Indagatio Didactica (Dec 2023)
Academic Results and Educational Service Provision: An Analysis of External Evaluation Reports in Portuguese Schools
Abstract
The promotion of educational success and particularly the assessment process are key aspects in the current educational research. This study is part of a larger research project “Assessment in Basic and Secondary Education: teachers´practices and conceptions of internal and external assessment in Portuguese schools”. The main goal of this study is to analyse the external evaluation reports of 16 schools in order to examine the “results” domain concerning academic success; to examine the “provision of educational services” domain regarding the monitoring of assessment; and to relate the assessment obtained in each domain with the operationalisation of the assessment process in each context. The schools were selected based on the results presented in the 2019 ranking. Therefore, 8 basic schools were chosen (4 with the highest rankings and 4 with the lowest rankings), as well as 8 secondary schools (4 with the highest rankings and 4 with the lowest rankings). The main findings show that when the evaluators rate the results domain as “very good” or “good” are presented the reduction of retention rates, results above average, completion rate above the national average, positive internal and external assessment results and no or residual school dropout. Regarding the common categories evaluated as good and very good in the field of educational service provision are mainly the supervision and analysis of student’s results, the analysis and comparison of internal and external ratings for reflection on results, the establishment of common assessment criteria and public assessment system for all stakeholders. The common categories concerning the operationalisation of assessment are the use of different instruments to assess and the use of formative assessment as the main modality. This study provides implications for educators, policymakers, and educational stakeholders, emphasising the need for a comprehensive and reflective approach to assessment practices to enhance overall educational outcomes.
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