Welcome to the Educational Research Unit! (SRED)

1. Welcome to the Educational Research Unit! (SRED) 22nd October 2010 Département de l'instruction publique de la culture et du sport

2. Overview of Switzerland: where is Geneva? • Each canton is responsible for its educational system (federalist system) • The canton of Geneva is one of 26 Swiss cantons • One particularity: Geneva is a “city canton” (big agglomeration, few villages) Département de l'instruction publique de la culture et du sport

3. A few key figures of Geneva's education system • Students in the public education system (2009): • Primary school: 34’769 • Lower secondary: 13’142 • Upper Secondary: 21’038 • Teachers in the public education system (2009): • Primary school: 2’785 • Lower secondary: 1’841 • Upper Secondary: 2’729 Département de l'instruction publique de la culture et du sport

4. SRED - who are we? • The educational research unit (SRED – Service de la recherche en éducation) is attached to the General Secretariat's office • We are an interdisciplinary team of about 30 researchers covering many fields such as statistics, psychology, sociology, pedagogy, etc. • We work mostly on issues relating to the canton of Geneva but collaborate also on regional, national and international projects • We are one of four regional centres that are responsible for PISA in Switzerland and cover the French speaking area Département de l'instruction publique de la culture et du sport

5. SRED – what do we do? We cover four complementary domains of activity Educational system of Geneva • Design and production of educational indicators • Evaluation of programs and projects • Evaluation of students requesting to be moved ahead (acceleration) • Production of annual educational statistics (statistical yearbook, key figures) • Inquiries of educational data bases «to know » « to monitor and evaluate» Education Department SRED • Research projects • Support of decision making • Transfer of knowledge (conferences, expositions). • Factual contributions to different school debates « to forecast « to explore » • Student forecasts and scenarios • Teacher forecasts and scenarios Département de l'instruction publique de la culture et du sport

6. Programme of the day: morning session • Premises: Service de la recherche en éducation, 12 quai du Rhône, 1205 Genève • 9:00: Welcome on behalf of SRED management, presentation of SRED, presentation of the daily programme Daniela Di Mare, SRED deputy director • 9:20: Presentation of participants Slovenian delegation of school principalsFrédéric Wittwer, Project director, Secretariat general, DIP • 9:40: Présentation: The Swiss school system: HarmoS inter-cantonal convention, regional programmes and language education Frédéric Wittwer, Project director, Secretariat general, DIP • 10:40: Questions and discussion • 11:30 Drinks offered by the Secretariat general, DIP • 12.15 End of morning session Département de l'instruction publique de la culture et du sport

7. Programme of the day: afternoon session • Premises: Etablissement Hugo-de-Senger, rue Dizerens 26, 1205 Genève • 13:30 Tour of the school (group 1, 21 people max.) Muriel Beer; School director • 14:15 Participation in school lessons (group 1, 21 people max.) • 15:00 Coffee break with school teachers (group 1, 21 people max.) • B. Visit to a Kindergarten • Premises: Espace Madeleine, rue de la Madeleine 16, 1204 Genève • 17:30 Presentation of educational issues ( group 2, 21 people max.)Emmanuelle Pszola, Deputy director • 18:30 Questions and discussion • 18:45 End of the day Département de l'instruction publique de la culture et du sport