Using the results from international assessment studies: The Case of Honduras

1. Using the results from international assessment studies: The Case of Honduras Dr. Renan rapaloCastellanos Moscu, Russia, june 20, 2013

2. HONDURAS

3. Honduras is just 2 hrs awayfrom the USA.

4. Facts & Figures Population: 8.2 million Total area: 112,492 sq km LANGUAGE • Spanish is our main language. But, English is widely used as second language. GOVERNMENT SYSTEM • Democracy: Elections every 4 years Main Problems: • Poverty: 66% • Low levels of education • Unemployment • High crime

5. General overview of the education system

6. Key education indicators

7. Student assessment activities in Honduras • National Large Scale Assessment • National assessment of the quality of education (samples in 3º and 6º grades). • Large scale international Studies • SERCE (Latin America, 1997) • TIMSS (2011) • PIRLS (2011) • TERCE (Latin America, 2014) • Classroom assessment (by teachers)

8. Why participate in international studies Not for the horse race For a more effective educational planning and reform To strengthen our national testing system To have a one-to-one comparison performance with other countries To encourage research into the factors that affect the quality of education To improve the quality of education in the country

9. Results in TIMSS & Pirls (2011)

10. General use of the assessment results To generate a public debate about the quality of education in the country (new education law) To compare where we are in relation to other similar countries To validate the results generated for the national evaluation system Use them as a valid evidence for decision- making Allow for informed benchmarking Improve the overall quality of the education system To know the factors that most affect the students performance in the country vis a vis other countries

11. Specific uses of the Assessment information • 1. Knowing the learning levels of students • Knowing whether the Honduran students learning outcomes are improving and why or why not? • Knowing if Honduran students are acquiring the knowledge skills as identified in the national education strategy • 2. Monitoring the impact of reform • Used as baselines to test the education reform programs • Diagnosis of the education system • 3. Providing feedback to schools and teachers to improve pedagogy and learning (teacher training and curriculum reform) • 4. Providing valid feedback to international donors

12. Challenges in the participation and use of international achievement results The horse racing exploited negatively by the media The measuring scale is too high for our students Lack of financial and human resources Limitations in the generalizability of results Constant changes of key personnel in the ministry of education Lack of specific policies and mechanism to use the results at the local or school level Very few other Latin American countries are participating in the IEA studies

13. CONCLUSION In Conclusion: There is a lot of data obtained through the national and international large scale studies in Honduras. However, their use is still very limited for policy and decision making we are also a long way for using them to reward high performing schools/teachers or impose sanctions on low performing schools/teachers.

14. Thank you! Спасибо! ¡Gracias!