Experimental decision-making and responsive accountability. The need for a comprehensive and differentiated evaluation of schooling

Abstract

Educationists cannot escape accountability. They should concentrate on shaping it in a way that everyday practice can benefit from it. Such attempts should be supported by evaluators developing more adequate methods. If, however, the public and its representatives insist on simplistic measures for the success of schooling, defensiveness rather than improvement will be the answer. In this paper the elements for a more responsive accountability system and the respective strengths and shortcomings of different evaluation approaches are analyzed. It is not possible to determine one best combination of elements for all countries. Accountability mechanisms have to match existing patterns of decision-making in the respective system and to respond to the prevailing philosophy of education and the values of its political culture. The argument put forward in this paper should help to find a better match. (Author