ISSA Quality Standards

1. ISSA Quality Standards Using standards in Azerbaijan

2. Reforms in Azerbaijan: toward raising quality • Promote student-centered teaching • New National Curriculum: promotes standards-based approach • Establish effective quality management system: teachers’ accreditation • Meet international quality standards

3. NEW GOALS – NEW CONCEPTOF EDUCATION • Individual development • Student – subject of education process • Applicable knowledge and skills • Life-long learning National Curriculum

4. Needs • Establish effective quality management system: shared criteria of quality. • Update system of monitoring and evaluation: proactive use of assessment, on-going assessment for development and improvement. • Renew teacher education curriculum: toward reflective and responsible teaching . • Revise in-service teacher training institutions’ curriculum. • Include teachers in national discourse about quality of education: teachers as subjects of change rather than mere receivers of new policies and innovations. • Promote parental involvement. • Formulate new understanding of quality: nationally determined and accepted by ALL stakeholders. • Address social inclusion and diversity.

5. Addressing the needs ISSA Standards helped us to present: • understanding of quality based on child-centered philosophy in concrete terms and observable practices with focus on real classroom. • new proactive use of evaluation for professional development of teachers. • new approach for on-going assessment. • new approach of constructive work of LED consultants and schools. • self-assessment capacity of teachers for improvement. • the idea of parental involvement • idea of social inclusion and diversity as criteria of quality education

6. What was done in Azerbaijan • Presentation of ISSA standards at the MoE as example of internationally recognized quality standards. • Initiation of the discussion of pedagogical standards as necessary mechanism for quality management. • Promoted idea of assessment for improvement and development rather than traditional assessment apart from real classrooms and real teachers. • Conducted observations of innovative and traditional classrooms, assessed observed practices against the criteria set by standards. • Created working group consisted of BCED methodologists and CIE experts and developed new quality assessment tool based on ISSA standards and reflecting present country context. • Initiated discussion of the necessity of professional development not only teachers but school inspectors and methodologists at ministry level.

7. Short-term plans: Pilot new instrument. Develop plan for improvement of teaching practices. Provide development trainings for professionals responsible for quality monitoring. Promote institutionalization of new instrument for on-going assessment. Long-term plans: Develop university-level courses for methodologists. Establish in-service courses for school methodologists, head teachers, administrators and teachers. Develop national standards of quality. Set base for national system of teachers’ accreditation. Further steps