Page 43 - Štremfel, Urška, ed., 2016. Student (Under)achievement: Perspectives, Approaches, Challenges. Ljubljana: Pedagoški inštitut. Digital Library, Documenta 11.
P. 43
ative assessment studies, but also focuses on the importance of achieving 43
individual proficiency levels.
Reading, maths and science literacy are, in accordance with the European
Reference Framework of Key Competencies (European Parliament and Coun-
cil of the European Union, 2006), defined as the fundamental key competen-
cies and an important indicator of employability, social inclusion and personal
development. The European Commission believes that attention needs to be
paid to these from an early age, i.e. at the lowest levels of the educational sys-
tem (during the course of preschool education and the first three-year peri-
od), as they are an important foundation for acquiring all other key competen-
cies (e.g. learning to learn, civic and social competencies, cultural awareness
and expression, entrepreneurship and initiative). Dunne et al. (2013) also point
out a strong correlation between lack of basic competencies, such as those in
maths and science, and early leavers from education and training, and simul-
taneously define these same competencies as those that contribute to a high-
er level of employability and fostering innovations.
In emphasising the significance of achieving the basic levels of reading,
maths and science literacy, the European Commission even agrees with re-
searchers’ findings (e.g. Hanushek and Woessmann, 2010) about countries’
ranking on the PISA international comparative achievement scale being an
indicator of their future economic development,13 which, in a period charac-
terised by the economic crisis, is an especially good motive for all participat-
ing member states to improve their performance. Simultaneously, this belief
is topical in terms of research in view of the presumption of the governance of
problems, presented in the first part of the paper.
In relation to this, it is particularly interesting to look into how this most
relevant European benchmark in terms of student achievement has been fol-
lowed within the Slovenian educational space since Slovenia’s formal integra-
tion into the European educational space in 2004.
c) Translating European guidelines into national policies and
the national framework of student (under)achievement
The OMC does not legally bind EU member states to transfer European guide-
lines into their national legislation. European guidelines are usually translat-
ed into the national reform programmes which pursue European objectives
and call for adoption of special means that enable achieving common Europe-
an objectives at national levels, whereby special national characteristics of in-
dividual member states are taken into consideration (Lόpez-Santana, 2004: 8).
13 Kodelja (2005: 214) points out causal correlation between students’ learning outcomes at school
and countries’ economic efficiency has not been suitably proven.
academic (under)achievement of slovenian adolescents within a european context
individual proficiency levels.
Reading, maths and science literacy are, in accordance with the European
Reference Framework of Key Competencies (European Parliament and Coun-
cil of the European Union, 2006), defined as the fundamental key competen-
cies and an important indicator of employability, social inclusion and personal
development. The European Commission believes that attention needs to be
paid to these from an early age, i.e. at the lowest levels of the educational sys-
tem (during the course of preschool education and the first three-year peri-
od), as they are an important foundation for acquiring all other key competen-
cies (e.g. learning to learn, civic and social competencies, cultural awareness
and expression, entrepreneurship and initiative). Dunne et al. (2013) also point
out a strong correlation between lack of basic competencies, such as those in
maths and science, and early leavers from education and training, and simul-
taneously define these same competencies as those that contribute to a high-
er level of employability and fostering innovations.
In emphasising the significance of achieving the basic levels of reading,
maths and science literacy, the European Commission even agrees with re-
searchers’ findings (e.g. Hanushek and Woessmann, 2010) about countries’
ranking on the PISA international comparative achievement scale being an
indicator of their future economic development,13 which, in a period charac-
terised by the economic crisis, is an especially good motive for all participat-
ing member states to improve their performance. Simultaneously, this belief
is topical in terms of research in view of the presumption of the governance of
problems, presented in the first part of the paper.
In relation to this, it is particularly interesting to look into how this most
relevant European benchmark in terms of student achievement has been fol-
lowed within the Slovenian educational space since Slovenia’s formal integra-
tion into the European educational space in 2004.
c) Translating European guidelines into national policies and
the national framework of student (under)achievement
The OMC does not legally bind EU member states to transfer European guide-
lines into their national legislation. European guidelines are usually translat-
ed into the national reform programmes which pursue European objectives
and call for adoption of special means that enable achieving common Europe-
an objectives at national levels, whereby special national characteristics of in-
dividual member states are taken into consideration (Lόpez-Santana, 2004: 8).
13 Kodelja (2005: 214) points out causal correlation between students’ learning outcomes at school
and countries’ economic efficiency has not been suitably proven.
academic (under)achievement of slovenian adolescents within a european context
