Evidence and International Assessment: Repercussions and Resonance (completed)

About the project

The research examined the repercussions and resonance of policy tools and instruments within national reform contexts, highlighting intended and unintended implications of international assessment, standards-based reform, research mapping and school audits.

Over the preceding years, Norwegian school authorities had shown a growing interest in legitimising programmes and decisions through evidence-informed policy. International studies such as PISA and TIMSS provided such evidence by comparing students’ competencies across countries. These studies served as a basis for developing quality indicators in national evaluation policy in Norway. There was also growing interest in adopting international policy tools, such as standards-based reform, research mapping, synthesis and school audits.

This research project explored the justifications for, and modifications of, emerging programmes and activities. It examined the repercussions and resonance of the new perspectives and tools in research and reform work in lower and upper secondary education. The project also examined the connections between research and policymaking and investigated Norwegian engagement in policy programmes at the European level.

The project was funded by the Faculty of Education in 2009, 2010 and 2015 through Supplement Research Funding for Smaller Research Projects.