Learning by Comparison: Accountability Debates and Movements in Diverse Education Systems

Symposium: Learning by Comparison: Accountability Debates and Movements in Diverse Education Systems
 

May 17, 2024 (Friday)

14:30-16:30

Room 401-402, Meng Wah Complex, HKU

Chair: Prof. Priya Goel, HKU

Discussant: Dr Paul Campbell, EdUHK

Registration:https://shorturl.at/ijnGX

Zoom link: https://hku.zoom.us/j/93119602345?pwd=a2xFcmhVYnZENzBsb0QrMHZDNEcyQT09

Meeting ID: 931 1960 2345    
Passcode: 674 759

Teacher Agency and Teacher Accountability

Prof. Melanie Ehren

Professor of Educational Governance

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, The Netherlands
 

Abstract:
Teacher accountability is a perennially debated and highly complex topic in education policy. Although many accountability systems are oriented towards an evaluation of the school rather than an individual teacher, these structures are expected to improve the quality of teaching in the classroom, as this is where student learning takes place. In this talk, Professor Ehren will present the findings from a configuration synthesis which analysed the results from previous studies in six countries (South Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal and Honduras) to answer the following two questions: 1. How do teachers across the four studies understand their accountability? To whom do they feel accountable and for what? 2. What are the conditions by which teachers take active agency in their professional accountability instead of passively complying to external standards?"

Melanie Ehren is a professor of educational governance at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Netherlands. She combines a strong disciplinary background in educational and school effectiveness with a comparative approach to understanding outcomes of education systems. Her international work on accountability, inspection, evaluation and improvement has included various countries in the EU, Africa, Asia and the U.S; visiting scholarships at Harvard University and Columbia University; and consultancies for the OECD, UNICEF, UNESCO and the EU

Navigating Large Scale Assessments: A Comparative Analysis of Schools’ Responses in Different Institutional Settings
Prof. Antoni Verger

Professor of Sociology, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Spain

Abstract:
This paper presents a comprehensive analysis of how educational institutions in different contexts utilize data from Large Scale Assessments (LSAs) to inform decision-making and educational practices. The study draws on data from a teacher survey conducted under the ERC-funded Reformed-project across urban schools in Chile, Norway, and Spain (Catalonia). The paper investigates the nuanced interactions between teachers' perceptions of LSAs and their actual practices concerning data use, teaching to the test (TtT), and curriculum narrowing. It particularly focuses on how teachers' beliefs about the fairness and validity of LSAs influence their engagement with the data, along with the roles of teacher cooperation and trust in school leadership. The findings advocate for policies that enhance school collaboration and trust to optimize educational use, while simultaneously minimizing the instrumental use of LSAs, thereby improving both teacher agency and educational outcomes.
 

Antoni Verger is a Professor of Sociology at the Autonomous University of Barcelona and a research fellow at the Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA). With cross-disciplinary training in sociology and education studies, his research examines the relationship between global governance institutions and education policy. In recent years, he has studied public-private partnerships, school autonomy, and accountability policies in education. He is one of the lead editors of the World Yearbook of Education and the Journal of Education Policy, and academic director of the Erasmus Plus awarded Master programme Education Policies for Global Development – GLOBED.

ALL ARE WELCOME

For enquiries, please contact Prof. Priya Geol at priyagoel@hku.hk