This paper deals with the key issues of early school leaving and youth unemployment in Europe and takes a look at the causes and consequences of these problems. A summary of relevant early school leaving statistics and research studies which describe the situation in Austria is presented. Measures and initiatives to reduce early school leaving that have been implemented in Austria since the Lisbon 2000 Strategy are discussed along with the questions of whether, and if so which, EU policy documents have influenced Austrian measures to tackle early school leaving. The conclusion critically sums up the following relevant results: although many of the policies recommended by the EU have been implemented in Austria, many preventive measures are also still outstanding. These include, for example, the continued lack of (tertiary level) training for kindergarten teachers and the failure to introduce comprehensive schools. The call for the latter was not met by Austrias' introduction of so-called new middle schools, a workaround which has not led to a reduction in social inequalities in educational pathways. The supra-company apprenticeship training concept is a positive development, since it reaches some of the countrys' early school leavers. (authors' abstract)

Despite the recent calls made by scholars in the evaluation field regarding the importance of evaluation policy and its influence on evaluation practice, there remains a lack of empirical evidence pertaining to the relationship between evaluation policy and evaluation capacity building (ECB). This study sought to explore the role of evaluation policy in building, or in impeding, organizational capacity to do and use evaluation. Through three interconnected studies—a review of an extensive sample of evaluation policies; interviews with scholars and practitioners from Canada, the United States, and Europe; and focus groups held with evaluation community members in Jordan and Turkey—the research identified a set of 10 categories of evaluation policy and proceeded to develop and validate an ecological framework depicting the relationship between evaluation policy and organizational capacity to do and use evaluation. The findings suggest that the role of evaluation policy in building organizational capacity for evaluation is moderated by a number of variables operating at the contextual, organizational and individual levels and that an in-depth understanding of the dynamic, unfolding and ongoing connections between ECB, on the one hand, and the broader social, economic, political and cultural systems associated with an organization, on the other, is essential in focusing ECB efforts. While the findings reveal that the role of evaluation policy in leveraging organizational evaluation capacity has been limited, they also show some evidence that if an evaluation policy is carefully designed to privilege learning as a central and desirable function of evaluation it will be more likely to have a positive influence on the organizational capacity to do and use evaluation. The investigation helps to advance understanding of these connections and provides some insight into the components of evaluation policies and the role that they might play in shaping the future of evaluation practice. This thesis makes an important contribution to the body of knowledge on organizational evaluation capacity. Although much has been published in the evaluation literature on ECB, its relationship to evaluation policy has not been explored or described based on empirical data. The main practical implication of the research is the possibility for organizations seeking to develop evaluation policies that are ECB-oriented to use the ecological framework and the set of evaluation policy categories as guides. Similarly, organizations that are seeking to review and update their current policies to make them more ECB-friendly stand to benefit in this way. Future research may focus on expanding the scope of the framework and its applicability for different types of organizations in different contexts. Finally, it is argued that the development of policies designed to promote learning is a necessary step towards the advancement of evaluation practice.

Thesis (PhD.(Education)) --University of Limpopo, 2010 / The purpose of this study was to critique the level of influence the Whole School Evaluation (WSE) policy framework had on the quality of teaching and learning in the Limpopo Province schools. Limpopo Province comprises of five districts with different learner performance levels. At the time when this study was conducted Sekhukhune District had the worst learner performance results followed by Mopani. Up to the early 1990s schools in South Africa became sites of struggle against Apartheid, as most citizens rejected a system of government that was characterized by inequality (Seedat, 2004:190). As a result (Herselman & Hay, 2002: 239), many schools in South Africa, including those in Limpopo Province were destroyed morally and physically to the level of becoming less productive and some totally dysfunctional. The WSE policy is a mechanism that was developed to address the above problem. In addition, among others, the WSE policy was aimed at the development of a collaborative approach that would enable a school (individually or as a cluster) to deliver, quality services to the community , including the improvement of circumstances in schools that could create conditions for the facilitation of quality education within a particular given school period. All schools in Limpopo Province were made aware of the WSE policy framework and how it was implemented. As early as 2003 the Quality Assurance Directorate ensured that all schools had the relevant material and policy documents for implementing WSE. Circuit Managers, School Principals and three educators per school were subjected to an intensive training programme on how WSE policy framework is implemented. The empirical research was done through the observation of educators and learners within their schooling environment, perusal of primary and secondary documents and interviewing of the policy implementing agents, i.e. the Principals, Educators and Circuit Managers. The study: • Indicated that there is a serious problem to implement WSE policy in schools; • Exposed school managers, SMTs and educators` incompetence to comply with the prescription of the policy; • Revealed the inhibitors of the effective implementation of WSE process; • Aroused the awareness to the researcher of the operational discord that was experienced by the schools that had a problem in complying with the WSE policy requirements. • Some schools were reluctant to comply with the prescripts of the policy. • Schools had their School Improvement Plans (SIPs), School Development Plans (SDPs) and Academic Performance Improvement Plans (APIPs) but their day-to-day operations in no way showed compliance to what was put on the improvement document as their operational guide. Furthermore, the study clearly argue that quality education can only exist in situations where school communities and education officials are equally striving at reconciling the complex and dynamic relationships that exist between the learner, the centre of learning or school, the broader education system and the social, political and economic context of which they are part. The study developed, on completion, a full programme that can clearly show elements in our education system the negatively impacts on the desired progress, based on the findings in the Limpopo Province. In conclusion, the study revealed challenges that impacted negatively on the implementation of the WSE policy framework in the Limpopo Province Schools. As a way forward strategies were suggested that if complied with the WSE policy framework could be successfully implemented and quality teaching and learning enhanced.

Four different case management programs delivered by UnitingCare Community Options (UCCO) in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne were examined against the expectations of case management as a policy solution to a range of perceived policy problems at the micro-, meso- and macro-levels. The micro-level expectations were related to client and family experiences of the service system and outcomes. At the meso-level expectations were focused on perceived service delivery problems such as poor matching of services to the needs of ‘complex’ clients including a lack of integration, flexibility and responsiveness to clients’ needs and preferences. Perceived macro-level policy problems were concerned with a variety of issues including increasing rates of institutionalisation, increasing costs to governments, lack of economic efficiency and the desire to create market or quasi-market conditions in the community care service delivery sector. (For complete abstract open document)

The concept of behavioural additionality, which was originally associated with the question of 'what difference does policy make in the behaviour of the firms it supports?', has increasingly been used by scholars, evaluators and policy-makers not only in the field of evaluation of innovation policies but also within the context of fundamental discussions of policy rationales. A survey of the evaluation literature concludes that the concept lacks a clear definition and theoretical background as it does not have a unit of analysis. An empirical analysis of the current practice of innovation policy evaluation endorses this finding and outlines the uniqueness of behavioural additionality in terms of its evaluation. A survey of policy discussions around the concept reveals that behavioural additionality has been argued as the hallmark of an evolutionary view in respect of innovation policy. However, the thesis suggests that the concept also lacks an appropriate framework of analysis to accomplish this.The thesis argues that behavioural additionality should be redefined by using the concept of organisational routines as the unit of analysis and the evolutionary approach as the framework of analysis. To this end, a theoretical and generic approach that conceives behavioural additionality as the government-influenced evolution of organisational routines at the micro, meso and macro levels is devised. The thesis unfolds how behavioural additionality is created by reinforcing ostensive, performative and artefact aspects of routines within firms. The possibility, rationale and evaluation of behavioural additionality are also discussed. Empirically, the thesis applies a plausibility probe that employs two case studies of Turkish TIDEB and British Collaborative R&D programmes to illustrate the micro level of the approach developed.It is concluded that the proposed approach provides a better theoretical understanding for behavioural additionality, which would increase its impact on policy-making. This new approach also represents a concrete attempt to utilise the framework and unit of analysis of the evolutionary approach in the field of evaluation for the first time.

When teachers are new to a school, they must make sense of policies within a new context. In this horizontal comparative case study, I analyze interview data from three teachers in North Carolina taken at two points in a school year to explore how new teachers make sense of and respond to teacher evaluation policy. Study participants framed the evaluation problem around the extent to which school-level enactment focused on assessment. Teachers demonstrated the following reform typologies in response to their sensemaking around evaluation policy: Assimilation, Adaptation, and Avoidance. When new to a school, teachers are expected to follow the same policies and processes as teachers who have long operated in that school's policy context. So, new-to-the-school teachers must reconcile new-to-them policies with their personal preconceptions of practice in an entirely new context. Teacher evaluation policies outline what is valued in teaching by delineating and measuring those values. So, it is worth considering how teacher perceptions of evaluation may influence their practice and career choices, particularly teachers trying to balance such valuation with their daily work in an unfamiliar context. This case study of three teachers in North Carolina utilizes sensemaking theory and problem framing to explore the question, how do teachers who are new to a school make sense of and respond to teacher evaluation policy?

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No. of bitstreams: 1 santos_ue_me_prud.pdf: 1380125 bytes, checksum: f58bfadda930980bdbc7f867be2bc277 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-08-25 / A presente dissertação, desenvolvida junto ao Programa de Pós Graduação em Educação da Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia/ Universidade Estadual Paulista (FCT/UNESP), encontra-se vinculada à linha de pesquisa “Formação dos Profissionais da Educação, Políticas Educativas e Escola Pública”, teve como objeto de análise as percepções dos docentes de uma escola municipal acerca de avaliações externas e em larga escala. O atual cenário da avaliação em nosso país tem suscitado vários debates entre especialistas, educadores e gestores com o objetivo de se buscar resultados que possam nortear as políticas educacionais. Tais debates apresentam discussões e análises sobre diversos tipos de avaliação: institucional, da aprendizagem, avaliação externa, em larga escala, entre outros. Nessa pesquisa, nosso foco foram as percepções dos professores acerca avaliações externas e em larga escala. O objetivo geral dessa pesquisa foi investigar e analisar como as avaliações externas e em larga escala são compreendidas pelos docentes e suas possíveis repercussões na orientação da organização do trabalho pedagógico em sala de aula, passando pela análise das percepções sobre avaliação externa e em larga escala dos docentes, com reflexão dos seus posicionamentos diante dessas, além de identificar as principais práticas docentes advindas dessas avaliações. Para isso, realizamos, em uma abordagem qualitativa, pesquisa bibliográfica, realização, transcrição e análise de entrevistas semiestruturadas. Na pesquisa bibliográfica, fizemos levantamento e análise de dissertações, teses, artigos, livros e trabalhos científicos que tinham as avaliações externas e em larga escala como objeto de estudo. Na pesquisa documental, analisamos documentos produzidos pelo Ministério da Educação, pela Secretaria Estadual de Educação de São Paulo e Municipal de Presidente Prudente, com o intuito de traçar um panorama histórico acerca dessas avaliações, assim como de identificar as concepções e pressupostos delas ao longo de suas quase três décadas de existência. Para a coleta de dados realizamos entrevistas semiestruturadas com nove docentes de uma escola municipal de Presidente Prudente, que atende alunos da pré-escola até o quinto ano do ensino fundamental. Os resultados da pesquisa indicaram que essas avaliações não têm permeados processos de formação condizente com a política de avaliação externa e em larga. Outra implicação trazida para os professores são: alterar sua metodologia de ensino e buscar outras práticas paralelas com o que está determinado em seus planos de ensino, mesmo sem orientações pedagógicas externas, não há uma análise coletiva dos resultados dessas avaliações. Identificamos, ainda, que essas avaliações têm trazido práticas antidemocráticas para a sala de aula: estreitamento curricular, pressão sobre o desempenho dos alunos e a preparação para os testes, precarização da formação do professor e destruição moral do professor e do aluno, mesmo que identificada de forma bem simbólica, em nossa pesquisa. / The present dissertation, developed with the Graduate Program in Education of the Faculty of Science and Technology / Universidade Estadual Paulista (FCT / UNESP), is linked to the research line "Training of Education Professionals, Educational Policies and Public School" , Had as an object of analysis the perceptions of the teachers of a municipal school about external evaluations and in large scale. The current scenario of evaluation in our country has aroused several debates among specialists, educators and managers with the aim of seeking results that may guide educational policies. These debates present discussions and analyzes on various types of evaluation: institutional, learning, external evaluation, large scale, among others. In this research, our focus was external and large-scale evaluations. The general objective of this research was to investigate and analyze how external and large-scale evaluations are understood by teachers and their possible repercussions on the orientation of the organization of the pedagogical work in the classroom, through the analysis of the perceptions about external and large-scale evaluation of the with reflection of their positions before them, as well as identifying the main teaching practices coming from these assessments. Given this, having as a methodological reference a qualitative approach, undertaking bibliographical and documentary research. In the bibliographic research, we made a survey and analysis of dissertations, theses, articles, books and scientific works that had the external evaluations and in large scale as object of study. In documentary research, we analyze documents produced by the Ministry of Education, the State Department of Education of São Paulo and Municipal of Presidente Prudente, in order to draw a historical panorama about these evaluations, as well as to identify their conceptions and assumptions throughout Its almost three decades of existence. For the data collection, we conducted semi-structured interviews with nine teachers from a municipal school in Presidente Prudente, which serves students from the preschool to the fifth year of elementary school. The analysis of the data was made based on the theoretical framework adopted, based on the elaboration of categories of analysis. The results of the research indicated that these evaluations do not permeate training processes in line with the external evaluation policy and, as has been the case, for example, in the public schools of the São Paulo state education network, these evaluations imply that teachers In changing their teaching methodology and seeking other practices parallel to what is determined in their teaching plans, even without external pedagogical guidelines, there is no collective analysis of the results of these assessments. We also identify that these evaluations have brought some practices, criticized by several authors in the area: curriculum narrowing, pressure on student performance and preparation for tests, precarious teacher training and moral destruction of teacher and student, even if identified In a very symbolic way, in our research.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-27T14:31:58Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Regina L L Santos.pdf: 1032917 bytes, checksum: a67abef769af21d4155b1741fc8a404a (MD5) Previous issue date: 2007-05-16 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The present paper aims to analyze critically the different documental sources that refer to SAEB Sistema Nacional de Avaliação da Educação Básica ( National System for Evaluation of Basic Education). It tries to question and makes suggestions that contribute to the building of an alternative educational evaluation policy which opposes SAEB, taking into account its limitations to show the quality of Basic Education in Brazil. A qualitative theoretical documental survey was done. Discourse analysis elements were used based on fundamental data sources such as: official documents, educational articles in Journals, newspapers articles. Our analysis was based on some contributions of theoreticians who have a critical stand. This paper highlights that SAEB s policy represents a step back concerning the theoretical advance in the field of educational evaluation, which is worrying if its influence on evaluative policy of States and Municipals is taken into account. This paper detected that there are questionings and even some suggestions to SAEB. This paper evidenced that the logic of the examination gets stronger day by day which requires a reflection-action of the subjects that were committed to a perspective of evaluation that considered the complexity of the educative process / O presente estudo tem como objetivo básico a análise crítica de diferentes fontes documentais que tratam do Sistema Nacional de Avaliação da Educação Básica (SAEB) buscando questionamentos e proposições que contribuam para a construção de uma política de avaliação educacional alternativa, que se contraponha ao referido sistema, considerando suas limitações para retratar a qualidade da Educação Básica no Brasil. Realizamos uma pesquisa qualitativa de caráter teórico, documental, usando elementos da análise do discurso e que teve como fontes fundamentais de dados documentos oficiais, artigos em periódicos educacionais e artigos de jornais. Buscamos a contribuição de teóricos de linha crítica para fundamentar nossa análise. Evidenciamos que uma política como o SAEB representa um atraso em relação ao avanço teórico no campo da avaliação educacional, o que é preocupante considerando sua influência nas políticas avaliativas de estados e municípios. Verificamos que existem questionamentos e algumas proposições ao referido sistema. Constatamos que a lógica do exame se fortalece a cada dia, demandando a reflexão-ação de sujeitos que se comprometam com uma perspectiva de avaliação que considere a complexidade do processo educativo

Oil palm has flourished as an economically vital crop in Indonesia given its use in both food and non-food products (including biodiesel) for domestic and export markets. However, the expansion of oil palm plantations in Indonesia is controversial. While the crop generates fiscal earnings for the country, and regular income streams for farmers and companies, oil palm plantation expansion is claimed to cause deforestation, environmental degradation and biodiversity losses. At the same time, there is a national target to reduce GHG emissions from land use change and the production of palm oil. Climate change mitigation goals also include ambitious targets to blend biodiesel with fossil diesel in various economic sectors. This thesis looks at the palm oil agro-industry, from oil palm plantation to crude palm oil (CPO) production, and CPO based biodiesel production. It proposes a policy evaluation to verify policy implications in relation to the issue of land use allocation, and the poor profitability in palm oil biodiesel production. The overarching objective is to evaluate the effectiveness of prevailing policies used to promote the palm oil agro-industry for biodiesel production in Indonesia. The thesis is framed by policy research and ex-post policy evaluation. The focus is on the process of policy formulation and implementation, rather than outcome evaluation. Two specific analytical frameworks are used to answer the research questions while addressing the criteria of effectiveness in policy evaluation: (i) policy coherence analysis and (ii) life cycle cost analysis. Qualitative indicators are used to measure the coherence of biofuel policy with other sectoral policies (agriculture, climate and forestry) in relation to land allocation. Quantitative economic indicators are used to compare the costs and benefits of conventional palm oil biodiesel production with a biorefinery conceptual plant. There are valuable lessons to be learnt from this policy evaluation. The results indicate areas in which policy effectiveness can be improved. For land allocation, adjustments and improvements in policy formulation and implementation are crucial. Uncertainties when it comes to the allocation of land to meet multi sectoral policy goals are to be addressed by clarifying land use definitions and categories, which should be backed up by consistent land use definitions in various policy documents. The dual land classification presently applied should move towards a single land classification, linking actual landscape coverage and the legal status of the land. Policy information and guidance across sectoral policies should be compiled in a single database. Such a publicly available database would help enhance the efficiency of land allocation for multiple policy purposes. More importantly, the formulation of biodiesel policy has to engage various sectoral policies that compete for the same resources. The biorefinery conceptual plant allows the reduction of government subsidies, while also providing a pathway to enhance the use of renewable energy and reduce GHG emissions. Policies have been designed to enhance plant profits through the improved utilisation of biomass residues in the palm oil mill for energy generation and composting. However, the low implementation rate of policies indicates the need to improve the effectiveness of policy implementation, and therefore the need for better monitoring processes, and possibly more stringent consequences for non-compliance. / <p>QC 20180223</p>

Ricerca sperimentale sulla valutazione della performance nei servizi pubblici. Il lavoro è articolato in due parti: nella prima, dopo una ricognizione internazionale della letteratura e delle principali esperienze della misurazione, gestione e valutazione della performance, viene costruito e argomentato un framework sperimentale per la valutazione della performance dei network pubblici. La seconda sezione presenta uno studio di caso sperimentale per validare il framework. Lo studio di caso ha in oggetto il policy network per la gestione del PTDAR dei pazienti con lesione midollare. Viene considerato come network il territorio regionale e unità di analisi è collocata a livello micro in un unità dipartimentale: Unità Spinale Unipolare. Il framework risulta consistente e promettente per la valutazione dei policy network per le cure integrate. / Experimental case study design for the performance evaluation of health care public services. The thesis is broken down into two main parts: the first part deals with the performance framework construction wherein the international theoretical literature and experiences realized are retrieved and discussed. The second part deliveries an experimental case study design to validate the framework proposed. The case studies focuses on the integrated care pathway for persons whit spinal cord injury/dysfunction. The policy network sets out the Regional policy making and the unity of analysis is a Spinal Unit specialized centre. The framework proved to be consistent and adapted for evaluating policy network for integrated care.