learningmetrics

LEARNING METRICS TASK FORCE

The Education for All (EFA) goals initiated in 1990 in Jomtien, Thailand demonstrated a commitment to meeting basic learning needs. This commitment was restated in 2000 in the Dakar Framework for Action, in which Goal 6 states; “Improving every aspect of the quality of education, and ensuring their excellence so that recognized and measurable learning outcomes are achieved by all, especially in literacy, numeracy and essential life skills.” Despite this global commitment, at least 250 million primary school age children around the world are not able to read, write or count well according to the 2013 EFA Global Monitoring report, including those who have spent at least four years in school.

The Learning Metrics Task Force (LMTF)was co-convened by UNESCO through its Institute for Statistics (UIS) and the Center for Universal Education (CUE) at the Brookings Institution in response to this need for improving learning outcomes globally.

LMTF conducted a worldwide consultation through education organisations, NGOs, Foundations, experts to arrive at a consensus on the following:

1. What learning is important for children and youth? 2. How should learning outcomes be measured? 3. How can measurement of learning outcome improve education quality?

LLF was one of the organisations that became a member of the sub-group from India. LLF’s interaction with the Learning Metrics Task Force began in June 2012.

The interaction was held in three phases. The first interaction, that was intentionally kept open ended was to determine areas of consensus and research, was to engage with a global community of education specialists to identify the learning end-goal by answering the question, what do all children and youth need to learn in order to succeed in the 21st century?

The first report from the task force, Toward Universal Learning: What Every Child Should Learn, presents a broad, holistic framework of seven learning domains, with various competencies in each, as the aspiration for all children and youth across the globe.

In Phase II of the project, the task force considered approaches for measuring and tracking progress in learning at the global and national levels – drawing on the framework elaborated by the first working group. The Measures and Methods Working Group comprised 57 experts in education and assessment, chaired by César Guadalupe, Lecturer and Researcher at Universidad delPacífico in Perú, helped to provide technical guidance and recommendations for the task force to consider.

On February 20-21, the working group presented its recommendations on this topic to the task force at a meeting in Dubai, UAE hosted by Dubai Cares.The phase II report was released and is available here: http://www.brookings.edu/research/reports/2013/07/global-framework-measuring-learning

In the final phase III,LLF was asked to consult within India on various ways in which assessments were being carried out and how these could be improved as well supported by the International bodies.

LLF decided to conduct an online consultation with senior educationists and policy makers who responded promptly to the questionnaire that was sent to them.

The task force has released the summary of its third and final report that is available here:http://www.brookings.edu/~/media/centers/universal%20education/learning%20metrics%20task%20force/august/phase%20iii%20consultation%20results_final.pdf

More such interactions are in the offing and when they take place, this space shall be updated.