EDUCATIONAL POLICY AND INTERNATIONAL ASSESSMENT: IMPLICATIONS FOR EDUCATIONAL ADMINISTRATION
| Pages | 150-159 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/eb009793 |
| Date | 01 February 1978 |
| Published date | 01 February 1978 |
| Author | FREDERICK P. FRANK,MURIEL MACKETT‐FRANK |
| Subject Matter | Education |
THE JOURNAL OF EDUCATIONAL ADMINISTRATION
VOLUME XVI, NUMBER 2 OCTOBER, 1978
EDUCATIONAL POLICY AND INTERNATIONAL
ASSESSMENT: IMPLICATIONS FOR EDUCATIONAL
ADMINISTRATION1
FREDERICK P. FRANK AND MURIEL MACKETT-FRANK
This work examines implications for educational administration of the International
Association for the evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) surveys.2 Major
implications discussed include productiveness of both international comparison and
international measures of educational achievement. Implications are also discussed in
terms of viability of the application of large scale sample survey data to decision making
within individual countries. Issues generated by the IEA studies are presented including:
(1) cultural relevance of test items; (2) ethnocentrism of test makers; (3) contributions
to comparative analysis; (4) cost effectiveness and feasibility; (5) potential descriptive value
to individual nations; (6) data interpretation; (7) relating data to micro policy issues;
(8) and potential for redefining concepts of educational achievement. It is concluded that
the work of educational administration must proceed with awareness of the hazards and
blessings of cross-sectional research for training, practice, and new research.
INTRODUCTION
The emergence of educational administration as an international
movement has produced an increased need for international communica-
tion and information exchange. The need to learn from and about the
educational systems of many nations through international comparison
and international self-examination is especially important in light of
continuing concerns for the disparity of educational opportunity within
and between culturally diverse industrialized and developing nations.
It is therefore particularly appropriate to give renewed consideration
to some aspects of an old question: How can educational administrators
learn more about educational systems and achievements within their own
countries as a result of learning about the educational systems and
achievements of other peoples and cultures? The work which prompts
and will inform this discussion is that of the International Association
for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA). Because the IEA
studies have provided new and rich international data on educational
achievement, they provide a timely source for renewed examination of
this question.
FREDERICK P. FRANK (Ph.D. State University of New York at Buffalo) is Associate
Professor of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, College
of Education, Northern Illinois University, Dekalb, Illinois, U.S.A.
MURIEL MACKETT-FRANK (Ph.D. The Ohio State University) is Assistant Professor
of Education, Departments of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies and Learning
and Development, College of Education, Northern Illinois University, Dekalb, Illinois,
U.S.A.
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