Page 51 - Šolsko polje, XXX, 2019, št. 5-6: Civic, citizenship and rhetorical education in a rapidly changing world, eds. Janja Žmavc and Plamen Mirazchiyski
P. 51
m. banjac ■ knowledge on political participation among basic school pupils
selects the so-called third subjects each school year from the pool of com-
pulsory subjects in Year 8 and 9 (RIC, 2015d).3
In the school year 2018/2019, the NAK at the end of the third cy-
cle of education (Year 9), was implemented in May 2019. Besides exami-
nations in two compulsory subjects, Fine Art, Physics, Foreign Language,
Patriotic and Citizenship culture and ethics and Social Studies4 were se-
lected as the third subjects.
In terms of the actual implementation of the NAK, the whole pro-
cess can be divided into three consecutive phases. The first phase can be
referred to as the preparatory phase, in which knowledge tests are de-
signed, prepared and formulated into their final form. The second phase
is the implementation phase. Year 9 pupils take a knowledge tests at their
school at the same time as their peers in all Slovenian schools on a prede-
termined day. The pupils write each test for sixty minutes and after com-
pleting the test, the schools send the tests in sealed envelopes to the RIC,
where the tests are scanned, digitally processed and thus ready for evalu-
ation. Tests are evaluated by teachers with the use of a specific computer
software, and the accuracy of the evaluation is monitored by the principal
assessor and his assistants. Once the tests have been evaluated, the subject
commissions, the RIC Information Unit and the R&D Unit participate
in the preparation of the data, analysis and descriptions of pupil achieve-
ment at the NAK (RIC, 2015a). The final phase of the NAK process in-
volves informing pupils, their parents, teachers and schools about pupils’
results and achievements. Pupils, along with their parents and teachers,
are offered the opportunity to see how well they have passed the test, and
if they do not agree with the evaluation, they may request a re-evaluation.
After the re-evaluation, the RIC informs the pupils, their parents, teach-
ers and schools about the final results (RIC, 2015a).
The Methodology of the analysis
The NAK 2019 on Patriotic and Citizenship Culture and Ethics subject,
from which we draw data for our analysis of pupils’ knowledge on polit-
ical participation, was conducted on 13 May 2019. Overall, 3849 pupils
from 116 schools participated in the NAK on this specific subject.5 The
3 Since 2007, four so-called third subjects (2011 being an exception, when three have been
selected) have been selected each school year.
4 The Social Studies subject was selected as a third subject for pupils who are schooled in the
educational programme with the lower educational standard.
5 While pupils from all Slovenian basic schools sit Mathematics and Slovene or Hungar-
ian or Italian, the situation with the so-called third subjects is different. Namely, which
third subjects will be tested at each school is determined on the basis of the random clas-
sification of schools. In doing so, the aim is to follow the equal representation of all third
49
selects the so-called third subjects each school year from the pool of com-
pulsory subjects in Year 8 and 9 (RIC, 2015d).3
In the school year 2018/2019, the NAK at the end of the third cy-
cle of education (Year 9), was implemented in May 2019. Besides exami-
nations in two compulsory subjects, Fine Art, Physics, Foreign Language,
Patriotic and Citizenship culture and ethics and Social Studies4 were se-
lected as the third subjects.
In terms of the actual implementation of the NAK, the whole pro-
cess can be divided into three consecutive phases. The first phase can be
referred to as the preparatory phase, in which knowledge tests are de-
signed, prepared and formulated into their final form. The second phase
is the implementation phase. Year 9 pupils take a knowledge tests at their
school at the same time as their peers in all Slovenian schools on a prede-
termined day. The pupils write each test for sixty minutes and after com-
pleting the test, the schools send the tests in sealed envelopes to the RIC,
where the tests are scanned, digitally processed and thus ready for evalu-
ation. Tests are evaluated by teachers with the use of a specific computer
software, and the accuracy of the evaluation is monitored by the principal
assessor and his assistants. Once the tests have been evaluated, the subject
commissions, the RIC Information Unit and the R&D Unit participate
in the preparation of the data, analysis and descriptions of pupil achieve-
ment at the NAK (RIC, 2015a). The final phase of the NAK process in-
volves informing pupils, their parents, teachers and schools about pupils’
results and achievements. Pupils, along with their parents and teachers,
are offered the opportunity to see how well they have passed the test, and
if they do not agree with the evaluation, they may request a re-evaluation.
After the re-evaluation, the RIC informs the pupils, their parents, teach-
ers and schools about the final results (RIC, 2015a).
The Methodology of the analysis
The NAK 2019 on Patriotic and Citizenship Culture and Ethics subject,
from which we draw data for our analysis of pupils’ knowledge on polit-
ical participation, was conducted on 13 May 2019. Overall, 3849 pupils
from 116 schools participated in the NAK on this specific subject.5 The
3 Since 2007, four so-called third subjects (2011 being an exception, when three have been
selected) have been selected each school year.
4 The Social Studies subject was selected as a third subject for pupils who are schooled in the
educational programme with the lower educational standard.
5 While pupils from all Slovenian basic schools sit Mathematics and Slovene or Hungar-
ian or Italian, the situation with the so-called third subjects is different. Namely, which
third subjects will be tested at each school is determined on the basis of the random clas-
sification of schools. In doing so, the aim is to follow the equal representation of all third
49
