International Research of Student Achievements (IRSA) Project
Description
IRSA’s key project activities encompass three domains: (i) training and “learning by doing”, (ii) research conducting and (iii) results dissemination. \\r\\nTraining and “learning by doing” activities aim at developing educators’ capacity in beneficiary countries including young specialists and specialists without previous work experience. \\r\\n\\r\\nMain approach to this task is a “learning by doing” approach when country teams take part in (i) localization of an assessment tool and studying tool methodologies, (ii) data analysis (excluding secondary statistical analysis) and (iii) project results dissemination. Other types of capacity building like trainings and study-tours on modern trends in assessment, application and data use for policymaking and test development provided for the country teams, application. Consultations and assistance from an international team of experts is available throughout the project. Specialists from country teams also encouraged to publish papers on the research results and present them at different international events.\\r\\n\\r\\nThe core activity for the IRSA Project is a longitudinal cross-country research. Country teams participate in the field work collecting data through testing students and surveying students and teachers. It is necessary to introduce new effective instruments to measure learning outcomes for low-income countries to keep them on track with SDG agenda. Since some countries do not have assessment methodologies, practical knowledge in conjunction with provided innovative instruments allow to perform an effective assessment of the quality of education in these countries. Regular assessment, rather than single-slice sampling, will make it possible to track trends in the level of achievements and quality of education over time. Monitoring student progress also gives teachers the opportunity to reflect on their own teaching and assess the impact of the instructional strategies they use. \\r\\n\\r\\nResults dissemination strategy includes joint seminars (in each of the participating countries with participation of the governmental representatives to insure encoring research results in educational policy) and workshops, cost-effective online information sharing via websites and webinars, and support for the publication of the findings by national teams. International meetings are organized annually to share the project implementation and intermediate outcomes. Annual meetings are also intended for better project coordination. Regular reviews of the project from international experts is also an important type of feedback. Every country team produces annual repost on the intermediate results of the project.
Capacity building activities is one of the most important domains of the project. During the project many specialists receive training and improve their expertise. Specialists working in the project include those ones without any research experience and expert who is word known in this sphere. It is a unique opportunity for knowledge sharing and learning from one another acquiring new skills in research and assessment conducting. Project also include traditional approaches to capacity building such as trainings and seminars. Overall the most common capacity building activities within the IRSA project include:\\r\\n• Short-term distant training programs in educational assessment and educational management broadcasted through distant learning platform. The distant learning platform allows interactive communication between teachers of the course and course participants in a real time. It reproduces the atmosphere of the lecture room and has all its’ features. Teacher of the course assess the homework and successful participants receive state approved certificates. \\r\\n• “Learning by doing”. This type of activity is developed for research participants that have none or very small work experience. They gain actual experience by working in the project under the supervision of the more experience colleagues of supervisor. This a great opportunity for knowledge sharing and mastering some skills in research data collection and data analysis.\\r\\n• Seminars and workshops for teachers and curricula specialists on introduction of innovative methodologies for classroom assessment.\\r\\n• National seminars for specialists on performing of educational research activities, data processing and collection.\\r\\n• Study-tours to leading organizations to learn about educational assessment and SDG 4 implementation.\\r\\n• Annual regional seminars for knowledge and experience sharing with involvement of educational authorities responsible for educational reforming in the country.\\r\\nTechnology Transfer is arranged through joint activities on localization of assessment methodologies and tools for the use in different languages and cultural context. Every localized methodology is given to the country and owned by the country. Technology for the conducting of the large scale research was developed specially for this project and then it was discussed with every participating country to avoid “one doesn’t fit all” situation. Participating countries have localized this methodology in different languages and for the specific country context. All methodologies that were provided to the countries during the project are available for access for the interested academia, public and policymakers.
The idea of the project derived from joint activities in educational assessment and capacity building of the experts from Eastern Europe and Central Asia. CICED serves as a supervising entity and implementing agency. Cross-country partnership has been discussed at an annual CICED conference in November 2016. By that time the in-depth and thorough partner consultation process at a country level had already started. Partner countries, such as Armenia, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan have impressed an opinion that it would benefit the project if cross-country comparison would be avoided and more emphasis would be given to providing in-depth data for country’s needs. This point was considered, and appropriate changes were made to approach and methodology section.\\r\\n \\r\\nNational testing centers and institutes of education serve as focal points for project teams. The focal points, being national assessment bodies, ensure the linkage between project outcomes and policy makers and come with country-specific products (e.g. seminars or reports available in national language) for the purpose of informing policy makers on recommendations produced within the project. Involving national assessment bodies is expected to deliver recommendations for teachers training institutes as the institutional connections between those kinds of institutions is traditionally high in CIS/post-Soviet countries. Country team consist of both prominent education community members and young promising specialists with wide representation of women and youth.\\r\\n\\r\\nDuring the project partner coordination is maintained via country teams that serve as main implementers of in-country activities. Country team is responsible for identifying any additional stakeholders that would emerge during the project implementation and ensure proper alignment of the project with any other related activities that happen in the country. Project is open for participation to other relevant education agencies, to all specialists working in education assessment, specialists from teacher training institutions, actual school administration and teachers.\\r\\n\\r\\nRepresentatives of donor community, international and local education NGOs, think-tanks, consultancies and scholars get invited for large regional meetings dedicated to IRSA results. The IRSA design and intermediate outcomes were already presented at a few international events such as CIES annual conference, AEA-Europe annual conferences, to global expert groups such as Building Evidence in Education and World Bank seminars.
SDGS & Targets
Goal 4
Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
4.1
By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes
4.1.1
Proportion of children and young people (a) in grades 2/3; (b) at the end of primary; and (c) at the end of lower secondary achieving at least a minimum proficiency level in (i) reading and (ii) mathematics, by sex
4.1.2
Completion rate (primary education, lower secondary education, upper secondary education)
4.2
By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care and pre-primary education so that they are ready for primary education
4.2.1
Proportion of children aged 24–59 months who are developmentally on track in health, learning and psychosocial well-being, by sex
4.2.2
Participation rate in organized learning (one year before the official primary entry age), by sex
4.3
By 2030, ensure equal access for all women and men to affordable and quality technical, vocational and tertiary education, including university
4.3.1
Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal education and training in the previous 12 months, by sex
4.4
By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship
4.4.1
Proportion of youth and adults with information and communications technology (ICT) skills, by type of skill
4.5
4.5.1
Parity indices (female/male, rural/urban, bottom/top wealth quintile and others such as disability status, indigenous peoples and conflict-affected, as data become available) for all education indicators on this list that can be disaggregated
4.6
By 2030, ensure that all youth and a substantial proportion of adults, both men and women, achieve literacy and numeracy
4.6.1
Proportion of population in a given age group achieving at least a fixed level of proficiency in functional (a) literacy and (b) numeracy skills, by sex
4.7
By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development
4.7.1
Extent to which (i) global citizenship education and (ii) education for sustainable development are mainstreamed in (a) national education policies; (b) curricula; (c) teacher education and (d) student assessment
4.a
Build and upgrade education facilities that are child, disability and gender sensitive and provide safe, non-violent, inclusive and effective learning environments for all
4.a.1
Proportion of schools offering basic services, by type of service
4.b
4.b.1
Volume of official development assistance flows for scholarships by sector and type of study
4.c
By 2030, substantially increase the supply of qualified teachers, including through international cooperation for teacher training in developing countries, especially least developed countries and small island developing States
4.c.1
Proportion of teachers with the minimum required qualifications, by education level
Goal 17
Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development
17.1
Strengthen domestic resource mobilization, including through international support to developing countries, to improve domestic capacity for tax and other revenue collection
17.1.1
17.1.2
17.2
Developed countries to implement fully their official development assistance commitments, including the commitment by many developed countries to achieve the target of 0.7 per cent of ODA/GNI to developing countries and 0.15 to 0.20 per cent of ODA/GNI to least developed countries; ODA providers are encouraged to consider setting a target to provide at least 0.20 per cent of ODA/GNI to least developed countries
17.2.1
17.3
Mobilize additional financial resources for developing countries from multiple sources
17.3.1
Additional financial resources mobilized for developing countries from multiple sources
17.3.2
17.4
Assist developing countries in attaining long-term debt sustainability through coordinated policies aimed at fostering debt financing, debt relief and debt restructuring, as appropriate, and address the external debt of highly indebted poor countries to reduce debt distress
17.4.1
17.5
Adopt and implement investment promotion regimes for least developed countries
17.5.1
Number of countries that adopt and implement investment promotion regimes for developing countries, including the least developed countries
17.6
Enhance North-South, South-South and triangular regional and international cooperation on and access to science, technology and innovation and enhance knowledge sharing on mutually agreed terms, including through improved coordination among existing mechanisms, in particular at the United Nations level, and through a global technology facilitation mechanism
17.6.1
Fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants, by speed
17.7
Promote the development, transfer, dissemination and diffusion of environmentally sound technologies to developing countries on favourable terms, including on concessional and preferential terms, as mutually agreed
17.7.1
Total amount of funding for developing countries to promote the development, transfer, dissemination and diffusion of environmentally sound technologies
17.8
Fully operationalize the technology bank and science, technology and innovation capacity-building mechanism for least developed countries by 2017 and enhance the use of enabling technology, in particular information and communications technology
17.8.1
17.9
Enhance international support for implementing effective and targeted capacity-building in developing countries to support national plans to implement all the Sustainable Development Goals, including through North-South, South-South and triangular cooperation
17.9.1
Dollar value of financial and technical assistance (including through North-South, South‑South and triangular cooperation) committed to developing countries
17.10
Promote a universal, rules-based, open, non-discriminatory and equitable multilateral trading system under the World Trade Organization, including through the conclusion of negotiations under its Doha Development Agenda
17.10.1
17.11
Significantly increase the exports of developing countries, in particular with a view to doubling the least developed countries’ share of global exports by 2020
17.11.1
Developing countries’ and least developed countries’ share of global exports
17.12
Realize timely implementation of duty-free and quota-free market access on a lasting basis for all least developed countries, consistent with World Trade Organization decisions, including by ensuring that preferential rules of origin applicable to imports from least developed countries are transparent and simple, and contribute to facilitating market access
17.12.1
Weighted average tariffs faced by developing countries, least developed countries and small island developing States
17.13
Enhance global macroeconomic stability, including through policy coordination and policy coherence
17.13.1
17.14
Enhance policy coherence for sustainable development
17.14.1
17.15
Respect each country’s policy space and leadership to establish and implement policies for poverty eradication and sustainable development
17.15.1
17.16
Enhance the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development, complemented by multi-stakeholder partnerships that mobilize and share knowledge, expertise, technology and financial resources, to support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals in all countries, in particular developing countries
17.16.1
Number of countries reporting progress in multi-stakeholder development effectiveness monitoring frameworks that support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals
17.17
Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships, building on the experience and resourcing strategies of partnerships
17.17.1
Amount in United States dollars committed to public-private partnerships for infrastructure
17.18
By 2020, enhance capacity-building support to developing countries, including for least developed countries and small island developing States, to increase significantly the availability of high-quality, timely and reliable data disaggregated by income, gender, age, race, ethnicity, migratory status, disability, geographic location and other characteristics relevant in national contexts
17.18.1
Statistical capacity indicators
17.18.2
17.18.3
Number of countries with a national statistical plan that is fully funded and under implementation, by source of funding
17.19
By 2030, build on existing initiatives to develop measurements of progress on sustainable development that complement gross domestic product, and support statistical capacity-building in developing countries
17.19.1
17.19.2
Proportion of countries that (a) have conducted at least one population and housing census in the last 10 years; and (b) have achieved 100 per cent birth registration and 80 per cent death registration
SDG 14 targets covered
| Name | Description |
|---|
Deliverables & Timeline
Resources mobilized
Partnership Progress
Feedback
Share
Timeline
Entity
Geographical coverage
More information
Countries
Contact Information
Artem Stepanenko, Director