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Reasons for Participation in International Large-Scale Assessments

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International Handbook of Comparative Large-Scale Studies in Education

Part of the book series: Springer International Handbooks of Education ((SIHE))

Abstract

International large-scale assessments (ILSAs) are attracting global attention, but examining reasons for this sharp increase in demand is an under-explored area. Drawing on key concepts in policy borrowing research, this chapter synthesizes key explanations why ILSAs are so attractive to policy makers. From a demand side perspective, ILSAs captivate countries by projecting as follows: (i) the comparative advantage of numbers over narratives, (ii) the quest for a credible source of information in an era marked by a surplus of evidence, (iii) the weak link between national curriculum and some ILSAs, and as (iv) transnational accreditation of public education. On the supply side, two brand-new developments are identified: (i) the preoccupation with linking test accountability to “education is in crisis” and (ii) new ILSA derivative tools that urge countries to reconsider partial and non-participation. In the age of ILSA expansion and test-based accountability, countries are saturated in a surplus of assessments; yet, the predominant policy advice remains singular, and countries are discouraged from alternative non-standardized paths for measuring learning.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Education, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an, People’s Republic of China

    Ji Liu

  2. Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA

    Gita Steiner-Khamsi

Authors
  1. Ji Liu
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  2. Gita Steiner-Khamsi
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Correspondence to Gita Steiner-Khamsi .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Oslo, Blindern, Oslo, Norway

    Trude Nilsen

  2. IEA Hamburg, Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany

    Agnes Stancel-Piątak

  3. University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden

    Jan-Eric Gustafsson

Section Editor information

  1. University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway

    Sigrid Blömeke

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Liu, J., Steiner-Khamsi, G. (2021). Reasons for Participation in International Large-Scale Assessments. In: Nilsen, T., Stancel-Piątak, A., Gustafsson, JE. (eds) International Handbook of Comparative Large-Scale Studies in Education. Springer International Handbooks of Education. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-38298-8_5-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-38298-8_5-1

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