maciej Jakubowski, OECD
Presentation: English

Russian Federation - Yulia Tyumeneva, Higher School of Economics
Presentation: English

Singapore - Banhar Yeap, Marshall Cavendish Institute
Presentation:


PANEL DISCUSSION: Good Practices and Lessons Learned from Country Case Studies


Day 2:

KEYNOTE ADDRESS: Using Assessment Results to Improve Learning in the Classroom

Alistair Marquis, Former Chief Inspector, Government of Scotland
Presentation: English


PRESENTATIONS

Using Russian Know-How to Improve Educational Quality: Lessons of Experience
Victor Bolotov, Russian Academy of Education
Presentation: English

Skills, Not Just Diplomas: Managing Education for Results in Eastern Europe and Central Asia
Lars Sondergaard, World Bank
Presentation: English |


READ-ONLY SESSION


Opening Remarks

Robin Horn, World Bank, (READ Council Member)

Andrei Volkov, Moscow School of Management "Skolkovo" (READ Council Member)


PRESENTATION

SABER-Student Assessment Benchmarking Resutls for READ Countries
Marguerite Clarke, World Bank (READ Technical Group)
Presentation: English


READ COUNTRY PRESENTATIONS

Overcoming Common Challenges
Facilitator: Andrei Volkov


Day 3:

SITE VISITS

See Site Visits tab for more info

Institute for Development of Quality (IQ), Wiesbaden
Presentation English

Institute for Educational Research and Educational Information (DIPF), Frankfurt
Presentations (English): (1) (2) (3) (4)

Ministry of Education of the State of Hesse

School Visits
- Friedrich-Ebert-School, Frankfurt am Main
- Helene-Lange-School, Wiesbaden


READ COUNTRY CLINICS

Introduction to READ Country Clinics
Emily Gardner, World Bank (READ Management Team)

READ Country Clinics
Facilitators: READ Country Task Team Leaders

Report Back - Proposed Activities and Next Steps
Facilitator: Robin Horn
Head of Each READ Delegation


CLOSING

Robin Horn, World Bank



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Institute for Development of Quality (IQ), Wiesbaden

Presentation 1 | Presentation 2 | Presentation 3 | Presentation 4

The Institute:
The Institute for Development of Quality is an evaluation agency, which supports the development of quality education within the state of Hessen. It defines and checks quality criteria and goals of schools and provides support in evidence-based school management processes. The long term focus is to strengthen schools¡¯ autonomy and the structures of the education system. The IQ was founded in 2005 and is located in Wiesbaden, close to Frankfurt. As its work combines aspects of science and educational practice, of educational policy and school¡¯s daily work, the IQ holds a key function in the actual education reform process.

Agenda:
During visit, the participants listened to and discussed four different topics:

  • ¡°Freedom and responsibility¡±: the idea of an autonomous school and measures to take to monitor and support them
  • Quality instruments: educational standards, student assessments and final exams
  • Schools inspection
  • School quality and empirical analysis

Homepage:

Institute for Educational Research and Educational Information (DIPF), Frankfurt

Presentation 1 | Presentation 2

The Institute:
The German Institute for International Educational Research supports educational research, practice, policy and administration on the basis of scientific infrastructure services as well as research and educational system evaluations. It is located in Frankfurt. It aims to improve conditions for successful education.

The DIPF functions as a central interface for knowledge on education and it contributes essentially to the quality and shape of education in Germany. It generates knowledge on education and provides foundations for an evidence-based design of educational research on all levels. It catalogues and transfers knowledge on education, making it available to different target groups and the general public.

By conducting research activities, the DIPF contributes to aspects of educational quality at a systemic, institutional and individual level ¨C thereby, the Institute critically reflects upon existing concepts for quality, governance and development. Amongst others it has built a Center for research on Educational Quality and Evaluation which contributes to the development and assurance of school and instructional quality and professionalism in education by evaluation, user-oriented research and counseling.

Agenda:
The agenda included three different parts:

  • Presentation of DIPF, its work and aims
  • Presentation of a central project and tool, the "Technology-Based Assessment"
  • Interactive session: ¡°Gallery¡° of different projects at DIPF with the opportunity to interview staff and to draw inspiration from their work

Homepage:

Ministry of Education of the State of Hesse

The Ministry:
In Germany the 16 states (known as Laenders) are in charge of education, not the federal government. This means each of the 16 Laender has its own education policies and education system which is governed by the respective Ministry of Education (in broad terms comparable to Austria, Belgium, Canada). One of these is the Ministry of Education of the State of Hesse.

Agenda:
The visitors of the Ministry of Education of the State of Hesse were welcomed by the State Secretary (Deputy Minister). After that there were offered a presentation and discussion with the division of general education and international affairs and the division for development of quality.

Homepage:

School Visits

The schools:
Different types of schools with different approaches and backgrounds were selected. At each school, the focus was on giving participants an insight into the school administrators¡¯ and teachers¡¯ daily work and measures and instruments they are using to ensure and improve education quality.

Activities included:

  • Tour of the school and its particular attributes
  • Visit a classroom
  • Introduction about quality management at the school: information about experiences with different measures and instruments and the school¡¯s understanding of educational quality
  • Discussion about educational quality and the impact of education policies with the school director, a teacher and student representatives

Selected Schools

  • , Frankfurt am Main, comprehensive school with special emphasis on social work
  • in Wiesbaden: UNESCO-School and Club of Rome School, specially supported school of the State of Hesse
Event Details
  • Date: October 23 - 26, 2011
  • Location: Eschborn, Germany





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