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Elements for a Diagnosis of the Spanish Educational System![]() ![]() ![]() |
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Tests, populations, samplesDue to the existence of these different curriculum approaches, it is complicated to prepare valid tests to calculate the learning by all the students in secondary education, on the basis of the curriculum schemes for each one of the educational options. Due to this, the decision was taken to evaluate not the content of the different curricula, or their minimum common factors, but what the team that designed the tests for the study considered basic, desirable learning for 14 and 16 year old students. Thus, the aim of the study is not to determine the effectiveness and efficiency of the curricula. It is not an attempt to know whether the teaching programme followed by the students - very diverse indeed - allows the objectives to be achieved, or to what extent, but to achieve a diagnosis of the learning by Spanish adolescents in the subjects stated. Specifically, administration of the tests is aimed at determining what students of 14 and 16 know and know how to do in the basic fields of Language, Mathematics, Nature Sciences and Geography and History. However, the different curricula have been considered as implicit expressions of a general common standard, although preparation of the tests was based on what the experts in each one of the fields consider a desirable, correct mastery of the subjects evaluated for the 14 and 16 year old age groups. As to the population of students examined, one must bear in mind that, when the study refers to students of 14 and 16 years, the population considered is that of students in the relevant courses for 14 and 16 years in the formal scheme of the educational system, that is to say, 8th of EGB and 2nd of ESO on the one hand, and on the other 2nd of BUP and 4th of ESO, 2nd of VT and 2nd of REM. Due to this, the sample of students is based on a mixed definition of the population based on age and academic year. Thus, in 8th of EGB and 2nd of BUP there are students over 14, normally repeating, while there are also 14 year old students in lower years. Likewise, 2nd of BUP, 4th of ESO, 2nd of VT and 2nd of REM have students older than 16, while there are also students of 16 repeating previous academic years. In fact, in the sample examined of 8th of EGB and 2nd of ESO, there is 74.1% of students born in 1983, the foreseen for that academic year, and 24.1% of older students born before 1983, logically students who have repeated a year. The sample for 16 years old has 64.4% of students in the theoretical age for that academic year, that is those born in 1981; 35.3% of students born before 1981, presumably repeaters, and 0.3% of advanced students born in 1982 or 1983. It is necessary to refer to the number of students who comprised the diverse samples established. In evaluation of Reading Comprehension, Grammar and Literature, and Mathematics, 46,535 students were examined, 20,642 of 14 from 761 schools and 25,893 of 16 from 913 schools. Fifteen Autonomous plus Ceuta and Melilla participated in this evaluation. The Regions of Andalusia, the Canaries did not participate. The Basque Country, claiming technical reasons, only participated in the study for 14 year old students. The samples, of course, were established according to proper scientific criteria, without any kind of bias, with active intervention by experts from all the Administrations involved. The study of Nature Sciences and Geography and History was implemented in the Autonomous that, at the time of application had still not received their full devolved competencies in education, that is the 10 Autonomous Regions known as the "MEC Territory". Tests were administered to 6,560 students in these areas, 3,374 of 14, who studied at 127 schools and 3,186 of 16, enrolled at 122 schools. Spelling and written expression were evaluated in a sample of 3,460 students, 1,680 of 14 from 69 schools, and 1,780 of 16 from 73 schools. |
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