OECD reviews of evaluation and assessment in education : student assessment in Turkey

Foreword
Acknowledgements
Abbreviations and acronyms
Executive summary
	Ensuring national goals provide a coherent vision to guide assessment
	Developing more effective assessment practices in the classroom
	Positively influencing learning through the national examinations and assessment
	Using the wider evaluation system to promote better assessment and learning
Assessment and recommendations
	Introduction
	On-going reforms
	Main trends: Participation and learning outcomes have improved, but further progress is needed to meet national goals
		Participation in primary and lower secondary school is now universal but student drop out in upper secondary students is relatively high
		Graduation from tertiary education has also risen dramatically
		Student learning outcomes improved significantly between 2003 and 2012
		Selection for the most prestigious high schools accentuates disparities
		Students’ outcomes frequently reflect the type of high school that they attend
	The role of student assessment in improving learning outcomes in Turkey
		Aligning assessment practice with national learning goals
		Achieving a greater balance between formative and summative assessment
		Using the wider evaluation system to encourage good assessment practice
	Promoting national goals for student learning
		Policy issue 2.1. Developing a curriculum framework to give greater coherence and clarity to national learning goals
		Policy issue 2.2. Developing learning standards to help teachers understand what students are expected to know and be able to do
		Policy issue 2.3. Communicating national learning goals to society to build trust and support for change
	Improving teachers’ classroom assessment practices
		Policy issue 3.1. Providing teachers with richer assessment resources that support competency acquisition
		Policy issue 3.2. Using formative feedback and reporting to better support student learning
		Policy issue 3.3. Reinforcing in-service training on assessment
		Policy issue 3.4. Improving teachers’ initial preparation in classroom assessment
	Ensuring national examinations and assessments positively influence the learning of all students
		Policy issue 4.1. Enhancing the school placement and selection process at the end of Grade 8
		Policy issue 4.2. Ensuring that examinations at the end of compulsory education serve effectively the functions of certification and selection
		Policy issue 4.3. Developing and making available better-quality data on national learning outcomes
	Using the evaluation system to promote better assessment and learning
		Policy issue 5.1. Using appraisal to encourage and support teachers to employ good assessment practices
		Policy issue 5.2. Revising school evaluation to support learning and effective assessment practices
		Policy issue 5.3. Using system evaluation to help improve teaching, learning and assessment practices
	References
Chapter 1.  The Turkish education system
	Introduction
	The role of education in Turkey’s development
	Key features of the education system in Turkey
		Governance
			Turkey has a strong system of education planning and is increasingly focused on the quality of school outcomes
			The Ministry of National Education is responsible for all school-level policy
			Provincial and District Education Directorates are responsible for implementing national policy
			Schools in Turkey report that they have little autonomy
		Financing
			Public expenditure has increased rapidly over the past decade
			Central government is the main source of public expenditure on education
			Turkey has the highest level of private spending on schools within the OECD
		The structure of Turkey’s school system
			Education is now compulsory until the end of upper secondary school
			Students are tracked early into upper secondary schools
			The process of student selection into upper secondary education is under revision
			Placement into tertiary education is exam-based and highly competitive
			The selection exams carry very high stakes for students
			Secondary vocational education and training has expanded
			Turkey has encouraged an increase in the number of private schools
			Almost one-quarter of students attend open education high schools
			Double-shift schools and large class sizes are common in urban areas
			Turkey has made significant efforts to educate refugee children from Syria
		Teachers and school principals
			Turkey’s large teaching population is young and gender balanced
			Teaching is financially attractive, though the salary scale is relatively flat
			Teaching certification requirements have increased and there are plans to include more practical training in initial teacher education
			New teachers are assigned to their first positions, generally in challenging regions, based on their ranking in the teaching entrance exams
			Turkey has introduced an ambitious Teacher Strategy to improve teaching quality
		Curriculum
			The intended curriculum is competency-based and student-focused
			Full implementation of the curriculum requires further support
		The evaluation and assessment system
			Major changes are underway to evaluation and assessment policies in Turkey
	Main trends in participation, outcomes and equity
		Participation
			Access to education has increased dramatically
			But many students still do not complete a full cycle of schooling
			A fifth of 3- to 4-year-olds attended early childhood education in 2015
			Participation in tertiary education has expanded
		Learning outcomes
			Students’ learning outcomes have improved significantly over the past decade
			Average achievement remains low compared to OECD countries
			More teachers are trying to use pedagogical practices associated with effective learning
			Classroom disruption and students skipping school can hinder learning
			After-school study support is limited
		Equity
			Equity in learning outcomes is improving
			Students in the most prestigious schools tend to come from more advantaged backgrounds
			Education access and outcomes vary significantly by geographic location
			Girls’ participation in school has increased significantly
	Conclusion
	Notes
	References
		Annex 1.A. Key indicators
Chapter 2.  Promoting national goals for student learning
	Introduction
	Context and main features
		National learning goals
			Focusing on competency-based learning
			Emphasising transversal, 21st century competencies
			Adopting a constructivist pedagogical approach
		Challenges in implementation
			The curriculum could more clearly support a constructivist approach
			Curricula are divided into domains and levels
			Curricula need clearer learning standards
			Parents pay considerable attention to students’ performance in national examinations
	Policy issues
	Policy issue 2.1. Developing a curriculum framework to give greater coherence and clarity to national learning goals
		Recommendation 2.1.1. Develop a unifying national curriculum framework
			Articulate the overall learning goals in a vision statement
			Describe the differences between competency-based and knowledge-based teaching and learning
			Define and promote transversal, 21st century competencies
			Explain constructivist pedagogy and provide examples of its usage
		Recommendation 2.1.2. Use the curriculum framework to guide future revisions of individual domain curricula
			Ensure that overall goals are well-represented in future domain-level curricula objectives
			Give stronger emphasis to competency-based learning in future domain-level curricula
			Align future domain-level curricula with constructivist approaches
	Policy issue 2.2. Developing learning standards to help teachers understand what students are expected to know and be able to do
		Recommendation 2.2.1. Develop learning standards
			Establish standards with performance levels in core subjects
			Develop learning standards around grade levels
			Support the use of standards
	Policy issue 2.3. Communicating national learning goals to society to build trust and support for change
		Recommendation 2.3.1. Make national learning goals more visible
			Build a national communications campaign
			Showcase examples of successful changes
		Recommendation 2.3.2. Expand local support for schools
			Bring centres of support closer to schools
			Promote peer-learning and networking
	Conclusion
	References
Chapter 3.  Improving teachers’ classroom assessment practices
	Introduction
	Context and main features of classroom assessment
		Policy framework
			The curriculum encourages teachers to use a broad range of assessments to support competency development
			A series of reforms in 2017 aims to support more effective classroom assessment practice
		Classroom assessment regulations and resources
			Central regulations reaffirm the importance of using varied assessment types
		Responsibilities for classroom assessment
			Principals and teachers report developing and using their own assessments less than in other OECD countries
		Use of classroom assessment results
			Assessments carry stakes for selection to the next level of education
			Assessments have an important role for progression in upper secondary
		Teachers’ assessment capacity
			Initial teacher education covers classroom assessment but is more theoretical than practical
			The Ministry of National Education and the provincial directorates share responsibility for professional development
	Policy issues
	Policy issue 3.1. Providing teachers with richer assessment resources that support competency acquisition
		Recommendation 3.1.1. Help teachers to monitor learning in line with national standards
			Develop rubrics and exemplars to help teachers apply national learning standards in their classroom practice
			Develop diagnostic assessments to ensure that students are meeting national standards
			Introduce early grade assessments that are age appropriate with a clearly defined formative function
			Provide additional resources to address the needs of students identified as being at risk of falling behind
			Support teachers to use the results from standardised assessments to monitor learning
		Recommendation 3.1.2. Provide teachers with tools to assess a wider range of competencies
			Develop nationally validated assessment instruments
			Provide guidance to support the development and implementation of classroom assessments
			Develop and fully implement the e-portfolio
		Recommendation 3.1.3. Redesign the EBA portal to provide a broader range of better-quality resources
			Ensure that the ministry leads the development of EBA
			Involve teachers in the redesign of EBA
			Identify resources to be developed as a priority
	Policy issue 3.2. Using formative feedback and reporting to better support student learning
		Recommendation 3.2.1. Encourage more formative feedback in the classroom
			Help teachers to learn about and practice different feedback techniques
			Provide school-level support for effective feedback
			Adapt teaching standards and regulations to ensure that formative assessment and feedback are central to teaching
		Recommendation 3.2.2. Use reporting to help parents and students better understand learning levels and next steps
			Report student performance against national learning standards
			Consider how to report the development of transversal competencies
			Incorporate qualitative feedback when reporting student performance
			Clearly communicate changes to students, parents and teachers
	Policy issue 3.3. Reinforcing in-service training on assessment
		Recommendation 3.3.1. Make training on classroom assessment a top professional development priority
			Require all teachers to undertake professional development on assessment
			Ensure that professional development reflects teachers’ needs
			Connect professional development to teachers’ classroom practices
			Make professional development more responsive to national priorities to reduce summative testing
			Develop facilitators’ assessment expertise
			Make greater use of technology to expand professional development
			Proceed with plans to adopt standards for effective professional learning
		Recommendation 3.3.2. Develop school-based professional learning on assessment
			Provide leadership for school-level professional development activities on assessment
			Provide dedicated time for teachers to work together on assessment
			Develop school-based moderation practices
	Policy issue 3.4. Improving teachers’ initial preparation in classroom assessment
		Recommendation 3.4.1. Ensure sufficient coverage of classroom assessment in initial teacher preparation
			Use new teacher competencies to inform the development of initial teacher education programme content on assessment
			Implement the tertiary accreditation process, and incorporate new teacher assessment competencies into the accreditation requirements
			Establish an advisory committee with representatives from the ministry and the Council of Higher Education to enhance the initial preparation of teachers
		Recommendation 3.4.2. Ensure that initial preparation in classroom assessment is practical and connected to the school curriculum
			Cover classroom assessment in the practicum
			Model the assessment practices teachers will need to use in the classroom
			Build the classroom assessment capacity of initial teacher education providers
			Use the induction period to continue developing the capacity for assessment
	Conclusion
	References
Chapter 4.  Ensuring national examinations and assessments support learning
	Introduction
	Context and main features of examinations and national assessment
		Responsibilities for examinations and assessment
			The General Directorate of Measurement, Evaluation and Examination Services is supporting national assessment capacity
			The central examination at the end of compulsory education is the responsibility of the ÖSYM, which is separate from the ministry
		National examinations
			There have been multiple reforms to the examination at the end of Grade 8 for high school placement
			Since September 2018, the vast majority of Turkish students starting high school have been placed in a school within their local area
			A minority of school places are determined by a centralised examination
			The examination at the end of Grade 12 serves as the gatekeeper for tertiary education institutions and programmes
			The 2018 examination reforms aimed to reduce pressure on students
			Competition for a place on a bachelor’s programme is intense
			Open examinations are available for those who have followed alternative educational routes
		Assessments
			A new national assessment, ABİDE, has the potential to fill an important gap in reliable data on learning outcomes
			Regular participation in international student assessments provides periodic information on student performance against international benchmarks
		Other types of diplomas and certification
			Turkish students completing compulsory education receive a diploma
	Policy issues
	Policy issue 4.1. Enhancing the school placement and selection process at the end of Grade 8
		Recommendation 4.1.1. Consider the system for high school placement to manage demand
			Ensure that students and parents understand how the new placement system will operate
			Develop transparent criteria for oversubscribed schools
		Recommendation 4.1.2. Provide more information to guide student choice, while improving flexibility between pathways
			Develop resources, like the new e-portfolios and career guidance, to inform students’ high school preferences
			Create greater flexibility across upper secondary programmes
		Recommendation 4.1.3. Reduce any negative distortions created by the high school entrance examination
			Consider measures to ensure that students from disadvantaged backgrounds have a fair chance of accessing selective schools
			Design the high school entrance examination to reduce negative backwash for teaching and learning
			Improve the discriminatory power of the examination
	Policy issue 4.2. Ensuring that examinations at the end of compulsory education serve effectively the functions of certification and selection
		Recommendation 4.2.1. Develop a national examination to help certify achievement at the end of compulsory education
			Determine the main purpose of the school-leaving examination
			Determine which subjects will be assessed
			Determine how the examination will be marked
			Consider the types of questions that will be used
			Consider including a small share of teacher-assessed work
		Recommendation 4.2.2. Enhance the validity of the university placement examination
			Make fuller use of technology to enable a wider range of item types
			Give students more time and reconsider how the correction formula is used to reduce the pressure on students
			Reduce the grades that contribute to the final placement score
			Consider how to draw on wider sources of evidence for university placement in the future
		Recommendation 4.2.3. Improve the reliability and validity of school-based assessments
			Provide teachers and schools with instructions for the school-based components of examinations
			Ensure a sufficiently robust system for standardising, checking and moderating the marks awarded by teachers
	Policy issue 4.3. Developing and making available better-quality data on national learning outcomes
		Recommendation 4.3.1. Provide schools with meaningful examination data to improve teaching and learning
			Provide schools with more comprehensive examination data
			Provide item-level analysis to improve teaching and learning
		Recommendation 4.3.2. Implement ABİDE as a fully developed national assessments in primary and lower secondary
			Create a steering committee to guide the development of ABİDE
			Define the purpose of ABİDE
			Continue with plans to implement ABİDE in Grades 4 and 8 and make at least one a full cohort assessment
			Address other key questions for the implementation of ABİDE
			Use the national assessment to improve teaching and assessment literacy
	Conclusion
	References
		Annex 4.A. International examples of using optical character recognition (OCR) technologies in high stakes examinations
Chapter 5.  Using the evaluation system to promote better assessment and learning
	Introduction
	Context and main features of the evaluation system
		Teacher appraisal
			Turkey has recently published new teacher competencies
			Criteria for teacher appraisal focus on how frequently teachers demonstrate performance indicators
			A new performance appraisal is an underdevelopment
			A recently introduced probation appraisal is based on multiple types of evaluation
			Teachers progress up the salary scale primarily based on years of service and positive results from regular appraisals
		School evaluation
			Turkey has multiple frameworks for self-evaluation in different types of schools
				The Education Quality Management System
				The Basic Institutional Standards System
		System evaluation
			The Strategic Plan 2015-19 makes improving student learning outcomes a priority
			The introduction of new national assessments would provide valuable information on learning outcomes
	Policy issues
	Policy issue 5.1. Using appraisal to encourage and support teachers to employ good assessment practices
		Recommendation 5.1.1. Ensure that appraisal reflects the breadth and depth of assessment competency important for learning
			Ensure that appraisal is coherent with national learning goals
			Develop appraisal criteria that cover key competencies for assessment
			Illustrate assessment competencies with examples of effective practice
			Develop specific levels of assessment competency for different stages in the teacher career path
			Focus on quality when evaluating assessment practices
			Use authentic evidence of classroom practice to identify underperformance
		Recommendation 5.1.2. Ensure that evaluators focus on authentic measures of teachers’ assessment practice
			Provide more guidance for evaluating assessment practices during classroom observation
			Ensure that appraisal includes evidence of learning progress
			Reconsider how the written examination for probation appraisal is used
		Recommendation 5.1.3. Use appraisal results to develop teachers’ assessment competency
			Ensure that appraisal provides teachers with useful feedback
			Use professional development plans to link appraisal to professional development
	Policy issue 5.2. Revising school evaluation to support learning and effective assessment practices
		Recommendation 5.2.1. Ensure that the school inspection framework reinforces national objectives for learning and good assessment practices
			Focus inspection indicators for learning outcomes on national learning standards
			Introduce expectations for learning outcomes in Grades 1 to 3
			Include indicators on the quality of assessment practices
			Include indicators on school-wide strategies to support improved use of assessment
			Look for evidence of strategies to monitor and support students at risk of falling behind
			Illustrate indicators with examples of effective practice
			Provide schools with actionable recommendations
		Recommendation 5.2.2. Use self-evaluation to focus schools on developing their assessment capacity
			Create a single framework for self-evaluation based on core indicators in the inspection framework
			Provide schools with space to add indicators
			Use “challenge” questions to encourage critical inquiry
			Use inspections to build schools’ capacity for improving their use of assessment
	Policy issue 5.3. Using system evaluation to help improve teaching, learning and assessment practices
		Recommendation 5.3.1. Ensure that targets for education support national priorities
			Set goals that aim to raise performance
			Provide the public with a more comprehensive picture of school performance
		Recommendation 5.3.2. Help schools use evaluation information for improvement
			Undertake more central analysis to inform policy
			Encourage provinces to undertake more analysis to understand the challenges for schools in their region
			Develop principals’ capacity to act thoughtfully on evaluation information
			Provide targeted support to schools in greatest need
	Conclusion
	Notes
	References
	Blank Page