Can international large-scale assessments inform a global learning goal? Insights from the learning metrics task force

Abstract

In recent years, the global community has developed a range of initiatives to inform the post-2015 global development agenda. In the education community, International Large-Scale Assessments (ILSAs) have an important role to play in advancing a global shift in focus to access plus learning. However, there are a number of other assessment tools that could also inform global progress in education and learning. By viewing ILSAs through the framework set forth by the Learning Metrics Task Force, this article examines the state of these assessments as the Millennium Development Goals are about to expire. It specifically reviews what the task force has learned about the scope for ILSAs to inform global learning. It also poses a series of questions that ask how the assessment of learning can ultimately lead to improvements in the learning outcomes of students.