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Zhanar Abdildina, Cristina RiminiOctober 2014Comparability of Integrated educational programme with internationally recognized educational programmes1

The changing world contextThe world is rapidly becoming a different place, with globalisation and modernisation imposing huge challenges to individuals and societies. Schools need to prepare students to live and work in a world in which most people will need to collaborate with people of diverse cultural origins, and appreciate different ideas, perspectives and values; a world in which people need to decide how to trust and collaborate across such differences, often bridging space and time through technology; and a world in which their lives will be affected by issues that transcend national boundaries.

Andreas Schleicher OECD (2014)

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International surveysPISA, PIRLS, TIMSSInformation about international performances can facilitate dissemination of ideas on which features of education systems lead to the best performancesCan be used to help drive up education standards everywhere

Changing education paradigm[adapted from David Hargreaves (2006)]19th / 20th century assumptions21st century assumptionsIntelligence is perceived as unitary, fixed and innateIntelligence is understood as multi-faceted, plastic and [to a certain extent] learnableLearning is the acquisition of subject content. Students are consumers of knowledgeStudents are producers, not just consumers of knowledge. Learning focus on application of knowledgeCurriculum focuses on content coverage and behavioural objectivesCurriculum focuses on processes of learning to learn, metacognition and skills developmentInformation and knowledge focusInformation literacy. Learning to handle information is the focusEducation is limited to the school and for fixed periodsEducation is lifelong and unconstrained in time and place

Only knowledge and education give a person strength and can be a great tool in the fight for education and peoples welfare, only education can lead Kazakh people to the path of freedom and moral perfectionShokan Ualikhanov

Education is valuable only when it impacts positively on pupilsMagzhan Zhumabayev

Topicality/actuality of renewing the content of education5

When analyzing education content in the early XX century, prominent Kazakh educator Zh.Aymauytov at that time has already noted the drawbacks of the old curriculum: A) It obstructed childs mind with various unnecessary and useless knowledge; B) The school did not teach modern life, daily matters, and politics. It didnt teach children of the things they saw every day and what was of interest to them. Instead, it forced them to memorize the past, history, and distant countries and places, setting apart with the modern times. B) It accustomed learners to be indecisive and coward, preventing them from independent search for knowledge and creativeness. D) Subjects were not related to each other, they differed in writing, and something even contradicted to each other.

Topicality/actuality of renewing the content of education

Renewing education practicesI am convinced that the prosperous future of our homeland lies among developed countries. Achieving this ambition will unite the people of Kazakhstan forever. Today, I want to present our plan for joining the 30 most developed countries of the worldall developed countries have a unique high-quality education system. We have a great deal of work to do to improve the quality of all parts of national education. High school graduates should speak Kazakh, Russian and English. The result of teaching should be mastery of critical thinking skills, independent research and in-depth analysis of information.N.A.Nazarbayevwww.strategy2050.kz

Way forwardNot policy borrowing but integrating the national and international best practiceOutcome oriented on needs of future generation of young peopleMeeting international standards for meeting the challenges and opportunities of globalisation and modernisation

Conceptual approaches for NIS curriculumConstructivist approach to learning:learners develop understanding of new knowledge and concepts as they interact with prior knowledgeleads to deep learning which supports the application of knowledge, critical thinking and reflectionleads to greater progress in learning compared with traditional knowledge transmission approaches (Hattie 2011)

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Spiral curriculumWe begin with the hypothesis that any subject can be taught effectively in some intellectually honest form to any child at any stage of development (Bruner, 1960:33)

A curriculum as it develops should revisit these basic ideas repeatedly, building upon them until the student has grasped the full formal apparatus that goes with them. (ibid:13)

Spiral curriculumKey featuresLearner revisits a topic, theme or subject several times throughout their school careerComplexity of the topic or theme increases with each revisitNew learning has a relationship with old learning and is put in context with the old informationBenefitsInformation reinforced and solidified each time it is revisitedAllows logical progression from simpler to more complicated ideasLearners encouraged to apply the early knowledge to later learning objectives

Active approachThe functions of active approach:teach students to acquire knowledge (learn to learn)teach students to work and earn money (learning to do)teach students to live (learning to be)teach students to live together (learning to living together)Report to UNESCO of the International Commission on Education for the Twenty-first Century LEARNING: THE TREASURE WITHIN, chaired by Jacques Delors

Balancing contentCurricular materials in high-performing nations focus on fewer topics, but also communicate the expectation that those topics will be taught in a deeper, more profound way... (Schmidt W & Prawat R 2006)Curriculum is not overloaded with excessive detalisation and abstract teoretisation.

Parity of knowledge and skillsNot just knowing that but knowing how and being able toLearners able to draw on resources to deal with new problems and different contextsDeveloping skills and using skills to improve learning

KnowledgeSkills

Skills in curricula internationallySingaporeHong KongCharacter developmentCommunication skillsSelf management skillsCritical thinkingSocial and cooperative skillsCreativityLiteracy and numeracyInformation technology skillsCommunication skillsNumeracyInformation skillsProblem solving skillsThinking skills and creativitySelf-management skillsKnowledge application skillsStudy skillsSkills set alongside subject areas of learning

Skills in the NIS curriculumCritical thinkingAbility to creatively apply knowledgeAbility to solve problems and make decisionsResearch skillsCommunication skillsAbility to work in groups and individuallyICT skills

Curriculum coherenceCurriculum coherence:a system is regarded as coherent when the national curriculum content, textbooks, teaching content, pedagogy, assessment and drivers and incentives all are aligned and reinforce one another Oates (2014)Curriculum coherence as a fundamental policy aimAll elements in a system should line upContent of curriculum frameworks, textbooks etc. should be arranged into an evidence-based age-related hierarchy

External summative assessment18

Assessment of knowledgeAssessment of applicationAnalysis and synthesis assess

International comparabilityCurriculum development processInforming approachInforming contentAssessment development processEnsuring standardsAiming for equivalency

Comparability study methodologyCurriculumMapping of learning objectives to identify areas of commonality and differencesQuestionnaire focusing on overall aims and content of programme of study

AssessmentCognitive demands of the question papers analysed, based on tool developed by Cambridge Assessment Research Division

Complexity refers to the complexity of each component operation or idea and the links between them. At its simplest (1) the learner as candidate in the external assessment has to perform simple operations (i.e. ideas/steps). No comprehension is required, except that of language. There are no links between operations. At its most demanding (4), synthesis or evaluation of operations is expected. The candidate needs to show technical comprehension and make links between operations.Resources refers to the use of data and information. At its simplest (1) all and only the data or information needed is given. At level 4, the candidate must generate all the necessary data or information themselves.Abstractness is the extent to which the candidate deals with ideas rather than concrete objects or phenomena. At a basic level (1) they need to deal with concrete objects and will not need technical terms. The most difficult questions (4) are highly abstract and require a grasp of technical terms.Response Strategy and Task Strategy concern the extent to which the candidate devises (or selects) and maintains a strategy for tackling and answering the question. At its simplest (1) the strategy for the answer is given and there is no need to monitor it to ensure that they are answering adequately. No selection of information or organisation is required. Level 4 questions demand that they devise their own strategy and monitor the application of that strategy to ensure completeness of answer. They must select content from a large, complex pool of information and must organise how to communicate their response.

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Comparability study conclusionThe main conclusion is that, although there are many differences of emphasis in the construction of the two, the academic level of both programmes is comparableit is clear that learners completing either course will achieve an equivalent level of skill and understanding.(Report on comparability of NIS G11 and 12 examinations for 2013)

Feedback from NIS studentsThe new curriculum enables to use the knowledge on practice***Language is a tool of communication, getting new useful information and broadening my mind, that is why when I study a new language and improve my language skills, I develop my individuality/character because I can find out something new through one of the three languages*** The programme enables to study independently***This curriculum allows learners to look for the information on constant basis, which makes you deepen the knowledge you get and cover every topic fully***When studying through the traditional programme we used to learn the rules by heart, whereas the Integrated Educational Programme helps us to learn everything on practice***We have the possibility to choose the subjects in High School***I have developed a strong immunity to different changes and innovations

Feedback from NIS teachersThis program enables learners to develop their independent learning skills and analytical skills, to defend their perspectives, to work in a team, to apply their knowledge in life and to develop their language and communication skills***It makes the learners broaden their mind and think critically***It allows teachers to use their creativity In lesson planning

Referenceswww.strategy2050.kz . , 1929Report on the comparability of NIS high school programmes and Cambridge International A levelsReport on the comparability of NIS G11 and G12 exams, 2013Report to UNESCO of the International Commission on Education for the Twenty-first Century LEARNING: THE TREASURE WITHIN, chaired by Jacques DelorsBruner, J. (1960) The process of education. Cambridge, Mass: Harvard University Press.Claxton, G. (1990) Teaching to learn: a direction for teaching. London: Cassell Education.Gipps, C. (1994) Beyond Testing: Towards a Theory of Educational Assessment. London: Falmer Press.Griffin, P. Blinkley M. Erstad, O. Herman, J Raizen, S. et al. (2012). Assessment and teaching of twenty-first century skills. Springer science and business media.Hattie, J. (2011) Visible Learning for Teachers: Maximizing Impact on Learning. London: Routledge.James, M. (2007) in Improving Learning How to Learn. Classroom, schools and networks. Improving learning series. Abingdon: Routledge.Milovanovitch, M. (2014) Reviews of National Policies for Education: Secondary Education in Kazakhstan. OECDOates, T. (2010) Could do better: Using international comparisons to refine the national curriculum in England. Cambridge: Cambridge AssessmentSchleicher, A. (Ed.) (2012) Retrieved from http://oecdeducationtoday.blogspot.fr/2014/04/educating-for-twenty-first-century.html Schmidt W & Prawat R 2006 Curriculum coherence and national control of education: issue or non-issue? Journal of Curriculum Studies vol38 no6 pp641-658