A comparison of systems, part 2
Posted with permission of the AFT, http://www.aft.org
In contrast, the two exams that most commonly serve as a gateway to college
in the United States, the SAT and ACT, are not based on the curriculum
students study in school. The AP exams are based on AP curricula, but those
courses only last for a limited time, usually one year. Also, the courses
are not required as a prerequisite for taking the AP exams.
National Leadership and Local Autonomy
There are concerns in these foreign countries, as in the United States,
about the extent to which national leadership with respect to educational
standards and exams impinges upon local autonomy. Each country addresses
the issue in a different way. But in every one of these countries, the
national government plays some role in establishing or coordinating the
establishment of a publicly known, rigorous standard of achievement. In the
three countries highlighted - England and Wales, France and Germany -
before students can be admitted to universities, they are required to pass
certain exams that ministerial authorities ensure are pegged to a
comparable standard. Yet none of these countries has a single national test
that all college-bound students must take.
In England and Wales, France and Germany, students in various parts of each
country take exams that different governmental or government-monitored
organizations develop according to a national specification. Hence, for
these three countries, the "national" exam is actually a set of comparable
exams used by different regions.
In England and Wales and in France, the national ministries of education
have considerable control over the content and difficulty level of the
exams, though their development and administration is more decentralized.
In Germany, the national ministry plays a less prominent role in the
development of the Abitur. The ultimate responsibility for the exams lies
with each Land, and in most L+nder, teachers in every school play a
significant role in the development and grading processes.
In Japan, each university exercises its autonomy by developing its own set
of entrance exams, though the content of these exams reflects the national
curriculum. Japan does have a set of national exams - the UECE, produced by
university faculty on behalf of the Ministry of Education, Science and
Culture - that college-bound students may take, but only a portion of the
universities require students to take these exams. Only the universities'
individual entrance exams are required of all students aspiring to higher
education.
Narrowly Defined Versus Broad-Based Curricula for College-Bound Students
The caliber of these foreign exams and the corresponding pass rates may
lead one to wonder whether students in these countries are becoming
proficient in some subjects at the expense of others. Are students who
spend their time studying for these biology exams neglecting other
important subject areas?
In England and Wales, France and Japan, the national curricula ensure that
all students are exposed to challenging courses in core subject areas such
as language/literature, math, science and history. In Japan, the national
curriculum applies to students all the way through high school. In England
and Wales and in France, college-bound students begin to specialize and
narrow their focus upon entering the upper level of secondary schooling.
French students choose among 38 different baccalaureat tracks, each with
its own set of courses and exams, usually numbering between 7 and 10.
Students in all tracks, however, take courses and exams in some or all of
the core subjects previously mentioned. In England and Wales, those
studying for their A-levels normally limit their studies to three subject
areas in which they have chosen to be examined. Universities and
departments within universities have varied criteria on the number and
subjects of exams that must be passed by applicants.
In Germany, all gymnasium students are required to take certain core
courses all the way through secondary school, including their final two
years as they study for the Abitur exams. Students eventually choose four
subjects in which to take the exams, but they are required to take at least
one in each of three major curricular areas: language, literature and the
arts; social sciences; and math, science and technology. Course grades as
well as the exams are factored into each student's final Abitur score.
College-bound students in the United States are not required to take any
advanced subject-specific exams. The most common requirement of
college-bound students is that they have obtained a minimal number of
course credits - or Carnegie units - though this is not necessarily a
reliable indicator of their academic performance. Those who take AP exams
may do so in any subject in which the exams are offered, but there are no
government or university requirements in terms of subject areas or numbers
of exams to be taken.
To What Extent and at What Age Does Differentiation Occur?
The exams in this book are all taken by secondary school students who have
decided to continue their education in colleges and universities. Students
in each country make that choice at different ages, and the degree to which
they are separated from and involved in different coursework than
non-college-bound students varies from country to country.
The national curricula in England and Wales, France and Japan ensure that
all students up to a certain age are exposed to the same common core of
subject matter. In France, differentiation occurs at age 15, in England and
Wales at age 16. In both countries, students at those ages who want to
continue in school choose between college-preparatory and vocational
programs, and most take a series of examinations prior to entering those
programs.
In Japan, differentiation of another sort occurs at the end of lower
secondary school when students enter a competitive admissions process
(including exams) to attend the high schools of their choice. Though the
national curriculum is taught at all high schools, a clear hierarchy of
quality exists, and some schools have higher concentrations of
college-bound students than others.
Formal tracking takes place at the earliest age in Germany. In most L+nder,
when children have completed four years of school - usually at age 10 -
teachers and parents decide among three separate secondary routes, one of
which prepares students for university study. Each of the three tracks has
its own separate schools and curricula.
In the United States, no formal differentiation system exists in elementary
and secondary schools. With the exception of certain disabled or disruptive
students, all children attend comprehensive schools. However, grouping
students by performance or "ability" is commonly practiced within schools
at all levels, including elementary.
Chuck Beams
Fidonet - 1:2608/70
cbeams@future.dreamscape.com
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