Statewide Exit Exams, Governance, and School Development - An International Comparison

Booktitle

Table of Contents

1 Introduction

2 On the Heterogeneity of Statewide Exit Exams in an International Comparison

2.1 Definition of Statewide Exit Exams

2.2 System Functions of Statewide Exit Exams

3 Statewide Exit Exams within Changing Structures

4 Reform Tendencies in the Governance Structures of Education Systems in Europe

4.1 Governance Structures Before the Reforms

4.2 Decentralization Tendencies

4.3 The Shift to Governance by Outcomes

5 Perspectives on the Governance of Schools

5.1 Government, Steuerung, Governance—A Definition of Terms

5.2 From Steuerung to Governance in the German Educational Discourse

5.3 Educational Governance

5.4 Interim Summary: The Analytical Potential of Educational Governance

6 Outcomes-Based Governance

6.1 Action Coordination with External Evaluation Theory of Action

6.2 Instruments of External Evaluation

6.3 The Relevance of Output Measurement in Different Governance Systems

6.4 The Role of Outcome Measurement in Different Real Governance Systems

6.5 Comparison and Summary

7 Control and Development Functions of Statewide Exit Exams

8 School Development with Data Feedback Concepts and Implications

8.1 The Theoretical Role of Data for School Development

8.2 Relevant Factors for the Use of External Performance Feedback in Schools

8.3 Learning Schools as Learning Organizations

8.4 Frameworks for the Analysis of Feedback Data Use in Schools

8.5 Interim Summary and Prospect

9 The Effects of Statewide Exit Exams on School Processes

9.1 Acceptance of Statewide Exit Exams and the Role of Incentives

9.2 Instruction and Assessment in the Context of Statewide Exit Exams

9.3 Organizational Learning in the Context of Statewide Exit Exams

10 A Framework for Studying the Use of Statewide Exit Exams in Schools

11 Desiderata for Research

12 Goals and Research Questions

12.1 Sub Study 1: Recontextualization of Statewide Exams

12.2 Sub Study 2: Utilization of Exams in School Development Processes

12.3 Expected Theoretical and Practical Outcome

13 Research Design and Structure of the Study

13.1 Case Selection

13.2 Methodological Approach

13.3 Selection and Composition of the Samples

13.4 Instruments

13.5 Analysis Procedure

14 Sub Study 1: Recontextualization of the Statewide Exit Exams

14.1 Intended Functions: Expert Interviews

14.2 School Actors’ Perception of the Exams—Questionnaire Data

15 Recontextualization of the Exams in Finland

15.1 Upper Secondary Education and the Statewide Exit Exam

15.2 Intended Functions of the Ylioppilastutkinto

15.3 Technology of the Exams and Implementation Process

15.4 School Actors’ Perception of the Exams

16 Recontextualization of the Exams in Ireland

16.1 Upper Secondary Education and the Statewide Exit Exam

16.2 Functions of the Leaving Certificate Examinations

16.3 Technology of the Exams and Implementation Process

16.4 School Actors’ Perception of the Exams

17 Recontextualization of the Exams in the Netherlands

17.1 Upper Secondary Education and the Statewide Exit Exam

17.2 Functions of the Centraal Examen and the Schoolexamen

17.3 Technology of the Exams and Implementation Process

17.4 School Actors’ Perception of the Exams

18 Juxtaposition and Discussion of the Country-Specific Results of Sub Study 1

19 Sub Study 2: Statewide Exit Exams as a School Development Tool

19.1 Exam Use and Strategies at School Level

19.2 Teacher Collaboration at Department Level

20 Use of the Exams in the Schools of the Finnish Sample

20.1 Instrumental Use and Organizational Learning Structures at School Level

20.2 Organizational Learning Structures: Collaboration at Department Level

20.3 Instrumental Use: Individual Level

20.4 Summary and Discussion

21 Use of the Exams in the Schools of the Irish Sample

21.1 Instrumental Use and Organizational Learning Structures at School Level

21.2 Organizational Learning Structures: Collaboration at Department Level

21.3 Instrumental Use: Individual Level

21.4 Summary and Discussion

22 Use of the Exams in the Schools of the Dutch Sample

22.1 Instrumental Use and Organizational Learning Structuresat School Level

22.2 Organizational Learning Structures: Collaboration at Department Level

22.3 Instrumental Use: Individual Level

22.4 Summary and Discussion

23 Juxtaposition and Discussion of the Country-Specific Results of Sub Study 2

23.1 School Level Exam Use

23.2 Department Level Exam Use

23.3 Individual Level Exam Use

23.4 Summary

24 The Use of Statewide Exit Exams in the Context of theResearch Questions

25 Theoretical and Practical Outcome andFurther Research Needs

25.1 Functions, Contexts, and Communities Matter—Input for Theoretical Frameworks and Educational Governance

25.2 Practical Implications for the Implementation of Statewide Exit Exams

References

List of Tables

List of Figures

List of Abbreviations

List of Statistical Abbreviations and Symbols