Examining the influence of international large-scale assessments on national education policies

What is it about?

This paper examines whether, to what extent, and how international large-scale assessments (ILSAs) have influenced education policymaking at the national level. Based on an exploratory review of the research and policy literature on ILSAs and two surveys administered to educational policy experts, researchers, policymakers, and educators, our research found that ILSAs, with their multiple and ambiguous uses, increasingly function as solutions in search for the right problem – that is, they appear to be used as tools to legitimize educational reforms.

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Why is it important?

Because international large-scale assessments are often presented as establishing a direct and clear influence on national education policies

Perspectives