2013年-世界发展银行全球_United_Arab_Emirates_Student_Assessment___SABER_Country_Report_2013_46页_708kb

United Arab Emirates Student Assessment Summary

Core Content

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has focused on enhancing student learning outcomes through the improvement of its education system. A key part of this effort is the development of a robust student assessment system, which is benchmarked using the World Bank's Systems Approach for Better Education Results (SABER) program. The SABER-Student Assessment framework aims to evaluate and strengthen the effectiveness of assessment policies and practices in the UAE.

Main Assessment Types and Their Purposes

The UAE's assessment system includes the following main types:

1. Classroom Assessment

• Status: Emerging
• Purpose: Provide real-time feedback to support classroom instruction and student learning.
• Characteristics:
  • Teachers use various formats like observation, questioning, and paper-and-pencil tests.
  • There are system-wide resources and scoring criteria available.
  • However, the quality is considered weak due to issues such as grade inflation and inconsistent grading standards.
  • Limited pre-service training on classroom assessment, though in-service training and online resources exist.

2. Examinations

• Status: Established
• Purpose: Certify students at the end of the school cycle and support selection to higher education.
• Characteristics:
  • The Twelfth Grade Examination has been in place since 1967.
  • It covers mandatory subjects such as Islamic education, Arabic, English, mathematics, physics, and biology.
  • Government funding supports core examination activities, but not staff training or research.
  • Limited mechanisms to monitor the consequences of the examination, and few options for students who perform poorly.

3. National Large-Scale Assessment (NLSA)

• Status: Established
• Purpose: Monitor the overall performance of the education system at key grade levels.
• Characteristics:
  • The UAE National Assessment Program (UAENAP) has been operating since 2003.
  • It assesses students in grades 3, 5, 7, and 9 in subjects like Arabic, English, mathematics, and science.
  • There is regular government funding for all core NLSA activities, including staff training and research.
  • The NLSA office is well-staffed and trained, with quality mechanisms such as double scoring and training protocols.
  • However, only limited mechanisms exist to monitor the consequences of NLSA results.

4. International Large-Scale Assessment (ILSA)

• Status: Established
• Purpose: Compare the UAE's education system with international standards.
• Characteristics:
  • The UAE has participated in ILSAs such as PIRLS (2011), TIMSS (2011), and PISA (2009).
  • It has also taken steps to participate in future ILSAs like PISA 2012 and 2015, TIMSS 2015, and PIRLS 2016.
  • Government funding covers core ILSA activities, including international participation fees and data analysis.
  • There are opportunities for professionals to learn about ILSAs, but these are not regularly available.
  • ILSA results are disseminated widely, but the impact on student achievement is not well-documented.

Key Quality Drivers

The SABER framework identifies three key quality drivers for an effective assessment system:

1. Enabling Context:

   • Includes policies, funding, institutional arrangements, and human resources.
   • The UAE has a formal policy document and government funding for assessments, but lacks sufficient pre-service training and has limited resources for some areas.

2. System Alignment:

   • Refers to the congruence between assessment activities and educational goals, curriculum, and teacher training.
   • The UAE's assessments are generally aligned with the system's learning objectives and curriculum, but there are gaps in teacher training and curriculum coverage.

3. Assessment Quality:

   • Involves the psychometric quality of assessments and their effective use.
   • Classroom assessments show poor quality, while examinations and NLSA are considered more developed.

Suggested Policy Options

Classroom Assessment

• Introduce pre-service and in-service training programs focused on classroom assessment methodologies.
• Develop a comprehensive document outlining performance expectations for students in different subjects and grade levels.
• Implement monitoring systems to ensure classroom assessments align with their intended purposes.

Examinations

• Introduce systematic mechanisms such as pilot testing, translation verification, and external review to enhance examination quality.
• Expand options for students who perform poorly, including access to less-selective educational tracks or institutions.
• Establish regular stakeholder feedback mechanisms and a permanent oversight committee to monitor the consequences of examinations.

National Large-Scale Assessment (NLSA)

• Introduce pilot testing and ensure data is double-processed for accuracy.
• Develop regular focus groups or surveys to monitor the consequences of NLSA results.
• Provide ongoing funding for independent research on the impact of NLSA.

International Large-Scale Assessment (ILSA)

• Make international assessment workshops and training regularly available to professionals and officials.
• Introduce updated online courses and stand-alone university courses on ILSA.
• Address translation challenges to ensure assessment instruments are accurately adapted for the UAE context.

Education System Overview

• The UAE is a high-income country in the Middle East with a GDP per capita of $39,058 and an annual growth rate of ~4.4%.
• Education is a priority, with 25% of total government expenditure allocated to the sector.
• Public education is free through the university level for citizens, and the system includes kindergarten, elementary, intermediate, and secondary levels.
• The UAE has one of the lowest student-to-teacher ratios (15:1) globally and has made significant progress in literacy and technology integration.
• Government priorities include curriculum alignment with international standards, teacher professional development, and participation in international assessments.

Conclusion

The UAE has made progress in establishing examination and large-scale assessment systems, but classroom assessment remains underdeveloped. The country's assessment system is aligned with international standards, yet there are opportunities to improve the quality and impact of these assessments. Continued investment in training, research, and systemic monitoring will be essential to achieving stronger learning outcomes and more effective education policies.