VII Seminar "INVALSI data: a tool for teaching and scientific research"

Luogo dell’evento

Best Western Plus Hotel Universo

Via Principe Amedeo, 5/B   00185 Rome,  Italy

The Seminar “INVALSI data: a tool for teaching and scientific research” will be held in Rome from 27th to 30th October 2022. This event, which has reached its 7th edition, has the purpose to promote the use of INVALSI data for scientific research and teaching. The data collected every year by INVALSI are a useful tool for investigating the characteristics of the Italian school system and for defining appropriate support or enhancement interventions, especially in the particular moment that the whole world lives as a result of the Covid – 19 pandemic. All interested parties are invited to submit research works based on INVALSI data through the national and international surveys and/or data of other bodies that, like INVALSI data or together with them, are a useful tool to investigate the various facets of the school system.

The participation in the Seminar of an increasing number of researchers, teachers, managers and, in general, of all stakeholders in the world of evaluation, will mean that two different audiences will be distinguished: that of research and that of schools. The research sessions will be held in English, while the teaching sessions will be held in Italian. In the same vein the sessions will be divided between research and teaching.

Download the poster

IMPORTANT NOTICE

We inform all users that the way of the VII edition of the Seminar "INVALSI data: a tool for research and teaching" will be in presence unless changes due to the evolution of the health situation.

The event takes place under the patronage of

Session 1 - Research

Early school leaving between analysis of the phenomenon and projects aimed at countering it

Session co-organized with Espanet Italia

Scientific coordinators of the session: Emmanuele Pavolini (Espanet Italia), Patrizia Falzetti (INVALSI)

Italy is one of the EU countries where the phenomenon of early school leaving is particularly present, even if it is decreasing compared to the past. Moreover, this phenomenon has clear features associated with the geographical location of the students concerned, with a very high incidence in the southern Italy. Finally, for some years now, INVALSI has proposed to combine the consolidated indicator of monitoring and estimating the abandonment phenomenon, with an additional indicator that measures its "implicit" traits.
The session is dedicated to those who are analyzing the phenomenon in its traditional and new features, as well as to those who are experimenting with interventions to contrast it and who use data to monitor the effectiveness of the interventions carried out.

Keywords: abandonment, dispersion, educational poverty

Session 2 - Research

Different sources of data and their integration: policy indicators for the education system training

Session co-organized with ISTAT

Scientific coordinators of the session: Barbara Baldazzi (ISTAT), Patrizia Falzetti (INVALSI)

The education and training system is multidimensional and highly interconnected. More and more often a single source of data allows the marking of a single aspect of a problem, failing to bring out connections/ correlations and joint causes of the phenomenon in its entirety. Only the combined use of multiple data sources, their interchange and, the similar conceptual methodological mapping can allow to integrate the different sources in order to have a picture of the various aspects of the system on which we can intervene at several levels. The contributions presented in this session should indicate in theoretical or empirical terms the possible uses of multiple data sources, discuss interconnection problems, and present empirically, where possible, results and potential.

Keywords: data sources, integration, concepts, definitions, indicators

Session 3 - Research and Teaching

School and inequality: contrast and reproduction

Session co-organized with University of Milano-Bicocca

Scientific coordinators of the session: Gianluca Argentin (University of Milano-Bicocca), Patrizia Falzetti (INVALSI)

The purpose of the session is to investigate the mechanisms of contrast or reproduction of inequalities that take place in the Italian school. In particular, what is interesting is to shed light on the set of decisions taken by school leaders, teachers and students’ parents and that, combining with each other, trigger processes of contrasting inequalities ascribed to students or, sometimes, instead, they end up strengthening them. Particular attention is paid to inequalities related to socio-economic and migratory backgrounds and gender of students, but contributions that look at the intersection of these dimensions or how they combine with other factors are also welcome, such as special educational needs of students or socio-economic contexts where schools are located.

Keywords: inequality, ascription, tertiary effects, intersectionality

Session 4 - Research

Financial literacy and human capital - skills for economic citizenship

Session co-organized with Bank of Italy

Scientific coordinators of the session: Daniela Marconi (Bank of Italy), Patrizia Falzetti (INVALSI)

Financial literacy is now internationally recognized as an essential skill for playing a conscious and active economic citizenship, in a context in which, for example, the more complex financial market and the young people’s working life is more fragmented. National surveys on financial literacy, conducted by the Bank of Italy, show that younger people tend to have lower financial skills than adults. In Italy, the gap is particularly high and worsen by gender and geographical areas. The OECD / PISA survey, conducted for Italy by INVALSI, also tells us that the gaps among fifteen-year-old students are also linked to the school path. A low level of financial literacy, sometimes due to cultural factors, can lead to sub-optimal intertemporal choices, including a low investment in human capital. Sub-optimal choices can reduce individual’s ability and propensity to participate successfully in the labor market and to react to economic and financial shocks in the future, with also macroeconomic implications. This session will host contributions that investigate young people’ financial literacy, analyzing determinants and consequences of low financial literacy, both at microeconomic and macroeconomic levels, also through international comparisons.

Keywords: financial literacy, economic citizenship, human capital.

Session 5 - Teaching

The use of INVALSI data and material to improve teaching

Scientific coordinator of the session: Giorgio Cavadi (School manager CPIA Palermo 2)

One of the main objectives of a school system is certainly the achievement of quality teaching which, on the one hand, is able to give adequate answers to the expectations of all stakeholders (teachers, students, parents) and, on the other hand, to introduce tools, actions and evaluations through which the training offer can be constantly improved. In addition to the Learning Survey, over the years the Institute has produced a series of tools (training testing, video, webinars...) that offer teachers and researchers new tools to investigate teaching methods. The contributions presented in this session are requested to discuss the difficulties and perspectives of teaching, with a view to opening the way to new practices.

Keywords: teaching practices, learning, educational research, technologies and tools in education, innovation and school improvement

Session 6 - Research and Teaching

Students: characteristics and peculiarities

Responsabile scientifico della sessione: Paolo Barabanti (INVALSI)

The National Guidelines recognize the goals for the development of cultural competences and the learning objectives valid for all students in the perspective of the full development of the person. However, the timing and ways in which each student achieves these goals and matures those skills are inevitably different. The study of the individual characteristics of students, such as gender, origin, socio-economic-cultural background, highlights differences and analogies that have always distinguished school results. The contributions presented in this session will require in-depth analysis to discuss the theme of school inclusion and the strategies to be implemented to bridge the existing learning gaps.

Keywords: socio-economic-cultural background, gender, origin, differences, school performance, inclusion, school effect

Session 7 - Research and Teaching

The Covid-19 pandemic and the effects on school results

Scientific coordinator of the session: Andres Sandoval Hernández (University of Bath)

School education is an organized form of education that takes place in schools and exerts a great influence on members of society. It is legitimate to ask what happens, therefore, when such an organization loses its peculiar structure due to unexpected and inevitable events. The closure of the school as a physical place of learning was one of the first measures put in place to combat the spread of the Covid-19 virus and has had important repercussions on the daily lives of students, teachers, families, also following the introduction of distance learning (Dad), which continues to be a valid tool two years after the start of the pandemic. The papers presented in this session will use both INVALSI and other data to investigate how and to what extent the closure of the school first and the introduction of distance learning then may have affected the student learning.

Keywords: covid-19, Dad, DID, results, strategies, quality of the education system

Session 8 - Research

Methods and models applicable to school systems

Responsabile scientifico della sessione: Lorenzo Maraviglia (INVALSI)

The aim of a mathematical model is to describe in mathematical terms a real complex phenomenon by means of the links existing between the characteristic quantities of the phenomenon itself, in order to understand, describe, predict its effects, but also to provide a simpler but sufficiently representative synthesis of the complex reality. The school and training system has complex characteristics and peculiarities and is well suited to the application of mathematical and statistical models able to shed light on the functioning, the problems, the quality of the system itself and the service provided. In this context, INVALSI data and/or data from other Institutions constitute a large database for the implementation and application of mathematical and statistical models to describe and evaluate the school system and its performance. This session will welcome contributions aimed at suggesting new solutions and perspectives for the school system, through the use of conceptual tools and mathematical methods and models more suitable for describing the school system as a complex adaptive system.

Keywords: mathematical models, methodologies, data, innovation, experimentation

Session 9 - Research

Territorial disparities: what are the causes?

Scientific coordinator of the session: TO BE DEFINED

L’anno 2021 segna l’avvio del Piano Nazionale di Ripresa e Resilienza (PNRR); un piano preparato dall’Italia per rilanciarne l’economia dopo la pandemia di Covid-19, al fine di permettere lo sviluppo verde e digitale del Paese. Tra gli obiettivi all’interno del sistema scolastico vi è quello della “Riduzione dei divari territoriali nei cicli I e II della scuola secondaria di secondo grado”. La misura prevede di stimare e monitorare i divari territoriali, anche attraverso il ricorso ai test PISA/INVALSI. Questi ultimi, infatti, sono degli strumenti di misurazione in grado di fotografare la situazione nel nostro Paese. Ai lavori presentati in questa sessione si chiede non solo di esaminare i divari territoriali nelle competenze degli studenti ma di indagare un tema ad oggi poco discusso, quello delle possibili determinanti del fenomeno. A chi si può attribuire la colpa delle differenze endemiche che troviamo nel nostro Paese? Quali soluzione possono essere messe in atto?

Keywords: skills, territorial gaps, school performance

Session 10 - Teaching

Talents in the school system

Responsabile scientifico della sessione: Lorenzo Maraviglia (INVALSI)

For years, research within the school system has focused on the analysis of educational inequalities, focusing in particular on students in difficulty and using resources and attention to improve the skills of the "weakest". To date, there is no equal commitment to students who reach the highest levels of competence. The enhancement of excellence, however, is essential to reach a concept of inclusive school. In addition, success in education and the possibility of achieving high school results represent an important factor in economic development and social progress. In this session we will give space to those works that will study the excellence present in the Italian school system and the hypotheses for their enhancement.

Keywords: top performer students, school performance, integration

Session 11 - Research

Evaluation of public policies in the education system

Scientific coordinator of the session: Loris Vergolini (University of Bologna)

The birth of public policies dates back to about half of the last century in United States, in the particular historical moment following the Second World War. The reconstruction of the countries affected by the conflict, in fact, made it necessary, at a global level, to adopt a methodology in making strategically very important decisions. Since then, public policies have assumed a fundamental role within individual countries and have become an instrument of "responding to a problem perceived as public" (Dunn, 1981). From this we understand how they involve different sectors of social life, including the school system, in an attempt, for example, to combat inequalities. The importance of the fields of application means that the instrument used is evaluated impartially and objectively to verify and understand to what extent the action taken by the policies implemented has achieved the objectives and what effects it has produced. This session will welcome those papers that will present methods of impact assessment of public policies with particular attention to those of the school system.

Keywords: policy, welfare, school system

Session 12 - Research and Teaching

Learning environments and student outcomes

Scientific coordinator of the session: Rita Marzoli (INVALSI)

The concept of the learning environment is very much present in the current educational debate, in close connection with the increasing use of information technologies in schools. Emerging within the socio-constructivist paradigm of learning, it emphasises its active and constructive role rather than its transmissive one. The Innovative Learning Environments - ILE Project (2011-2013), conducted by the OECD, describes the learning environment as a series of educational settings characterised by activities involving teachers and pupils within a framework including a considerable number of components, themselves made up of resources and rules. The findings of the study indicate that there is a strong tendency to integrate IT in education and that the planning of learning environments can either favour or hinder the acquisition of 21st century skills. Several actions of the National Digital School Plan (PNSD) focus on enhancing learning environments: integrated digital learning environments, workshop plan, creative ateliers and school libraries.

Keywords: Learning environments, laboratories, information technology, libraries, learning outcomes, student outcomes

Session 13 - Research and Teaching

Self-Evaluation Report (RAV) and INVALSI Data for the Self-Evaluation of Italian Schools

Scientific coordinator of the session: Michela Freddano (INVALSI)

INVALSI data play an important role into the school evaluation procedure provided by the Regulation on the National Evaluation System in Education and Training that started in Italy from the decree of the President of the Italian Republic March 2013, 28th, n. 80. In particular, the first step of the evaluation procedure, school self-evaluation, provides that all the Italian schools draw up a self-evaluation report (Italian acronym “RAV”) in digital format, according to a framework provided by INVALSI, and formulate a school improvement plan. Schools draft their self-evaluation report starting from the analysis and verification of their services, based on the data provided by the Information System of the Ministry of Instruction, the INVALSI large-scale assessment on student learning, and the INVALSI studies on value added, as well as additional significant elements integrated by the schools themselves.

Starting from these premises, the session aims to reflect on the use of school self-evaluation reports and INVALSI data in and for the self-evaluation processes in schools. Contributions are welcomed that address, from the methodological and/or empirical research point of view, one or more of the following topics: the role of indicators and guiding questions for school self-evaluation; the use of rubrics for the expression of the evaluative judgment; defining priorities for the school improvement; the role of the internal evaluation team; triangulation in evaluation research; teacher training on school self-evaluation; the impact of self-evaluation in school processes; school community participation in self-evaluation; how to communicate school self-evaluation results; the relationship between self-evaluation, external evaluation, improvement and social reporting; self-evaluation in Italy and in European and extra-European countries; the use of data from school self-evaluation report for research.

Keywords: School Self-evaluation, Self-evaluation Report, RAV, School Evaluation, INVALSI data, Indicators, Italian School National Evaluation System.

Session 14 - Research

International large-scale assessments (ILSAs) methods and results

Scientific coordinator of the session: Maria Magdalena Isac (KU Leuven)

INVALSI gathers Italian data for international large-scale assessments (ILSAs) such as the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS), the International Civic and Citizenship Education Study (ICCS), and the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), which are crucial tools to inform the educational research and policy landscape internationally. Being representative studies of student populations at the educational systems level, ILSAs produce information that allows for comparing the academic performance and the educational practices of several educational systems around the world. In this session, we welcome empirical and conceptual research contributions that address rigorous analysis, critique, and development of ILSA methods and results coupled with a focus on implications for education policy. A reflection on Italian data and results in comparison to other educational systems is highly encouraged.

Keywords: International large-scale assessments; Methods; Comparative research

Analyzing large-scale assessment data using R–package RALSA

The workshop will be led by Dr. Plamen Mirazchiyski, International Educational Research and Evaluation Institute (INERI), Slovenia

The workshop will be divided into two parts. The first part will make a short introduction to ILSAs’ complex sampling and assessment designs using TIMSS as an example. A specific stress will be put on the consequences of these designs on the analysis of studies’ data using examples. The second part will introduce the analysis software (RALSA) for analyzing data from ILSAs. The data preparation and analysis features will be explained. The overview will also include demonstrations on using both the command line and the graphical user interface. The remaining time will be devoted to guided hands-on training using the graphical user interface of the package. Through these guided exercises all features will be demonstrated. If the time permits, at the end of the workshop assignments will be given to the participants to complete on their own with assistance from the instructor. The workshop will use Italian data of the IEA’s Trends in International Mathematics and Science study (TIMSS) 2019 (grades 4 and 8). Regardless of the study and the cycle, RALSA always applies the correct estimation techniques, given the study design and implementation.

By the end of the workshop the participants are expected to have gained the following:

• Knowledge, understanding and appreciation on the ILSAs design and methodology, as well as the statistical complexities and issues for analyzing their data;
• Knowledge and understanding on the computational routines used in ILSAs;
• Skills to analyze data using an R package, tailored for ILSAs design.

Previous knowledge requirements

The workshop is intended both for analysts who do not have yet the knowledge and experience using ILSAs’ data, as well as for researchers with more experience. Previous experience with R is welcome, but not a prerequisite, RALSA has intuitive and easy to use syntax, as well as graphical user interface. Working knowledge on basic statistics is required. All materials for the workshop, including the software, will be provided free of charge. The participants will need a computer to install the software and perform the sample analyses.

 ISCRIVITI AL WORKSHOP

INVALSI tests: a public resource for research and teaching. Internal and external evaluation convergence of objectives

(event in italian language)

The INVALSI national tests are a tool available to the scientific community but at the same time to schools; the complex and articulated description of the levels of learning and its determinants is derived from the complementarity between the educational action and the national system measure. This joint action is essential to grasp the strengths and weaknesses of the system itself.

What steps can be taken to promote this complementarity and achieve a real synergy?

Modera

Alessia Mattei (Responsabile dell’Area Prove INVALSI)

Attend

Vittoria Gallina (Responsabile del dipartimento EPR, NPM per le indagini OCSE-IALS e ALL)

Renata Maria Viganò (Professore Ordinario di Pedagogia Sperimentale all’Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Vice Presidente del CdA di INVALSI)

Claudia Donati (Fondazione Censis, Responsabile di ricerca, Area Processi Formativi)

Simonetta Zuccaccia (ex dirigente scolastica)

Empirical evidence as an educational policy tool

(event in english language)

School has always been one of the main tools available to public policy to tackle hardship and promote social revitalization. Over time, we have gone from the need to educate the masses to the need to face increasingly complex and specific challenges. Within the European Union, the collaboration between Member States and the European Commission has made it possible to identify a list of open challenges that include, among others, the integration of migrants, the promotion of inclusion and fundamental values, the fight against school dropout or educational poverty. In recent years, these challenges have been further exacerbated by repeated crisis situations (including the economic crisis as in the period 2008-2013, the COVID-19 emergency or war tensions in various parts of the world). The goal of this round table is to investigate how, in different parts of the world, data, empirical evidence and comparative analyses are used as educational policy tools to help schools better respond to existing challenges

Modera

Daniele Vidoni (Policy Officer – European Commission, DG Competition)

Attend

Roberto Ricci (President of INVALSI)

Sabine Meinck (IEA Co-Head of Research and Analysis Unit & Head of the Sampling Unit, Hamburg, Germany)

Leslie Rutkowski (Professor of Qualitative and Quantitative Research Methodology, Indiana University, USA)

Hermann J. Abs (Professor for Educational Research and Schooling at the University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany)

Ernesto Trevino (Professor of Education, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Chile)

Esteemed keynote speakers will introduce the main themes of the conference.

evento in lingua italiana

27th october 2022 h. 4.30 pm

Presentation of the book by Andrea Gavosto: La scuola bloccata by Andrea Gavosto, Laterza (2022)

AUTHOR: Andrea Gavosto, economist, since 2008 directs the Agnelli Foundation, which since then has focused its research activities on education in Italy.

BOOK DESCRIPTION: Today in Italy one in two students does not reach an adequate level of competence at the end of their studies. The school system continues to be crossed by deep territorial, social and gender inequalities. School requires substantial changes in what is taught, how it is taught, and who teaches it. Why is it so difficult to innovate it?

Modera: Elisa Chiriano (Insegnante, Ministero dell’Istruzione)

Intervengono:

• Alessandra Cenerini (Presidente nazionale ADi, Associazione Docenti e Dirigenti scolastici Italiani)
• Serafina Pastore (Professoressa associata, Università di Bari)
  
• Maria Francesca Cellai (Consigliera INDIRE)
  

28th october 2022 h. 4.30 pm

Presentation of the book by Damiano Previtali: La scuola mediterranea by Damiano Previtali, Il Mulino (2022)

AUTHOR: Damiano Previtali, Head of the Evaluation Office of the National Education and Training System of the Ministry of Education, President of the Provincial Evaluation Committee of the autonomous province of Trento, is one of the editors of the National Indications for the Curriculum and the Regulation of the national evaluation system.

BOOK DESCRIPTION: Many schools, defined as a problem for Italy for some expected and not achieved results, actually maintain mediterranean characteristics and, for this reason, are better than we think and talk about. The mediterranean style is the true wealth, that the whole world envies us and that the school can guard first, yet we do not know how to read it and value it. The mediterranean school is not given by a geographical position and even less is acquired by right of belonging: it is a conquest open to all, without borders.

Modera: Elisa Chiriano (Insegnante, Ministero dell’Istruzione)

Intervengono:

• Annamaria Ajello (Già Presidente INVALSI)
• Giorgio Cavadi (Dirigente scolastico CPIA Palermo 2)
• Daniele Barca (Dirigente scolastico IC 3 Modena e Membro del CdA Fondazione per la Scuola San Paolo)

29th october 2022 h. 4.30 pm

Presentation of the book by Gianluca Argentin:: Nostra scuola quotidiana. Il cambiamento necessario by Gianluca Argentin, Il Mulino (2021)

AUTHOR: Gianluca Argentin teaches Sociological Theories and Social Change at the Università degli studi di Milano-Bicocca.

BOOK DESCRIPTION: The author investigates the dense interweaving between society and the school system, analyzing its potential and limits and showing why reforming it is not easy. Changing the school is a politically bold but necessary challenge: it serves not only to solve its many problems, but also to cope with the profound changes underway in the social and economic fabric.

Modera: Elisa Chiriano (Insegnante, Ministero dell’Istruzione)

Intervengono:

• Angela Martini (Ricercatrice indipendente)
• Ludovico Albert (Esperto di sistemi formativi)
• Marco Catarci (Professore ordinario, Università degli Studi Roma Tre)
  

30th may 2022
Start call for paper.

10th june 2022
Abstract presentation opening.

4th july 2022
Deadline abstract submission.

1st august 2022  5th august 2022
Communication of accepted abstracts.

2nd august 7th august - 2nd september 2022
Speaker registration

5th september 13 settembre – 7 ottobre 12 ottobre 2022
Participant registration

14th october 2022
Slide submission.

15th december 2022
Submission of the contribution.