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International Comparison of Achievement and Effectiveness in Education Standardized Tests- PISA 	The Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) is a worldwide study by the organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in member and non-member nations of 15-years-old school pupils’ scholastic performance primarily in mathematics, science, and reading. 	PISA is designed to provide assessments that enable educationalists to gain information and statistics that facilitates successful students, educational systems, and learning environments. These assessments are conceptualized as prerequisites for efficient learning in adulthood. Strong Performers and Successful Reformers – Case #1: Shanghai, China Traditionally, the Chinese conceptualize education as a necessary asset in life that can be utilized to foster well-being for the self and the community they inhabit. Historically, most dynasties that reigned in China valued education and scholastic development since it brought advancement to their civilization and promoted philosophical thinking while also constructing a robust and welfare state. Within the last three decades, the Shanghainese government displayed special attention and efforts to spread public education and improve the access of education in terms of funding and policy. Problem: According to district education authorities, in the process of educational development there is a “variation of performance among the schools in the city”. The lack of development of the peripheral terrains of Shanghai influenced the progression within education. To elucidate, the urbanization of Shanghai enhanced the quality of education, whereas the exterior districts of Shanghai, which the documentary conceives to be undeveloped, resulted in students performing poorly. The factors that contribute to low achievement within these rural areas are the following: students had minimal interaction with their teachers, teachers arriving unprepared to class, students displaying a lack of self-confidence and motivation in their behaviour to learn, and classrooms having no class management or discipline. Often teachers believe it is difficult to teach weak students; therefore, perpetuating the belief that these children are not worth a teacher’s time and effort to be taught if they do not have the capability to grasp the material that is being inculcated. Intervention: The solution to this problem was the ‘Empowered Administration’, that aimed to improve the quality of education in Shanghai. This administration mandated the collaboration of a strong school in the city and a weak school in the outskirts of the city. The strong school is obliged to provide administrative, pedagogical guidance, mentorship, and an effective incoming management team. The project is comprised of four agents: the Shanghai municipal government, the external partner (school or frim), the district education authority who finances the endeavor, and an external evaluation body that independently assesses the result of the project. This reform demanded the use of technology in lesson plans and effective communication between teachers and administrators, such as between principal and teachers. Omissions: While implementing the turnaround strategy, a “good teacher” would demonstrate how to execute a “good lesson plan” to a teacher from a weaker preforming school through mentorship. The idea of a “good teacher” is problematic because the documentary does not explain the connotation of a “good teacher” and what constitutes a “good lesson” plan. Strong Performers and Successful Reformers – Case #2: Ontario, Canada In regards to Ontario citizens, former primer Dalton McGuinty, asserts that economic prosperity for the province can be ensured through an investment in pupils’ skills and education. This demands the necessary resources and policies to increase in student achievement. High levels and monitoring competency in core subjects is crucial to have a strong society. Problem: Demographic statistics display that four out of ten students in Ontario are immigrants; thus, Ontario is rich in diversity and multiplicity. What remains a concern for Ontario educationalists is that immigrant students are very successful within their own countries; however, unsuccessful in Canada during their transition period. Also, there is an increase in drop-outs and a decrease in graduation rates prior to 2008. Intervention: The Ontario government focuses on one-on-one mentorship with immigrant students and provides the necessary supports, staff services, and guidance to increase student competency. Standardized tests, such as EQAO and OSSLT (literacy test) allowed administrators to monitor student academic success; the empirical data provided by EQAO then utilized to find-out how immigrant students are performing. This integrated data produced by EQAO displayed which schools demonstrated high levels of competency and how to apply their success strategy in other schools to obtain high achievement scores. As a part of the strategy, every school in Ontario created a new faculty position titled Student Success Teacher, to coordinate faculty attention on struggling student. Omissions: The second part of the film fails to address why immigrant students are struggling to achieve the standard competency levels during their transition period. Perhaps, there is a disconnection or lack of communication between an immigrant student’s domestic school and the Ontario school. Strong Performers and Successful Reformers – Compare and Contrast Student Achievement Success	Shanghai, China	Ontario, Canada Scholastic Objectives 	Chinese culture has a high expectation for education; values education 	Education must be prioritized and should be invested in to have a better economy; neo-liberal Problem(s)	Variation of performance between schools; the lack or urbanization results in unequal achievement on tests	Immigrant students demonstrate low scholastic competency; decrease in graduation rates (variation found within the school and classrooms) Strategies/ Solutions and Interventions/ Implementations (policy, resources, supports)	Mentorship; collaboration among schools; techno resources; demonstration of a “good” lesson plans (whatever that maybe); pedagogical guidance; communication; change in teacher behaviour	Student Success Teacher (faculty position that strictly is responsible to bring higher achievement); one-on-one teaching; communication

Outcomes/Conclusion 	Donggou Middle School known to be one of the worst preforming schools in 2005; in 2010- 100% among the top third in the district; the first term of the implementation of this mission displayed great success	Unionville Public Secondary School Ontario Student Graduation Rates= 2004-68%; 2008-77%

Alternative Perspectives of Standardized Tests- (Germany & Denmark) Educational Standard and the changing discourse on Education Reception and Consequences of the PISA Study in Germany by Hubert Ertl 	“… the emerging reform agenda focuses on certain aspects of the educational structures (introduction of national educational standards and quality assurance measures), while other aspects are neglected” (Ertl, 2006, 621). 	“… a ‘competence clash’- not only do different notions of competency clash with each other…[this] identifies a number of detrimental consequences of this situation; most importantly, the emphasis of the new national standards on the competence of pupils push learning process into the background…” (Ertl, 2006, 628). The Relevance and Consequence of PISA Science in Danish Context by Jen Dolin & Lars Brian Kraugh 	“… there is a major risk of test-driven instruction in which the factors that are measurable via the test become the norm-setting parameters of quality while the remainder of the larger and complex educational picture imperceptibly slips” (Dolin & Kraugh, 2010, 586) Questions: 1. PISA and other International standardized assessments are conceptualized as an instrument that is used to facilitate student’s achievement. Although these standardized assessments promote the quality of education administrated in a specific region, is it necessary or deemed appropriate when the content found within the assessment becomes norm-setting? What may be the negative implications or repercussions? Is this then considered successful reform? 2. According to the documentary “Strong Performers and Successful Reformers in Education”, PISA is crucial for the development of the school. How differently does the PISA function in Ontario in comparison to Shanghai? What are the notable differences? Are you convinced that the geographical and spatial location of the school impacts the students’ achievement levels? Explain your reason and rationale. 3. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, competency denotes: “[t]he ability to do something successfully or efficiently”. Ertl addresses the issue of ‘competency clash’, respective European nations have different notions of what constitutes and qualifies to be competent? How does this effect PISA assessment standards and evaluation? What would be some of the negative implications of this? Can you perhaps think of any solutions to this issue?

Works Cited Ertl, Hubert (2006). Educational Standard and the changing discourse on Education and Consequences of the PISA Study in Germany. Oxford Review of Education, 32 (5), 619-634. Dolin, Jen and Brian Kraugh (2010). The Relevance and Consequence of PISA Science in Danish Context. International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 8 (3), 565-592. Strong Performers and Successful Reformers in Education (2012; Shanghai, China and Ontario, Canada)