International Comparisons

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International Comparisons

Advantages

  • They are useful to see whether education spending matches achievement. In the UK, spending is not being used to maximum effort because spending is above average, whereas it performs worse than countries that spend lower amounts.
  • Useful for comparing standards internationally. Oates says that they help to show what is possible for young people to achieve at different ages.
  • They provide evidence on what policies seem to work best. They can help us understand how our education system works.

Disadvantages

  • PISA, TIMSS and PIRLS tests are based on a narrow conception of education which can be measured. Kelly suggests that globalisation has led to a view that education is an economic activity concerned with preparing people for work and meeting the needs of the economy and employers. Some countries that consistently do well in international tests only teach students how to pass tests in 2 r 3 countries.
  • Test results do not necessarily mean that the education received by students is better or worse in different countries, and there are concerns about the validity and reliability of the tests used. It makes no sense to compare the UK with developing countries where children may be used for child labour or soldiers. Alexander suggests that it is pointless comparing the UK with high performing countries because their cultures are different, and their education systems are not comparable in scale.
  • They care have damaging and wasteful effects on policy. Successive governments have formed policies based on PISA and other tests.

Evaluation

Alexander says that tests should carry warnings similar to British cigarette packaging - THIS PRODUCT MAY DAMAGE YOUR NATION'S EDUCATIONAL HEALTH

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