Curriculum reform:
An education change perspective
1
Beatriz PontPolicy Advice and Implementation Division
Directorate for Education and Skills OECD
Dublin, Ireland, February 19 2018
2
Curriculum reform: An education change perspective: today's main messages
Why reform?
What? International trends in education change
How? A focus on Implementation
Equity, quality
and well being
Fig II.3.3
International trade
More diverse communities
The digital society
Greater accountability
Focus on equity and quality
Need to invest in education for better outcomes3
Global trends shaping our education systems
A new narrative: Shifting from GDP per capitatowards inclusive growth
Inclusive growtheconomic growth that creates opportunities for all segments of the population and distributes the dividends of increased prosperity, both in monetary and non-monetary terms, fairly across society.
Aiming to move from growth to wellbeing: a
multidimensional concept (Better Life Index)
Better Life Index applied to children
6
Key 1: delivering excellence with equity in education, PISA 2015
Mean performance in science and strength of the socio-economic gradient
GermanySwitzerlandBelgium
AustriaFrance
Czech Republic
Luxembourg
Hungary Slovak Republic
Chile
New ZealandSlovenia
Australia
Netherlands
IrelandPolandPortugal United States
SwedenSpain
LithuaniaIsrael
Greece
Mexico
Japan Estonia
Finland Canada
KoreaUnited KingdomDenmark Norway
LatviaItaly
Iceland
Turkey
350
400
450
500
550
600
0510152025
Mean science score
Percentage of variation in performance explained by socio-economic status
Strength of the relationship between performance and socio-economic status is above the average
Strength of the relationship between performance and socio-economic status is not statistically significantly different from the average
Strength of the relationship between performance and socio-economic status is below the average
OE
CD
av
era
ge
OECD
average
Above-average science performanceBelow-average equity in education
Above-average science performanceAbove-average equity in education
Below-average science performanceBelow-average equity in education
Below-average science performanceAbove-average equity in education
Key 1: Supporting student wellbeing
Index of life satisfaction (0-10) and performance, 15 yr ols, PISA 2015
Key 2: Preparing for the future Education 2030
Key 2: Ensuring that youth have the opportunity to complete their education
Source: OECD (2014), Education at a Glance 2014: OECD Indicators, OECD Publishing, Paris, Table A1.2a.
52 52
39 3935 34
27 27 23 21 18 18 18 17 16 15 15 14 14 14 13 13 13 13 12 11 11 10 9 9 9 7 6 6 6 6 6 2
25 23
31
45
24
40 50
33
54
3939 41
3643 47
42 41 40 38 3846
36
6056
44
64
45 47 4651
47
35
64
52
65
37
57
31
22 25 29
15
41
26 23
40
22
41 43 4147
40 3743 44 46 48 48
4151
27 31
44
25
45 43 4540
45
58
30
42
29
57
37
67
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Turk
ey
Mexic
o
Port
ugal
Bra
zil
Spain
Colo
mbia
Italy
Icela
nd
Chile
New
Zeala
nd
Belg
ium
Denm
ark
Norw
ay
OECD
avera
ge
Gre
ece
Neth
erlands
Fra
nce
Aust
ralia
Luxem
bourg
United K
ingdom
Latv
ia
Irela
nd
Germ
any
Hungary
Est
onia
Aust
ria
United S
tate
s
Sw
itze
rland
Isra
el
Fin
land
Sw
eden
Canada
Slo
vak R
epublic
Pola
nd
Cze
ch R
epublic
Russ
ian F
edera
tion
Slo
venia
Kore
a
Below upper secondary Upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary Tertiary
Source: OECD (2015), Education at a Glance Interim Report : Update of Employment and Education Attainment Indicators, OECD Publishing, Paris, Table 1.4.
Educational attainment among younger (25-34 year-olds) adults (2013)
• Distribution of 20-24 year-olds not in education, by work status (2013)
49 4754
33
4652
43 4549
26
45 4435
30
4637 33
4233 35 36 34
21
33
19
2936 34
2837 36
3226
19 22
115
7
9
105
76
4
17
5 6
4 13
5
1114
716 13 10 11
258
26
168
812
4 45
510 6
1520
12
27
9 612 10 7
179 7
19 135
8 8 5 5 6 97 8
87 6 6 8 8 6 6
0 84 2
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
Co
lom
bia
Me
xico
Isra
el
Turk
ey
Un
ite
d K
ingd
om
Au
stri
a
Un
ite
d S
tate
s
Ne
w Z
eala
nd
No
rway
Ital
y
Au
stra
lia
Can
ada
Ko
rea
Hu
nga
ry
Swit
zerl
and
Be
lgiu
m
Irel
and
Swe
de
n
Slo
vak
Re
pu
blic
Fran
ce
OEC
D a
vera
ge
Latv
ia
Spai
n
Esto
nia
Gre
ece
Po
rtu
gal
Cze
ch R
ep
ub
lic
Fin
lan
d
Po
lan
d
Ge
rman
y
Ne
ther
lan
ds
Ice
lan
d
Den
mar
k
Slo
ven
ia
Luxe
mb
ou
rg
Employed Unemployed Inactive
Source: OECD (2015), Education at a Glance Interim Report : Update of Employment and Education Attainment Indicators, OECD Publishing, Paris, Table 3.3.
%
Key 2: Preparing for the future
11
Building on existing public confidence in education system, 2005, 2013
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Ice
lan
dIr
elan
dFi
nla
nd
Ne
ther
lan
ds
Den
mar
kU
nit
ed
Kin
gdo
mB
elg
ium
No
rway
Swit
zerl
and
Fran
ceC
anad
aSl
ove
nia
Ne
w Z
eala
nd
Au
stri
aLu
xem
bo
urg
Po
rtu
gal
Au
stra
liaSw
ed
en
Ital
yG
erm
any
Jap
anC
zech
Re
pu
blic
Isra
elH
un
gary
Slo
vaki
aP
ola
nd
Esto
nia
Un
ite
d S
tate
sM
exi
coK
ore
aSp
ain
Turk
ey
Ch
ileG
reec
e
2013 2005
Source: World Gallup Poll 2013
LEARNING
Equity with quality: all students learning
-Curriculum: knowledge,
competencies & values
-Student agency
PROFESSIONALS
Professional capital: human, social &
decisional
Develop schools as learning organisations
SUPPORT
Governance beyond education, school organization, IT, evaluation, data,
improvement capacity
Families, Communities
12
What education policies for this new paradigm?
Wellbeing
Education policy in OECD 2008-2014: Teachers, equity and curriculum reform
Distribution of policies adopted by policy option, 2008-2014
8.8%
6.1%
1.9%
5.5%
8.1%6.8%
8.0% 8.3%
2.8%
13.9%
3.1%4.3% 4.0%
5.4%
2.9% 2.8%
7.3%
0%
2%
4%
6%
8%
10%
12%
14%
16%
Dis
adva
nta
ged
stu
den
ts
Inve
stin
g ea
rly
on
Syst
em
-lev
el p
olic
ies
that
pro
mo
te o
rh
ind
er e
qu
ity
Qu
alit
y o
f se
con
dar
y
Qu
alit
y o
f te
rtia
ry
Tran
siti
on
be
twee
n s
cho
ol a
nd
wo
rk
Vo
cati
on
al e
du
cati
on
an
d t
rain
ing
Lear
nin
g e
nvi
ron
men
ts
Sch
oo
l lea
de
rsh
ip
Teac
her
s
Sch
oo
l eva
luat
ion
Stu
de
nt
asse
ssm
ent
Syst
em
eva
luat
ion
Edu
cati
on
pri
ori
tie
s
Org
anis
atio
n o
f d
eci
sio
n m
akin
gp
roce
ss
Eco
no
mic
res
ou
rce
s in
ed
uca
tio
n
Use
of
reso
urc
es
Equity and Quality Preparing Students for theFuture
School Improvement Evaluation andAssessment to Improve
Student Outcomes
Governance Funding
14
0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
3.0
3.5
Esto
nia
Icel
and
Ko
rea
Turk
eyN
orw
ayC
anad
aM
exic
oU
nit
ed K
ingd
om
Fin
lan
dIt
aly
Swed
enJa
pan
Net
her
lan
ds
Un
ited
Sta
tes
Slo
ven
iaG
reec
eSw
itze
rlan
dIr
elan
dA
ust
ralia
OEC
D a
vera
geP
ola
nd
Spai
nC
zech
Rep
ub
licP
ort
uga
lA
ust
ria
Den
mar
kC
hile
Luxe
mb
ou
rgG
erm
any
Bel
giu
mIs
rael
Fran
ceN
ew Z
eala
nd
Hu
nga
rySl
ova
k R
ep
ub
lic
Ratio
Increased likelihood of students in the bottom quarter of the ESCS index scoring in the bottomquarter of the mathematics performance distributionIncreased likelihood of immigrant students scoring in the bottom quarter of the mathematicsperformance distribution
OECD average
Source: OECD, PISA 2012 Database, Table II.2.4a and Table II.3.4a.
New Zealand: Policies to support
Māori/Pasifikapopulations (2008-13)
Finland: National Core Curriculumfor Instruction Preparing Immigrants
for Basic Education (2009)
France/Portugal:Education Priority Zones
Chile: Law on Preferential
Subsidies (2008)
Austria: New middle
school reform
Germany: National Action Plan
on Integration (2011)
ECEC:Poland, Korea, Australia, Italy,
Nordic Countries, Slovenia, United States….
UK England:Pupil premium
Equity: policies to support students from disadvantaged or diverse backgrounds
Ireland:DEIS
Students reports of teacher student relations and classrooms conduciveness to learning, PISA 2012
-0.5-0.4-0.3-0.2-0.1
00.10.20.30.40.50.60.70.8
Mex
ico
Po
rtu
gal
Can
ada
Icel
and
Un
ited
Sta
tes
Ch
ileTu
rkey
Un
ited
Kin
gdo
mD
enm
ark
Au
stra
liaSw
itze
rlan
dN
ew Z
eala
nd
Swed
enIs
rael
Irel
and
OEC
D a
vera
geSp
ain
Hu
nga
ryLu
xem
bo
urg
Esto
nia
Fin
lan
dB
elgi
um
Ko
rea
Gre
ece
No
rway
Au
stri
aN
eth
erla
nd
sIt
aly
Cze
ch R
epu
blic
Jap
anFr
ance
Slo
vak
Rep
ub
licG
erm
any
Slo
ven
iaP
ola
nd
Mean index
Index of teacher-student relations Index of disciplinary climateNetherlands: New curriculum
(2015/16)
Japan: Course of Study
UK: Curriculum for Excellence (Scotland), and Welsh Curriculum for Life
Slovenia: Updated curricula
(2012)
Denmark: National Common Objectives (2009)
Finland: Curriculum reform (2014)
Italy: Curriculum guidelines
(2012)
Sweden: New curriculum
(2011)
France: Redistribution of learning time
Curricular reform: Making the content of learning more relevant
Australia: A broad vision for student learning
Estonia: knowledge, values, skills and competencies
Japan: knowledge, values, skills and competencies
Wales: Four key enabling objectives for delivering the new curriculum
20
Enhancing vocational education and training (VET)
0
20
40
60
80
100
Can
ada
Me
xico
Ko
rea
Jap
anH
un
gary
Ne
w Z
eal
and
Ch
ileIr
ela
nd
Gre
ece
Ice
lan
dEs
ton
iaU
nit
ed
Kin
gdo
mIs
rae
lP
ort
uga
lTu
rke
y1Fr
ance
Spai
nO
ECD
ave
rage
De
nm
ark
Po
lan
dG
erm
any
Swe
de
nA
ust
ralia
No
rway
Ital
yLu
xem
bo
urg
Swit
zerl
and
Slo
ven
iaN
eth
erl
and
sFi
nla
nd
Slo
vak
Re
pu
blic
Cze
ch R
ep
ub
licB
elg
ium
Au
stri
a
% General Pre-vocational Vocational
Enrolment of upper secondary students in pre-vocational or vocational programmes
Denmark: VET with academic exam
(2010); Better More attractive VET (2014)
Portugal: National Integrated Strategy(2012-14)
Italy: Governance & Higher Technical
Institutes (2011)
New Zealand: Trades Academies(2009)
Germany: Information & transitions into Tertiary
Japan: Guidelines for enhancing provision
Luxembourg: VET Reform (2008)
Canada: Apprenticeship grants (2007-)
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
OEC
D
Gre
ece
10
0
Po
rtu
gal
10
0
Ne
ther
lan
ds
99
Po
lan
d 9
9
Fran
ce 9
7
Bel
giu
m 9
7
Ger
man
y 9
6
Can
ada
10
0
Spai
n 9
9
Au
stri
a 9
6
Luxe
mb
ou
rg 9
5
Slo
vak
Re
pu
blic
10
0
Fin
lan
d 9
9
Slo
ven
ia 9
8
Me
xico
99
Jap
an 9
9
Ch
ile 1
00
Ital
y 9
9
Swit
zerl
and
94
Esto
nia
99
Isra
el
100
Cze
ch R
ep
ub
lic 9
3
Ne
w Z
eal
and
10
0
OEC
D a
vera
ge 9
8
Hu
nga
ry
94
Un
ite
d K
ingd
om
9
9
Au
stra
lia
10
0
Ire
lan
d
10
0
Un
ite
d S
tate
s
99
Ko
rea
9
5
Turk
ey
97
Swe
de
n
94
Ice
lan
d
10
0
De
nm
ark
99
No
rway
9
8
%
To make decisions about students’ retention or promotion %
To monitor the school’s progress from year to year
To identify aspects of instruction or the curriculum that could be improved
→
21
Source: OECD, PISA 2012 Database, Table IV.5.5. OECD, PISA 2012 Database, Table IV.5.6.
Most common uses of student assessments according to school principals (2012)
Australia: NAPLAN Student assessment, My
School, My Skills and My University
Chile: National Quality of Education Agency
National Standardised Assessments: Austria; Czech Republic; Denmark; Ireland;
Italy, Spain, Sweden, UK (Wales)
Norway: Assessment forLearning (2010)
Evaluation and assessment: align to curriculum
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Spa
in
Icela
nd
Fra
nce
Bra
zil
Fla
nde
rs…
Port
ug
al
Fin
land
Cro
atia
Italy
Isra
el
Sw
ede
n
Me
xic
o
Chile
Alb
ert
a…
Un
ited
Sta
tes
Norw
ay
De
nm
ark
Avera
ge
Austr
alia
Ma
laysia
Cze
ch R
ep
ub
lic
Bulg
aria
Esto
nia
Ne
the
rla
nds
Serb
ia
Slo
vak R
epu
blic
Abu
Dh
ab
i…
Sin
ga
po
re
Eng
land
(U
K)
Pola
nd
Ro
mania
Latv
ia
Ja
pa
n
Kore
a
Pe
rce
nta
ge
of
tea
ch
ers
Never observe otherteachers' classesand providefeedback
Never teach jointlyas a team in thesame class
Never engage injoint activitiesacross differentclasses and agegroups (e.g.projects)Never take part incollaborativeprofessionallearning
Netherlands:Teachers’ Agenda2013-20 (2013)
Australia: Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (2010)
Finland: OSAAVA programme
(2010-16)
New Zealand: Teacher standards and Registered
Teacher Criteria (2010-13)
United States: Teacher Quality Partnership
Programme (2012)
France: Reform of teacher training
programmes (2013)
Korea: Evaluation system
(2010)
Mexico: Teacher Professional
Service (2013)
Teacher policy: invest in professional capital
Australian reforms 2008-2014 (07,10, 13)
2008Smarter Schools National Partnership for Low Socio-economic Status School CommunitiesClosing the Gap: Indigenous Early Childhood DevelopmentNational Assessment Program – Literacy and NumeracyNational Partnership Agreements (Smart Schools)Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians2009National Partnership on Youth Attainment and TransitionsVET targetsNational targets for higher educationAustralian Early Development IndexNational Education AgreementInvesting in Early Years – National Early Childhood Development StrategyNational Agreement for Skills and Workforce DevelopmentNational Partnership on Improving Teacher quality2010National Professional Standards for TeachersAboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Action PlanHigher Education Participation and Partnerships ProgrammeMy School website, My Skills and My University websiteReview of Funding for Schooling Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership
2011Australian Professional Standards for PrincipalsAustralian Qualifications FrameworkSkills Quality AuthorityTertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency2012The National Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education and Care (NQF)National Foundation Skills Strategy for AdultsAdvancing Quality in Higher EducationThe Australian Workforce and Productivity Agency My University websiteNational Partnership Agreement on Skills Reform2013National Partnership Agreement on Universal Access to Early Childhood Education (replaced National Partnership on Early Childhood Education - 2008)Accreditation of Initial Teacher Education ProgrammesAustralian Charter for the Professional Learning of Teachers and School Leaders Australian Teacher Performance and Development FrameworkNew Colombo PlanEducation Act2014Teacher Education Ministerial Advisory GroupUpholding-Quality Indicators for Learning and Teaching measuresStudents First
Irish reforms 2008-2014 (07,11)
Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools: Action Plan for Educational Inclusion (DEIS) 2005
Traveller Education Strategy 2006
Survey on Lifeskills in Primary (2009) and Post-Primary Schools (2012) 2009
Project Maths 2010
Intercultural Education Strategy 2010
Springboard programme 2011
Professional development for teachers and school leaders 2011
Initial Teacher Education Criteria and Guidelines for Programme Providers 2011
Higher education reforms 2011
National Strategy to Improve Literacy and Numeracy among Children and Young People 2011-20 2011
Increase in reading instruction 2011
National Strategy for Higher Education to 2030 2011
ICT Action Plan 2012
Standardised assessment in literacy and numeracy 2012
School Self Evaluation: Guidelines for Primary Schools 2012
School Self-Evaluation: Guidelines for Post-Primary Schools 2012
Investing in education infrastructure 2012
Third Level Bursary Scheme – scholarship scheme 2012
Action Plan for Jobs 2012
Procedures for Induction and Procedures and Criteria for Probation 2013
Education and Training Boards Act 2013
SOLAS – New National Education and Training Authority 2013
Framework for Junior Cycle 2014
The Welsh education reform journey
2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Seco
nd
ary
sch
oo
l ban
din
g
Imp
rovi
ng
sch
oo
ls p
lan
Mas
ters
of
Edu
cati
on
al P
ract
ice
ne
w
teac
he
rs
Nat
ion
al L
ite
racy
an
d N
um
era
cy F
ram
ewo
rk
An
nu
al r
ead
ing
and
nu
me
racy
te
sts
Nat
ion
al m
od
el f
or
regi
on
al w
ork
ing
on
d
eliv
ery
of
ed
uca
tio
n s
erv
ice
s
Nat
ion
al L
ead
ers
hip
De
velo
pm
en
t B
oar
d
Sch
oo
l cat
ego
risa
tio
nsy
ste
m
Edu
cati
on
Wo
rkfo
rce
Co
un
cil
Rai
se e
ntr
y re
qu
ire
me
nts
to
ITE
Qu
alif
ied
fo
r Li
fe
New
De
al f
or
the
Ed
uca
tio
n W
ork
forc
e
A c
urr
icu
lum
fo
r lif
e A
cu
rric
ulu
m f
or
Wal
es
Teac
hin
g to
mo
rro
w’s
te
ach
ers
Imp
lem
en
tati
on
: o
f C
urr
icu
lum
Teac
he
r st
and
ard
s/P
rofe
ssio
nal
le
arn
ing
pas
spo
rt/P
ion
ee
r Sc
ho
ol N
etw
ork
Reforms on key policy areas Don't consider current/other policies
Content
Large reform activity Reform fatigue/lack of sustainability
N of reforms
Context of reforms
Centered around policy design Need to focus on implementation
Reform process
Evaluation
WeaknessesStrengths
Complexity between design and implementation of reforms
only 10% Evaluation research abound
Reform adoption
Need to create school learning cultures Low understanding of school capacity
Need for policies to reach students and classrooms
Design of reform:
coherence
Implementation
Aligned
planned
Stakeholder engagement
Sustainable strategy
Favorable eduenvironment
Political context
Evaluation
Data for improvement
Develop SLO
Focus on student learning
Elements of education reform: a balancing act that goes beyond evidence base policy making
Education Policy Implementation: A change in the
framework
Problem def Agenda setting Policy optionsPolicy
development
Policy implementatio
nevaluation
Education policy implementation:
from top down to horizontal
• Policy at least partially defined before implemented. Justification, validity of causal theory and goals, complementarity with policies and feasibility to be considered.
Smart policy design
• actors can interpret, react and influence implementation. Including them throughout the process facilitates success.
Inclusive stakeholder engagement
• The process’ features are adapted to the structures of its system at a given time, to the particular actors, and around the specific educational policy.
A conducive context
• Outlines concrete measures to make the policy design operational, with sufficient resources, capacity building, communications, and engaging stakeholders.
A coherent implementation
strategy31
Dimensions of effective policy implementation
• Review by G Donaldson in 2015 to understand need, to define .Smart policy design
• Consultation in independent review.
• Pioneer schools
• Parliamentary acceptance
• Co construction.
Inclusive stakeholder engagement
• Political moment suitable. .
A conducive context
• Outlines concrete measures to make the policy design operational, with sufficient resources, capacity building, communications, and engaging stakeholders.
A coherent implementation
strategy32
Dimensions of effective policy implementation
Wales
Clarify objectivesrelated to wales
development; PISA
consultation; co-constructionPioneer schools
Political momentConsortia; school
improvement plan
Co-constructionPlan w/resources
OECD
Japan
Every 10 yearsUpdate curriculum
For 2030
consultation; Pioneer schools
Political moment?Governance
Resources/publications/capacity
33
33
Norway
Wales
Sweden
Reality of policy making/reform
Mexico
Greece
Japan
To conclude
There is no one model for success. Each education system can reach results combining policies based on evidence and implementation processes adapted to the context and concrete challenge. Key to focus on schools and students; investment in developing SLO and
engagement of stakeholders.
An international overview: can provide elements, principles and support for education reform.
35
Curriculum reform: An education change perspective: today's main messages
Why reform?
What? Equity/quality, curriculum, teachers
How? Coherent implementation with stakeholder engagement
Equity, quality
and well being
36
OECD Implementing policies: supporting effective changein education
Comparativeanalysis
Tayloredimplementation
supportPeer learning
37
OECD Implementing policies: supporting effective changein education
Comparative analysis: analytics and
implementationframeworks
Generic
Curriculum reform
Schools as learningorganisations
TBC
Peer learning and capacity building
Implementation Institute
Webinars
Seminars
Bi annual series
Tayloredimplementation
support
Data gathering
Rapid policy assessment
Strategic advice
Stakeholder engagement
Publication
Thank you!
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