Statewide Exit Exams, Governance, and School Development: An International Comparison(18 Studies in International Comparative and Multicultural Education)

Table of Contents:
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 2.2.1 Qualification 2.2.2 Innovation 2.2.3 Motivation and commitment 2.2.4 Professional and school development Part I: Statewide Exit Exams as an Instrument of Outcomes-Based Governance 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 5.3.1 The school system as a multi-level system 5.3.2 Actors and actor constellations 5.3.3 Action coordination and managing interdependencies 5.3.4 New perspectives on the distinction of Governance and Steuerung 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 6.2.1 Description of goals 6.2.2 Evaluation of goal attainment 6.2.3 Application of data 6.3 The Relevance of Output Measurement in Different Governance Systems 6.3.1 Regime-focused governance framework 6.3.2 School-focused governance framework 6.3.3 Synthesis of the two frameworks 6.4 The Role of Outcome Measurement in Different Real Governance Systems 6.4.1 Finland: Legitimacy type with local empowerment 6.4.2 Ireland: Legitimacy type with school empowerment 6.4.3 Netherlands: School empowerment between legitimacy and efficiency 6.4.4 Germany: Bureaucracy type with quality control and inchoate school empowerment 6.5 Comparison and Summary Part II: Statewide Exit Exams as an Instrument for School Development 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 8.2.1 Nature of the feedback and its implementation 8.2.2 Processing of the data 8.3 Learning Schools as Learning Organizations 8.3.1 Schools as organizations 8.3.2 Leadership 8.3.3 Collaboration and professional learning communities 8.3.4 Stability and flexibility of organizational routines 8.4 Frameworks for the Analysis of Feedback Data Use in Schools 8.4.1 Factor-focused framework for feedback data use 8.4.2 Process-oriented frameworks for feedback data use 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 9.2.1 Instructional practice 9.2.2 Assessment standards 9.3 Organizational Learning in the Context of Statewide Exit Exams 9.3.1 Collaboration 9.3.2 Use of exam data 10 A Framework for Studying the Use of Statewide Exit Exams in Schools Part III: Statewide Exit Exams in Finland, Ireland, and the Netherlands - A Comparative Study of Exam Functions and Exam Utilization for School Development Processes 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 13.3.1 Sample I: Exam authorities 13.3.2 Sample II: School actors 13.4 Instruments 13.4.1 Qualitative instruments 13.4.2 Quantitative instruments 13.5 Analysis Procedure 14 Sub Study 1: Recontextualization of the Statewide Exit Exams 14.1 Intended Functions: Expert Interviews 14.1.1 Interview strategy and protocol 14.1.2 Analysis strategy 14.1.3 Structural limitations of the representation of political structures and intentions 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 19.1.1 Instrumental use of exam data 19.1.2 Organizational learning strategies in the context of the exams 19.1.3 Collaboration strategies 19.1.4 Specific characteristics of the countries 19.2 Teacher Collaboration at Department Level 19.3 Exam Use at Teacher Level 19.3.1 Perceived benefit of exam papers 19.3.2 Instrumental use: improvement and assessment 20 Use of the Exams in the Schools of the Finnish Sample 20.1 Instrumental Use and Organizational Learning Structures at School Level 20.1.1 Instrumental use of exam data 20.1.2 Organizational learning structures 20.1.3 The role of the municipalities 20.2 Organizational Learning Structures: Collaboration at Department Level 20.2.1 Collaboration in the context of the exams 20.3 Instrumental Use: Individual Level 20.3.1 Perceived benefit of the exam papers 20.3.2 Use of the exams for instructional development and student assessment 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 21.1.1 Instrumental use of exam data 21.1.2 Organizational learning structures 21.2 Organizational Learning Structures: Collaboration at Department Level 21.2.1 Collaboration in the context of the exams 21.3 Instrumental Use: Individual Level 21.3.1 Perceived benefit of the exam papers 21.3.2 Use of the exams for instructional development and student assessment 21.4 Summary and Discussion 22 Use of the Exams in the Schools of the Dutch Sample 22.1 Instrumental Use and Organizational Learning Structures at School Level 22.1.1 Instrumental use of centraal examen data 22.1.2 Organizational learning structures for handling the centraal examen. 22.1.3 Organizational learning structures for handling the schoolexamen 22.2 Organizational Learning Structures: Collaboration at Department Level 22.2.1 Collaboration in the context of the exams 22.3 Instrumental Use: Individual Level 22.3.1 Perceived benefit of the exam papers 22.3.2 Use of the exams for instructional development and student assessment 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 23.3.1 Perception of the benefits of exam papers 23.3.2 Use of the exams for improvement and assessment 23.4 Summary Part IV: Dimensions and Conditions of the Usage and Usability of Statewide Exit Exams 24 The Use of Statewide Exit Exams in the Context of the Research Questions 24.1 "Indigenized" Exam Systems 24.2 Diverted Attention 24.3 Actors and Actor Constellations 25 Theoretical and Practical Outcome and Further 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