The Hungarian PISA Reception

And the catharsis will never come...!?

Let’s see what’s inside the black sheep...

Outline

Main issues+ Hungarian specificities Methodology Formal structures Key actors International participation Debate about PISA PISA+Ed policymaking ABC a Hungarian KRT Conclusions

Methodology and main sources of data Interviews: semi-structured, total: 20 Two scientific journals, 2000-2008 yearly, total: 43 Policy documents: laws, governmental decrees,

ministerial webpages, parliamentary records... Mass Media:

Formal structures

Scientific discourse

National public policy discourse

Media and public discourse

Decision making (Ministry of Education)

Education Policy Committee

Knowledge production

(Szeged U+HAS)PGB

Coordination PISA National Center

National Board for the Evaluation of

Public Education

3 key actors

Political: Bálint Magyar

Scientific: Benő Csapó Technical: Péter Vári

PISA says...

International participation

Unquestionable entrance:“We joined the OECD at the right time, because we couldenter the PISA program right away.” (BPC representative)

Passive or active?“I did not exhibit myself on the board meetings”(BPC

representative)

Symbolic aspect“It is obvious that Hungary does not count as a faceless

country. We stood out from thecrowd from the very beginning.”(CERI member)

PISA criticism is an urban legend.... Only a few moments of resistence:

„two big public policy ideology, lifelong learning and competency…these were used by politicians and professionals are their suppliers”(an ed scientist)

“the PISA panic is the typical attempt of educational policymakers to generate sentiments after the bad position achieved in the race of nations”(an ed scientist)

“some prestigious surveys that are hard to apply to Hungarian conditions showed that the quality of public education is on the decline” (right wing daily)

IEA(PIRLS) vs OECD PISA

PISA and Education Policymaking

Assessment of Basic Competences

a PISA inspired KRT National precedents: The „Monitors” (from 1986) Impact of PISA and SIALS

Knowledge conception borrowed from PISA Measures: „porcedural knowledge”, „skills” „competences” Objective: „Life long learning”, preparing students for the

labor market Tasks: „borrowed” from PISA Not related to school subjects

The first ABC: 2001------------From 2008: Whole sampling (grade 6th,8th,10th)

The ABC as KRT Feedback to the schools Sanctions for under-performing schools Aim is to influence the content taught in schools Used as an indicator for „equal opportunity plans”

Conclusions

Were/Are/Have we ever been shocked or not...!?

PISA is an empty container….lack of deeper reflection

Does not become a common space Equity and Quality in target setting