Latvia Education system improvement project Subject standards subcomponent

1
LatviaEducation system improvement
projectSubject standards subcomponent

• Development of new standards initial decisions
• Anna Rata
• Tartu
• 28. August 2004

2
Subject standards subcomponent

• Subcomponent objectives
• Performance and content standards for basic
  education (L1, L2, SS) (students age 7 16
  years) developed within the National Curriculum
  for Basic Education (SSBE) document principles.
• A model for the development and implementation
  of the new subject standards

3
Key outcomes

• 1.Developed three subjects standards for basic
  education
• Latvian language in two versions for native and
  non-native speakers
• Support materials for the standards
  implementation teaching-learning programs and
  methodological guides
• 2. Developed and piloted the standards designing
  and implementation strategy
• 3. Educated the standards developers MES ISEC
  specialists and teachers involved in the
  sub-component activities.

4
 
Scheme of Content documents
National standard of Basic Education
Developed by MES

Normative documents
Developed by CEC, approved by MES
Subject standard
Subject standard
Subject standard
Examples developed by ISEC, teachers may develop
their own programs
TLP
TLP
TLP
Optional documents
Development organized by ISEC, involving teachers
and University lecturers
Methodological guidelines
Development and publishing organized by
publishing houses, approved by CEC
5
 
Curricula reform (Yellow Book 1998 )

• Basic education content is considered as a
  whole, distinguishing four areas language, man
  and society, arts, foundations of science and
  technology
• Education content informational overcrowding,
  repetition and contradictions are significantly
  reduced
• Emphasis is put on informational overcrowding
• Personality and general skill development is
  included in the basic education content
• Attainment targets to be achieved by students at
  the end of the 3., 6. and 9. Grade are defined

6
 
TIME

?
Question How long does it take to develop a
good standard?
7
 

Two, or better yet, one wise man needs a
computer, a couple of bottles of good wine and
hell create a good standard in two days
8
 

• In order to develop the standard consensus must
  be reached between all the involved parties
• Students
• Teachers
• Parents
• Academia
• Education policy makers

9
TIMESCALE
2004 VI
2000 II
2001
2002
2003
Draft subject standards
Draft TLP
Finalising of the standards
Finalising of the TLPs
Pilot of draft standards and TLPs and other
expertises
Preparing of the teachers support materials
10
Phases of standard development
Phase 1 Evaluation of current standards and
societys needs New education content conception,
definition of the changes to be made
4 months
Phase 2 Preparation of a new draft standards
8 months
11
Phases of standard development
Phase 3 Devlopment of standard compliant draft
teaching learning programs
6 months
Phase 4 Expert review, public discussion and
piloting of the developed projects
24 months
12
Phases of standard development
Phase 5 Summarization of suggestions to improve
the draft standards and teaching learning
programs, making necessary corrections
6 months
Phase 6 Procedure of official approvement of the
final documents (standard and TLP)
2 months
13
Necessary decisions for phase 1

• Clear understanding of the national education
  content policy
• What procedures shall be used to achieve a
  sufficient foundation for decision making
• How to overcome the tendency of various interest
  groups putting their opinions above all other
  opinions

14
Example how the rational for social science was
created

• A political decision to introduce a new subject
  of social science to facilitate student
  socialization
• Polling of teachers and parents
• A conference to summarize the opinions of various
  social groups (teachers, students, public
  organiziation representatives, academic readers,
  politics)
• Evaluation of other countries experience and
  current practice.

15
Necessary decisions for phase 2 and 3

• What will the standard be like (how
  general/specific will the standard be, will it be
  an input or an output standard, how to define
  goals and tasks, shall the standard be specified
  for individual grades or age groups, etc. )
• Qualifications of the people working on the
  standards

16
Necessary decisions for phase 4

• What procedures shall be employed to ensure the
  produced standard and education program quality

17
Latvian standard and TLP quality evaluation
procedures(Instruction Nr. 5)

• Public discussion
• Subject expert evaluations
• Subject expert acceptance
• Piloting
• Changes to this procedure during the process
  create confusion, uncertainty and additional
  difficulties for the document developers

18
Necessary decisions for phase 5

• Do the document developers have clearly defined
  rights to decide if the proposals to improve the
  document quality should be accepted or rejected

19
Necessary decisions for phase 6

• What will the procedure of official aprovement of
  the standards and TLPs be

20
Latvian standard and TLP quality evaluation
procedures(Instruction Nr. 5)

• CEC consultative council acceptance
• MES authority rulings (on new subjects)
• Changes of the procedure additional expert
  evaluations not included in the procedure tend to
  complicate the process

21
People

• The following people are involved in developing
  the standards and TLPs
• Teachers
• Academic personal