Emilio Porta

Using the Oaxaca-Blinder Decomposition Technique to Analyze Learning Outcomes Changes Over Time: An Application to Indonesia's Results in PISA Mathematics

The Oaxaca-Blinder technique was originally used in labor economics to decompose earnings gaps and to estimate the level of discrimination. It has been applied since in other social issues, including education, where it can be used to assess how much of a gap is due to differences in characteristics (explained variation) and how much is due to policy or system changes (unexplained variation). The authors apply the decomposition technique in an effort to analyze the increase in Indonesias score in PISA mathematics. Between 2003 and 2006, Indonesias score increased by 30 points, or 0.3 of a standard deviation. The test score increase is assessed in relation to family, student, school and institutional characteristics. The gap over time is decomposed into its constituent components based on the estimation of cognitive achievement production functions. The decomposition results suggest that almost the entire test score increase is explained by the returns to characteristics, mostly related to student age. However, the authors find that the adequate supply of teachers also plays a role in test score changes.

The effects of delaying tracking in secondary school: evidence from the 1999 education reform in Poland

ABSTRACT Delaying tracking, extending students’ exposure to a general academic education and increasing their time on task on basic competences (reading, mathematics) could improve academic outcomes. To test the hypothesis that delayed vocational streaming improves academic outcomes, this paper analyzes Polands significant improvements in international achievement tests and the restructuring of the system which expanded general schooling. Estimates using propensity-score matching and difference-in-differences estimates show that delaying vocational education and increasing time on task have a positive and significant impact on student performance on the order of a standard deviation.

The Jordan education initiative : a multi-stakeholder partnership model to support education reform

The Jordan Education Initiative, launched in 2003 under the umbrella of the World Economic Forum, is a public-private partnership, or multi-stakeholder partnership, that integrates information and communication technologies into the education process as a tool for teaching and learning in grades 1-12. This initiative fits within the ongoing reform of the education system in Jordan that began in the 1990s. The Jordan Education Initiatives main objective is to help Jordanian students develop critical knowledge economy skills crucial for competitiveness and economic growth. The Initiative also seeks to build the capacity of the local information technology industry for the development of innovative learning solutions, and to build a sustainable model of reform supported by the private sector that could be scaled nationally and replicated in other developing countries.

Saint Kitts and Nevis Education Management Information System

The Education Management Information System (EMIS) in St. Kitts and Nevis is part of the Education Planning Division of the Ministry of Education. It functions in collaboration with the Chief Education Officer and other education officers. Four key objectives of St. Kitts EMIS have been established: collect and analyze educational data; inform policymakers; provide feedback to stakeholders; and monitor and support schools. This report includes the following headings: facilities and equipment, EMIS staff, EMIS data, data collection, data processing, and publications.

The Commonwealth of Dominica Education Management Information System

Dominica is transitioning from a paper-based Education Management Information System (EMIS) to a fully computerized system. The new, fully computerized system will: facilitate information-based planning and decision-making, reduce the costs associated with the paper-based EMIS, provide multipoint access for data users, facilitate easy transmission of data to regional and international agencies, and foster efficient collection, analysis and reporting. This report includes the following headings: facilities and equipment, EMIS staff, EMIS data, data collection, data processing, and publications.

Generating and Interpreting Output Tables and Graphs

This chapter provides detailed descriptions of the ADePT Edu output. It also presents the formulas for calculating the various indicators and explains how to interpret the indicators. ADePT Edu produces two types of tables, which appear as formatted Excel spreadsheets.1 Output information tables include tables of contents, lists of errors and warnings, and variable settings. Indicator tables provide information on school participation, school progression, school attainment, education expenditures, and labor market outcomes (table 4.1). Indicators are disaggregated by the following characteristics: