MIDDLE YEARS INFORMATION SYSTEM (MIDYIS): CHALLENGES AND CHANGES

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INTRODUCTION

This study aims to explore the feasibility of adapting an existing monitoring system developed in the United Kingdom, to the South African context. Quality in education has, once again, become a key focus point for governments, as highlighted by international studies, such as the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS), Monitoring Learning Achievement (MLA) and Southern Africa Consortium for Monitoring Educational Quality (SACMEQ). The international studies, such as TIMSS and PIRLS, shed light on performance in reading and mathematics and seem to encourage governments to address issues relating to literacy, mathematics, and quality of education more broadly.

South African education context

South Africa is located at the southern tip of the African continent and has a total land area of more than 1.2 million square kilometres. Several countries border South Africa, namely: Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Swaziland, and Mozambique. There are approximately 46, 9 million people living in South Africa. South Africa is a multi-lingual country, recognising eleven official languages, namely: Afrikaans, English, isiNdebele, isiXhosa, isiZulu, Sepedi, Sesotho, Setswana, SiSwati, Tshivenda and Xitsonga (International Marketing Council of South Africa, 2005).

The South African education system

Twelve million learners are currently enrolled in approximately 29 000 public schools throughout the country (Garson, 2005). Twenty-four percent of schools can be found in Eastern Cape, while a further 22% and 16% are located in Kwa-Zulu Natal and Limpopo respectively (see Table 1.1 for more detail). The structure of school education in South Africa comprises three bands. The first band is the General Education and Training (GET) Band that encompasses compulsory education. Compulsory education comprises Grade R, which is the reception year, as well as Grade 1 – Grade 9.

National revised curriculum statement

Policy, as well as curriculum change in post-apartheid South Africa started immediately after the election in 1994. Changes to the curriculum included a process of syllabus revision and subject rationalisation: laying the foundations for a single national core syllabus. The national curriculum for Grades R-9 was first published in October 1997, and was introduced into schools in 1998. The new curriculum was named Curriculum 2005 to indicate the year in which the curriculum should be fully implemented. Outcomes-based education (OBE) forms the core of the new curriculum.

Acknowledgements
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Introduction
1.2 South African education context
1.2.1 The South African education system
1.2.2 National revised curriculum statement
1.2.3 Assessment policies
1.3 Key concepts
1.3.1 Quality in education
1.3.2 Monitoring in education
1.3.3 Value-added assessment as a monitoring mechanism
1.4 Policies on monitoring quality in education
1.5 Research problem in context
1.6 Structure of the dissertation
CHAPTER 2 MONITORING QUALITY EDUCATION: REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE 2
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Monitoring systems in education
2.2.1 Characteristics of monitoring systems
2.2.2 The ZEBO-project in the Netherlands
2.2.3 The Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) data project in Australia
2.2.4 The ABC+ model in the United States of America
2.3 Comparison of selected monitoring systems
2.4 Value-added monitoring systems
2.4.1 Value-added monitoring systems in the United Kingdom
2.4.2 Value-added monitoring systems in the United States
2.4.3 Concluding remarks regarding value-added monitoring systems
2.5 Ability as a predictor of academic success
2.6 The relevance of skills and abilities against the backdrop of curriculum
2.7 Factors influencing performance
2.8 Conclusion
CHAPTER 3 CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK FOR THE STUDY
3.1 Introduction
3.2 School effectiveness models
3.3 Scheeren’s model for school effectiveness research
3.4 Model for monitoring education in South Africa
3.4.1 The context
3.4.2 Input indicators
3.4.3 Process indicators
3.4.4 Output indicators
3.5 Specific research questions
3.6 Conclusion
CHAPTER 4 MIDDLE YEARS INFORMATION SYSTEM (MIDYIS): CHALLENGES AND CHANGES
4.1 Introduction
4.2 MidYIS in the United Kingdom
4.3 The MidYIS instruments
4.3.1 The MidYIS Scales
4.3.2 The vocabulary sub-test
4.3.3 The mathematics sub-test
4.3.4 The proof reading sub-test
4.3.5 The perceptual speed and accuracy sub-test
4.3.6 The cross-sections sub-test
4.3.7 The block counting sub-test
4.3.8 The pictures sub-test
4.3.9 Extended MidYIS
4.4 Feedback provided by the MidYIS project
4.4.1 Nationally standardised feedback
4.4.2 Band profile graphs
4.4.3 Predictions to Key Stage 3 and GCSE
4.4.4 Chances graphs
4.4.5 Value-added feedback
4.5 Evaluation of the MidYIS project and relevance for South Africa
4.6 Summary and adaptations to enhance MidYIS for South Africa
4.7 Conclusion
CHAPTER 5 RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS
5.1 Introduction
5.1.1 The development of pragmatism
5.1.2 Rationale for working within a pragmatist paradigm
5.2 Design issues
5.3 Methodology
5.3.1 Sample
5.3.2 Instruments
5.3.2.1 Assessment instrument
5.3.2.2 Questionnaires
5.3.2.3 Interview schedules
5.3.3 Validity issues related to the instruments
5.3.3.1 Validation of assessment instrument
5.3.3.2 Validation of the questionnaires
5.3.4 Data collection
5.3.4.1 Document analysis
5.3.4.2 Evaluation reports
5.3.4.3 National-level data collection
5.3.4.4 Provincial level data collection
5.3.4.5 School-level data collection
5.3.5 Data analysis
5.3.5.1 Analysis of documents
5.3.5.2 Analysis of qualitative data
5.3.5.3 Analysis of assessment data
5.3.5.4 Analysis of contextual data
5.3.5.5 Building an exploratory model using assessment and contextual data
5.3.6 Research procedures
5.4 Ethical issues
5.5 Methodological constraints
5.6 Conclusion
CHAPTER 6 THE CONTENT–RELATED VALIDITY OF THE MIDYIS ASSESSMENT
6.1 Introduction
6.2 Exploring the curriculum validity of the MidYIS assessment
6.2.1 Perspectives from National and Provincial Departments of Education
6.2.2 The language learning area
6.2.3 The mathematics learning area
6.2.4 Exploring possible suggestions for the revision of MidYIS
6.3 Exploring the content validity of the MidYIS assessment
6.4 Conclusion
CHAPTER 7 THE CONSTRUCT-RELATED VALIDITY AND RELIABILITY OF THE MIDYIS ASSESSMENT
7.1 Introduction
7.2 Participant characteristics
7.3 Elaborating on construct validity
7.3.1 Investigating construct validity by means of Rasch analysis
7.3.1.1 Vocabulary sub-test
7.3.1.2 Mathematics sub-test
7.3.1.3 Proof reading sub-test
7.3.1.4 Perceptual speed and accuracy sub-test
7.3.1.5 Cross-sections sub-test
7.3.1.6 Block counting sub-test
7.3.1.7 Pictures sub-test
7.3.2 Conclusions drawn from the Rasch analyses
7.4 Exploring the reliability of the MidYIS assessment
7.5 Exploring relationships between MidYIS scores and academic achievement
7.6 Conclusion
CHAPTER 8 FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE PERFORMANCE ON MIDYIS
8.1 Introduction
8.2 Preparation for model building
8.2.1 Identifying variables to be explored with multilevel analyses
8.2.2 Approach to model building
8.3 The results of the multilevel analyses
8.3.1 The null model
8.3.2 The learner, classroom, school-level model
8.4 Conclusion
CHAPTER 9 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
9.1 Introduction
9.2 Summary of the research
9.3 Discussion and reflection
9.3.1 Methodological reflections
9.3.2 Reflection on this research in of light school effectiveness research
9.3.3 Contribution to scientific and practical knowledge
9.4 Recommendations
9.4.1 Recommendations and issues regarding monitoring systems
9.4.2 Recommendations and issues regarding policy
9.4.3 Recommendations for further research
9.5 The role of feedback and intervention
9.6 Conclusion
REFERENCES