(Originally published in The Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows Times, August 29, 2008)


Canada wins seven bronze and one gold at Education Olympics

By Katherine Wagner

Canada can be proud of the eight medals it won at the Education Olympics.

The Education Olympics?

Concurrent to the summer Olympics, the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, based in Washington, D.C., hosted the Education Olympics . Events revolved around four international measures, the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study ( TIMSS ), the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study ( PIRLS ), the Programme for International Student Assessment ( PISA ), and the Civic Education Study ( CIVED ).

Fifty-seven nations competed in 58 events, all designed to compare and contrast student performance in reading, mathematics, and science across developed and developing countries.

Canada scooped up seven bronze medals for PISA and PIRLS results. On the PIRLS literacy comprehension subtest our students (both boys and girls) tied with the Russian Federation for a gold medal.

PISA measures the ability of 15 year olds to apply their knowledge and skills. The test concentrates on assessing student preparedness for adult life. The last assessment was in 2006 and focused on science literacy.

PIRLS is a Grade 4 reading literacy assessment administered every five years. Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta, Nova Scotia and Quebec take part as individual provinces.

At the Beijing Olympics, Canada competed in 178 of the 302 events. At the Education Olympics, Canada entered 37 events.

TIMSS measures student progress in math and science at four-year intervals. Canada did not participate in 2003 and therefore could not take part in related Education Olympic events. Canada participated in the most recent TIMSS assessment ( 2007 ) and results will be released in December.

The CIVED study measures student knowledge, skills and attitudes in three areas: democracy; national identity and international relations; social cohesion and diversity. Twenty-three European countries, Hong Kong, Chile, Columbia, United States and Australia participated. In this category, the United States earned a gold medal (their only medal) at the Education Olympics. Canada did not participate in Phase 2 but hopefully will take part in a future study of this critical subject area.

Far and away, top medal winners at the Education Olympics were Finland with 35 and Hong Kong with 33. This domination has researchers scrutinizing their education systems for improvement ideas.

Just the word "assessment" causes most people's eyes to glaze over. Despite being a little gimmicky, the Education Olympics highlight the relevance of education results by presenting them in an attention-grabbing format.In reality, education assessment is a pretty big deal, but - like the Olympics - it only sporadically attracts attention (and controversy).

Unfortunately, in British Columbia that attention (and controversy) is stalled at the whether-or-not-we-should-even-bother-to-objectively-assess-the-effectiveness-of-our-education-system stage.

When there is little objective information available for citizens to deliberate, debate and digest, voters gradually pay less and less attention.

Assessment shows how well our education system is functioning. Assessment shows, as opposed to the preference for many public education administrators to simply tell. Usually they are telling us everything is, "as great as it can be in the absence of more money" (the "more" is rarely quantified either). Assessment provides a largely objective picture as opposed to the largely subjective view of education the public currently enjoys.

The August 27 edition of the Vancouver Sun reports on a recent Angus Reid survey asking respondents about issues and their voting intentions if the May 2009 provincial election were imminent.

The Sun lists the top eight issues (only in the print edition) voters consider when deciding who to vote for. I had to read the article twice, because I had trouble believing my eyes the first time - education was not mentioned (health care and the economy took the top spots by a wide margin).

If education doesn't make the leader board at the provincial level, we cannot expect more than the usual apathetic-after-thought voting for school trustees during province-wide municipal elections in November. An anticipated federal election this fall will further bump public education out of the attention sphere of British Columbians.

It is appallingly depressing because a healthy, vibrant education system requires public attention...lots and lots of public attention.

Assessment is not confined to an international test every few years. Assessment to improve student learning can, and to some extent does, take place at all levels within the education system.

Assessment data provides the means to align all education resources with student achievement. Properly done, the results of assessments provide students, parents, educators and the public with a clear view of where we are, so we can collectively and clearly see where we want to go.

It is something to consider as a new school year begins. A school year during which British Columbians will have the full attention of three levels of politicians seeking mandates.

Let the games begin.