Testing Initiative ProjectTesting Initiative Project

UkraineUkraine20032003

Do you consider the system of exit (I) and Do you consider the system of exit (I) and entrance (II) exams to be transparent and entrance (II) exams to be transparent and objectiveobjective?”, ?”, %%

21

63

16

35

53

12Yes

No

Difficult to say

Absence of objective comparative information about students’ Absence of objective comparative information about students’ educational achievements, data for education qualityeducational achievements, data for education quality monitoringmonitoring

Absence of common requirements for entering higher education Absence of common requirements for entering higher education establishmentsestablishments

Corruption in the sphere of education (exit-entrance Corruption in the sphere of education (exit-entrance examinationsexaminations))

II IIII

Goals of Testing Technologies Goals of Testing Technologies Center ProjectCenter Project::

Development and approbation of the Development and approbation of the external testing model to ensure the external testing model to ensure the monitoring of education quality and monitoring of education quality and to create equal grounds for entering to create equal grounds for entering higher education establishments higher education establishments

Create conditions for the Create conditions for the establishment of external testing establishment of external testing system on the national level to system on the national level to ensure continuity between ensure continuity between secondary and higher educationsecondary and higher education

Project participants and partnersProject participants and partners

Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine

Academy of Pedagogy of Ukraine Educational Research Institutes

Higher education establishments(scientific and technological support,

staff training)

Testing Technologies CenterRegional Centers (4)

Secondary schools(scientific and methodological support,

work with students, parents and teachers)

Experiment on external assessment of students’ educational Experiment on external assessment of students’ educational achievementsachievements ( (OrderOrder №409 №409 of the Ministry of Education and of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine from Science of Ukraine from 17.07.2002).17.07.2002).Results of the certified Results of the certified testing can, as student wishes, be considered by schools as testing can, as student wishes, be considered by schools as a state final attestation and, at the same time, as an entrance a state final attestation and, at the same time, as an entrance exam to defined faculties by universities participating in the exam to defined faculties by universities participating in the experiment. experiment.

Will you advise future high school graduates to participate in the

external testing?

47,7%

1,5%

6,8%

44,1%

0,0%

10,0%

20,0%

30,0%

40,0%

50,0%

60,0%

Yes. It's aninterestingexperience

No. It is too diff icult

Yes. It gives youadditionalopportunities

No. It is not w orseanything

Would you like to have an opportunity to take tests in other

school subjects?

79,7%

7,8% 12,5%

0,0%

10,0%

20,0%

30,0%

40,0%

50,0%

60,0%

70,0%

80,0%

90,0%

yes

no

undecided

2003:2003:pre-pilot testingpre-pilot testing – 1800 – 1800 school graduatesschool graduates; ; certified testingcertified testing – 3121 – 3121 school graduatesschool graduates;;university entrance testinguniversity entrance testing – 502 – 502 participants.participants.

Were based on the principle of voluntary Were based on the principle of voluntary participation and additional chancesparticipation and additional chances

Lessons learnt from the Lessons learnt from the project pilot stageproject pilot stage::

NegativeNegative:: Universities do not want to drop their Universities do not want to drop their

own technologies of conducting own technologies of conducting entrance examsentrance exams..

Schools are reluctant to accept the Schools are reluctant to accept the results of external testing and are results of external testing and are afraid to lose their influence on final afraid to lose their influence on final school gradesschool grades..

It takes time to convince the public It takes time to convince the public that external testing is indeed that external testing is indeed objective and for a long termobjective and for a long term..

Positive gains : Experiment testified that external testing is Experiment testified that external testing is

a real mechanism of reforming the a real mechanism of reforming the examination system as well as a potential examination system as well as a potential instrument of monitoring the education instrument of monitoring the education quality in Ukrainequality in Ukraine

The main trends of development of external The main trends of development of external testing technology and logistics are testing technology and logistics are outlinedoutlined ( (legal framework, system of saving legal framework, system of saving secret information, systems of examination secret information, systems of examination papers coding and encoding of results, papers coding and encoding of results, rising the quality of test item as an rising the quality of test item as an instrument of measurementinstrument of measurement).).

Public opinion supports the implementation Public opinion supports the implementation of external testing and considers it to be of external testing and considers it to be one of the few real reforms in the one of the few real reforms in the educational sphereeducational sphere

Impact on Educational SphereImpact on Educational Sphere:: A joint press conference by the Minister of A joint press conference by the Minister of

Education and Science of Ukraine and TTC Education and Science of Ukraine and TTC Project Director was held.Project Director was held. Minister praised the Minister praised the IRF progressive initiative in “…adding objectivity IRF progressive initiative in “…adding objectivity to the process of entering higher education to the process of entering higher education establishments and ensuring realization of establishments and ensuring realization of equal access to quality education”equal access to quality education”; ; mentionedmentioned “implementing external testing on the national “implementing external testing on the national level in 5 years”level in 5 years”

The Action ProgramThe Action Program of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine in 2003 stipulates the need for of Ukraine in 2003 stipulates the need for introducing external assessment to monitor introducing external assessment to monitor education quality.education quality.

In the period between March 2002 and July In the period between March 2002 and July 2003, over 2003, over 550 articles on external testing 0 articles on external testing initiative appeared in national and regional initiative appeared in national and regional press. National and regional TV channels press. National and regional TV channels informed public about testing initiative in news informed public about testing initiative in news and educational programs.and educational programs.

Project DevelopmentProject Development:: Expanding the specter of Expanding the specter of

subjects tested as well as the subjects tested as well as the network of regional testing network of regional testing centers centers ((State budgetState budget: : Ukrainian Ukrainian languagelanguage))

Monitoring studies of education Monitoring studies of education quality on representative sample quality on representative sample of studentsof students ( (State budgetState budget: : mathematical literacy and mathematical literacy and reading with understandingreading with understanding) )