Guidance from PISA for the Canary Islands, Spain

2012·4.2 MB·English

by  Programme for International Student Assessment

StrongPerformersand
Successful ReformersinEducation
Guidance from PISA
forthe Canary Islands, Spain
@))OECD

Strong Performers
and Successful Reformers
in Education
GUIDANCEFROMPISAFORTHECANARYISLANDS,SPAIN
®//OECD
BETTERPOLICIESFORBETTERLIVES
ThisworkispublishedontheresponsibilityoftheSecretary-GeneraloftheOECD.The
opinionsexpressedandargumentsemployedhereindonotnecessarilyreflecttheofficial
viewsoftheOrganisationorofthegovernmentsofitsmembercountries.
Thisdocumentandanymapincludedhereinarewithoutprejudicetothestatusofor
sovereigntyoveranyterritory,tothedelimitationofinternationalfrontiersandboundaries
andtothenameofanyterritory,cityorarea.
Pleasecitethispublicationas:
OReEfCoDrm(e2r01s2)i,nGEudiudcaantcieonf,roOmEPCIDSAPfuobrlitshheiCnag.naryIslands,Spain,StrongPerformersandSuccessful
http;//dx.doi.org/10.1787/9789264174184-en
ISBN978-92-64-17417-7(print)
ISBN978-92-64-17418-4(PDF)
Series:StrongPerformersandSuccessfulReformersinEducation
ISSN2220-3621(print)
ISSN2220-363X(online)
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CorrigendatoOECDpublicationsmaybefoundonlineat:wvjw.oecd.org/publishing/corrigenda.
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TheOECD'sProgrammeforInternationalStudentAssessment(PISA)isatriennialsurveyoftheknowledgeandskillsof15-year-olds.
Ithasbeendesignedtoallowvalidcomparisonsacrosscountriesandcultures.
TheresultsofPISAshouldnotbetakenoutofcontextasthesolemarkerofeducationalprogress.Toachieveastellareducation
system,onewhichgenerateshighqualityeducationandresultsforallstudents,acountryorregionmustgetnotjustonethingright,
butmany.PISAresultscanhoweverbeausefultoolormarker.Theycanpointtospecificproblemsacountryorregionneedsto
address,andtopossiblesolutionsandbestpractice.Often,PISAresultsmakealreadyknowntrendsmorewidely-knowntothe
public.
InthemostrecentPISAstudyof2009,Spainoptedtoincreasethenumberofstudentsparticipatingintheassessment,sothatthere
wouldbearepresentativesampleofstudentsfrommanySpanishregions:theCanaryIslands,thetwocitiesofCeutaandMelilla
(combined),and13otherregions.'Consequently,PISAresultsfortheCanaryIslandscanbecomparedtothoseofmostotherregions
inSpain,Spainasawhole,andotherparticipatingcountries.
TheresultsfortheCanaryIslandswereseenasdisappointingwithinthatregion.ThisledthegovernmentoftheIslandstoaskthe
OECDtoevaluatetheschoolsysteminthelightofPISAoutcomes,inordertodiagnosetheproblemsandsuggestpracticalsolutions
andimprovementroutes.
Educationisindispensableinmodernsociety.Giventherisingskilldemandsinmodernlabourmarkets,basicproficiencylevels
havebecomeaminimumrequirementforsuccessfulentryintothelabourmarketandparticipationinlifelonglearning.Ina
globalisedeconomy,educationisacrucialelementofprosperoussocialandeconomicdevelopment.Evenarelativelysmallskills
improvementcanhavealargeimpactonthefuturewellbeingofsociety.Forexample,ifSpainweretoimprovePISAperformance
sothatallstudentsachieveatleastthebasicproficiencylevel,statisticssuggestthattheaverageannualgrowthratecouldincrease
by0.69%(OECD,2010a).
Asinternationalresearchconsistentlyshows,youngpeoplewithhigherqualificationsenjoymanybenefits,suchashighersalaries,
buentetmerplwooyrekdin(gOcEoCnDdit2i0o0n6s;,OhEigCheDr2p0a1r0tbi)c.ipSaotciioentyi,niandutulrtn,edpurocfaittisofnroamndthtersaeinpienrg,sonaanldbleensesfiltiskeilnithhoeodfoorfmboefcohimgihnegrtoarxrreemvaeinnuiesn,g
lowerincidenceofeconomicdependencyandenhancedcapacityforinnovation(OECD,2006;Levin,2009;BelfieldandLevin,
2007).Yet,asthebenefitsofeducationalinvestmentstakesometimetoshowup,thevalueandimportanceofeducationisoften
underestimated.ThisseemstobethecaseintheCanaryIslands,whichtwentyyearsagowasatraditionalruralsocietyinwhich
job-findingdidnotdependonformalqualifications.Theregion'slabourmarketconsistedmainlyofjobsinconstruction,agriculture
andtourismthatdidnotrequirehigheducationalattainmentlevels.However,theeconomiccrisisanddevelopmentsintheglobal
economyandsocietyhaveincreasedtheimportanceofformaleducationalqualifications.Improvingstudents'cognitiveskills,and
providinghigher-qualityeducationthatmeetsthechangingdemandsoftheregionallabourmarket,havebecomeprioritiesforthe
CanaryIslands.
ThechallengenowistofindwaysofimprovingstudentperformancefromthelowlevelsrevealedinPISA.Improvementismost
likelytobeachievedifeveryoneintheCanaryIslandssocietysharesaconvictionthateducationmatters.ThesuccessoftheFinnish
educationsystem,whichperformssowellininternationalcomparisons,hasmuchtodowiththehugesignificanceattachedto
education-notjustforitseconomicvalue,butalsoforitssocialandculturalvalueandcontributiontoafunctioningdemocracy
(OECD,2005).Asuccessfuleducationsystemisonewhichensureshighparticipationandequalopportunities,andrespectsthe
needsandinterestsofallstudents.
ThisreportisfirstofitskindandispublishedaspartoftheOECD'sStrongPerformersandSuccessfulReformersinEducationseries.
ItshedslightonPISAresultsandsuggestspragmaticsolutionstothechallengesPISArevealedfortheCanaryIslands.Thereview
teamhopesthatthisreportprovesusefultothegovernmentandstakeholdersoftheCanaryIslandsinraisingschoolstandardsand
developingtheirschoolsystem.PISAisameanstoanend-goodeducationforallchildren.WhilePISAresultscanandoftendo
drivechangesineducationpolicy,suchchangesshouldbemadeonthebasisofailevidenceavailableinthecountryorregion,
withfullcollaborationofallstakeholdersandinthebestinterestsofallstudents.Thisreportshouldbeconsideredasacontribution
toongoingdiscussionsonthePISAresultswithintheCanaryIslands.
GUIDANCEFROMPISAFORTHECANARYISLANDS,SPAIN€OECP:c:: 3
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rangeofstakeholdersintheCanaryIslandstotrytopinpointthereasonsforthePISAoutcomes,andidentifythebestwayahead.
Sadlythefieldworkschedulecouldnotaccommodatevisitstoalltheislands,butstakeholdersfromsomeofthoseislandsjoined
meetingswiththeteam.
ThecounterpartsmetbytheteamincludedthePresidentandEducationMinisteroftheCanaryIslandsandmanyseniorofficials
intheregionalEducationMinistry;students,teachersandPrincipalsofprimary,secondary,uppersecondaryandall-ageschools;
representativesofparents'associations.SchoolsCouncils,teachers,employers,tradeunions,municipalitiesandthemedia;students,
professors.DeansandVice-Deansofuniversitiesofferingteachertraining;andseniorSchoolInspectors,Commissionersand
ProvincialDirectorsofEducation.
RepresentativesofeducationandcivilsocietywerealreadyawareofmanyoftheissuesbehindthePISAdata.Althoughthere
bhaeveenbfuelelyndgiesncuuisnseedefofroretxspltoairneefdortmosatnadkeuhpolgdreardse,twhheoedfueeclateixocnlusdyesdtefmroimntthheedCiaanlaorgyue.IslAanndds,thitosueghemaslltthhaetptaheritrsroafttiohnealeeduhcaastinoont
systemfunction,theydonotseemtobesynchronisedorworkingtogethertowardsajointend.Itisalsotruethatanumberofissues
arisefromtheoverallSpanisheducationsystem:theCanaryIslandseducationauthoritiescanonlymakechangesintheseareasby
workingwiththecentralgovernment.
TheOECDteamaskedthefollowingquestions,whichstakeholdersintheCanaryIslandsmayalsowishtodiscussaspartofthe
processoftakingtherecommendationsforward.
WhatarethemainquestionsraisedbythePISAdata?
Whichoftheseissuesarealreadyknowntothecountry/province?Whicharenew,orunexpectedinthelightofknowncountry
data?
WherePISAresultssuggestaproblem,isthesolutionclear?Oristhereaneedforfurtherevaluationorresearchbeforethe
problemcanbetackled?
Whichissuesarealreadybeingaddressedbynewprogrammes?Havetheseprogrammesbeenevaluatedtomakesurethatthey
areproducingthedesiredresults?
Iseducationfundingbeingusedtobesteffectnow?Howcouldlikelyfuturefundingbestbedeployedandprioritisedtoachieve
measurableimprovements?
Oftheissuesthathavebeenidentified,cananyofthembeaddressedsimplyandquickly,atlocalornationallevels?Whichare
mediumtermandlongerterm?
TEhdiuscarteipoonrtAdhmaisnsisoturgahttiotno,iodenntiitfsyofwenatuorreswoorfktihnegewdiutchatceinotnraslysgtoevmerinnmtehnetCeadnuacraytiIosnlanadusthworhiitciehs.miTghhetObEeCadDdrteesasmedbeblyietvheesPtrhaotvisncoimael
oftherecommendationsmadetoaddressissuesraisedbyPISA2009couldbetakenforwardintheshortormediumterm.Others,
suchascurriculumchange,couldtakelonger.Insomecases,wherefieldworktimeonlypermittedtheteamtomakeabroadinitial
assessment,furtheranalysisandevaluationoflocalconditionsandexistingprogrammesmaywellbehelpful.
Membersofthereviewteamandauthorsofthereportwere:CarolineMacready(UnitedKingdom),Rapporteur,formerlyDeputy
DirectorinEngland'sDepartmentforEducationandSkills;MihayloMilovanovitch(OECDSecretariat),ReviewTeamLeader;Eluned
Schweitzer(UnitedStates),EducatorandConsultantininternationaleducation;SeamusMcCuinness(Ireland),EducationalConsultant
andformerSeniorLecturer,SchoolofEducation,TrinityCollege,Dublin;andSimoneBloem(OECDSecretariat)-withadvicefrom
SimonSchwartzman(Brazil),formerPresidentoftheBrazilianStatisticalandGeographicalInstitute,IanWhitman(HeadofProgramme
forCo-operationwithNonMemberEconomies,OECDSecretariat),andundertheoverallco-ordinationofAndreasSchleicher
(Deputy-DirectorforEducation,OECDSecretariat).TheproductionofthispublicationwascarriedoutbyElisabethVilloutreixand
ElizabethDelBourgo,witheditorialadvicefromAnne-LisePrigent,andthelayoutwasdonebyPeterVogelpoel.Overalladministrative
supportwasprovidedbyDeborahFernandezandCeliaBraga-SchichfromtheOECDSecretariat.Theteamwishestothankthe
CanaryIslandsauthoritiesandthelocalco-ordinator,MarioGonzalesRamon,forallthesupportandfastresponsivenessinproviding
information,dataandlogisticalsupportduringthepreparationofthisreport.
4- O0ECP201:GUIDANCEFROMPISAFORTHECANARYISLANDS,SPAIN
Notes
ForSpain,thedataforalloftheparticipatingregions,includingCanaryIslands,adheredtothePISAsamplingstandardsandinternational
comparabilitywasinternationallyadjudicated.
2. Definedhereasobtainingascoreof400onthePISAtests(onestandarddeviationbelowtheOECDaverage).
References
Belfield,C.andH.M.Levin(eds.)(2007),ThePriceWePay:EconomicandSocialConsequencesofInadequateEducation,BrookingsInstitution
Press,Washington,DC.
Levin,H.M.(2009),"TheEconomicPayofftoInvestinginEducationalJustice",EducationalResearcher,Vol.38,No.1,pp.5-14.
OECD(2006),EducationPolicyAnalysis:EocusonHigherEducation-2005-2006,OECDPublishing.
OECD(2005),EquityinEducation:ThematicReview:EinlandCountryNote,Onlinewww.oecd.org/dataoecd/49/40/3637664l.pdf.
OECD(2010a),TheHighCostofLowEducationalPerformance:TheLong-runEconomicImpactofImprovingPISAOutcomes,OECDPublishing.
OECD(2010b),PathwaystoSuccess:HowKnowledgeandSkillsatAge15ShapeFutureLivesinCanada,OECDPublishing.
GUIDANCEFROMPISAFORTHECANARYISLANDS,SPAIN

T^ble ofContents
AbouttheCanaryIslands 12
TheCanaryIslandsschoolsystem 12
ClLAPIHR^HQWCANARYISLANDSSTUDENTSPERFORMEDINPISA 17
Scoresandrankings 18
Proficiencylevels 20
Differencesbetweenboysandgirls 21
Impactofsocio-economicbackgroundonperformance 21
Differencesbetweenprivateandpublicschools 22
Performanceofimmigrantstudentsandspecialprogrammes 22
SummaryofPISAfindingsinthischapter 23
CHAP1KkSEDUCATIONSYSTEMMANAGEMENTANDRESOURCES 25
Systemmanagement 26
Governancearrangements 26
TheEducationMinistry(ConsejeriadeEducacion,UniversidadesySostenibilidad) 26
Systemresources 27
Fundingarrangements 27
Investmentanddistributionofresources 28
Levelsofspendingoneducation 28
Trendsinspending 29
^Patternsofspendingoneducation 30
Teachersalaries 33
Recommendations 36
CRAPTER-4STUDENTSANDLEARNING 39
Stakeholderviewsonstudentsandlearning 40
Studentinterest,motivationandbehaviour 40
Theroleofparentsandfamilies 42
StudentswithspecialneedsorstrusRiinstomasterthecurriculum 43
Effectivenessoflearninginregularandout-of-schoollessons 44
Repetition 47
Curriculum 50
Assessment 52
Theschoolday 54
GUIDANCEFROMPISAFORTHECANARYISLANDS,SPAIN€>O£CD20^2 7
TABLEOFCONTENTS
Summerholidaysandsummerschools 55
Genderdifferences 55
Pre-compulsory/earlychildhoodeducation 56
Recommendations 57
CHAPTER5TEACHERSANDTEACHING 59
Introduction 60
Teachers'termsandconditions 60
Teacherrecruitment 61
Theteachingcareer 61
Teacherpayandrewards 64
OECDteamviews 64
Teachereducationandtraining 67
Initialteachertraining 67
Structureoftheprogrammes 67
Teachingpracticeduringinitialteachertraining 68
Teachingfordiversity,teachingforall 68
Otherissues 68
OECDteamviews 68
Continuingprofessionaldevelopment 69
OECDteamviews 70
Recommendations 71
CHAPTER6SCHOOLS,PRINCIPALSANDINSPECTORS 73
Schoolsandtheircommunities 74
Schoolaccountability 74
Schoolautonomy 76
Schoolleadership:theroleoftheschoolprincipal 76
Schoolcouncils 78
Privateschools 78
TheroleoftheInspectorate 79
OECDteamviews 79
Schoolaccountability 80
Schoolautonomy 82
Theroleoftheschoolprincipal 82
TheroleoftheSchoolCouncil 83
Privateschools 84
TheroleoftheInspectorate 84
Recommendationsinthischapter 84
CHAPTER7FINDINGS,RECOMMENDATIONSANDTHEWAYFORWARD 87
Findingsandrecommendations 88
RecommendationsinChapter3 89
RecommendationsinChapter4 90
O0ECP201:GUIDANCEFROMPISAFORTHECANARYISLANDS,SPAIN