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Books by Eemer Eivers
National Schools, International Contexts: Beyond the PIRLS and TIMSS test results, 2013
In 2011, Ireland took part in two large international assessments of achievement – PIRLS and TIMS... more In 2011, Ireland took part in two large international assessments of achievement – PIRLS and TIMSS - marking the first such participation since 1995. As well as achievement data, considerable contextual information was collected at the level of pupil, school and system. The report is a complement to Eivers & Clerkin's (2012) report on achievement outcomes in Ireland. It contains a set of thematic analyses of the Irish data from the studies, including structural characteristics of the education system, pupil attitudes, home-school interaction, pupil language, and classroom practices. It also includes a detailed examination of performance on specific aspects of the reading, maths and science assessments
National Schools, international contexts: Beyond the PIRLS and TIMSS test results, 2013
In 2011, Ireland took part in a combined administration of PIRLS and TIMSS. This chapter explores... more In 2011, Ireland took part in a combined administration of PIRLS and TIMSS. This chapter explores some of the data related to student language spoken at home and language of instruction in school. It shows that despite perceived large increases in their numbers, Ireland had considerably fewer "additional language" pupils than most countries. Such pupils were over-represented in urban and socioeconomically deprived schools, and tended to perform less well on the assessments. However, both the pupils and their parents generally expressed positive attitudes to the school attended.
PIRLS 2016 Encyclopedia: Education Policy and Curriculum in Reading, 2017
The PIRLS 2016 Encyclopedia provides an international perspective on language and reading educati... more The PIRLS 2016 Encyclopedia provides an international perspective on language and reading education around the world. The chapter on Ireland can be compared with similar chapters from other PIRLS 2016 participants. Each chapter summarizes key aspects of national language and reading instruction, official languages of instruction, and the structure and organization of the educational system. Details are provided about the language and reading curricula in the primary grades, and overall policies are discussed related to curriculum delivery.
Left to their own devices, 2019
The report describes trends in access to and use of ICT in Irish primary schools. It is largely ... more The report describes trends in access to and use of ICT in Irish primary schools. It is largely based on data from Ireland's National Assessments, and from Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) and Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). These studies provide trend data, international comparisons, and complementary data on home access and use over the same period by the same students.The accumulated data show that while Irish home access and use of digital devices had increased steadily and is above international averages, access in schools had not improved and use in-class use of ICT by students had fallen. Teacher self-reported confidence in using ICT improved over the time period studied, remained below confidence in other areas of teaching. Conclusions refer to the need to provide adequate bandwidth and technical support to primary schools.
The 2009 National Assessments of Mathematics and English Reading, 2010
The 2009 National Assessments of mathematics and English reading in Irish primary schools (NA 20... more The 2009 National Assessments of mathematics and English reading in Irish primary schools (NA 2009) is the most recent in a series of such assessments conducted at regular intervals since 1972. Mathematics and reading tests were completed by almost 4,000 Second and 4,000 Sixth class pupils. Contextual data were obtained from questionnaires completed by pupils, parents, class teachers, and principals. As the target grades differed from previous National Assessments, new test materials were developed and used. Thus, trend data for achievement are not available. Instead, NA 2009 provides baseline data against which future performance can be compared. The data were scored and scaled using an Item Response Theory framework. Scores for overall tests and for subscales were scaled to have a mean of 250 and a standard deviation of 50, approximating a normal distribution. As well as overall scales for reading and mathematics, content and process subscales were developed for each domain.
Reading achievement in PIRLS 2016: Initial report for Ireland, 2017
Summary of achievement-related findings from PIRLS and ePIRLS 2016, with a specific focus on Irel... more Summary of achievement-related findings from PIRLS and ePIRLS 2016, with a specific focus on Ireland's performance relative to some comparison countries of particular interest.
Shaping Schools: What TIMSS tells us about education systems, 2017
PIRLS and ePIRLS 2016, 2018
This report examines performance on reading items included as part of PIRLS 2016 (Progress in I... more This report examines performance on reading items included as part of PIRLS 2016 (Progress in International Reading Literacy Study) and its related online reading assessment, ePIRLS. It has a particular focus on the responses of pupils in Ireland, including items on which Irish pupils performed particularly well or poorly, and on which gender differences were markedly different to the general pattern of girls outperforming boys (in Ireland, and internationally).
Papers by Eemer Eivers
This report is part of a wider project to support Malta's Ministry of Education and Emplo... more This report is part of a wider project to support Malta's Ministry of Education and Employment in developing a monitoring system for the identification of students at risk of Early School Leaving (ESL). The report is one of five deliverables from that project, and it provides a summary of approaches to ESL prevention that may be effective in Malta. Among the proposed approaches are an expansion of Malta's Free Childcare Scheme, the option of language choice in Secondary Education Certificate examinations, the adoption of whole-school interventions, and greater support for parental engagement with schools. The overall project was commissioned by the European Commission’s Structural Reform Support Service SRSS and awarded to the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement IEA.
Irish Educational Studies, 2018
Online sources are increasingly the most likely starting place when seeking information about any... more Online sources are increasingly the most likely starting place when seeking information about any topic. Parents of prospective students may access school websites in advance of enrolling their child. Parents of current students are likely to access a school’s website for information about the school’s current activities or to learn more about the teaching and learning taking place in their child’s classroom. With a few notable exceptions, there is limited research on the quality of school websites internationally, particularly at primary level. For this paper, the online presence of 100 Irish primary schools was examined. Of the 90 schools for whom some web presence was established, information provided to parents of current students and parents of prospective students was examined. Findings show that primary school websites do not comprehensively address the information needs of either group of parents and highlight areas of potential improvement.
… Centre/Department of …, 2010
Identification of students at risk of early school leaving in Malta, 2020
This report is part of a wider project to support Malta's Ministry of Education in developing a m... more This report is part of a wider project to support Malta's Ministry of Education in developing a monitoring system for the identification of students at risk of Early School Leaving (ESL). The report is one of five deliverables from that project. It provides proposals for a monitoring system to support early intervention in the case of ESL in Malta. The proposals are informed by analyses of administrative data for the cohort of students who should have completed the Secondary Education Certificate in the 2016/17 school year, identifying features that distinguished between those that did and did not obtain MQF Level 3. The overall project was commissioned by the European Commission’s Structural Reform Support Service SRSS and awarded to the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement IEA.
Aspects of the performance of Irish 15-year olds on a test of scientific literacy in the OECD Pro... more Aspects of the performance of Irish 15-year olds on a test of scientific literacy in the OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) are described. The conceptualization of scientific literacy is discussed and related to how it was assessed in PISA 2003. The performance of Irish students, which was significantly above the OECD average, is described, and related to the performance of Irish students in the 2000 cycle of PISA. In describing students’ performance, the lack of significant gender differences and the significant differences in relation to socioeconomic status, school sector, and student uptake of science are considered.
The integration of service provision for 'at risk' children and their families is examine... more The integration of service provision for 'at risk' children and their families is examined in case studies in four geographical areas. Despite differences between areas in the degree of integration achieved, provision was disjointed. Urban provision was characterized by a preponderance of services supported by short-term funding, often housed in unsuitable premises, while rural provision was limited in the extreme. Some of the main factors found to facilitate or obstruct integration are outlined. It is concluded that the 'under one roof model proposed by the OECD (1998 can work well in an urban setting, provided that services are not centralized around a school, but that a different model will be required to meet the needs of a rural population. Although widespread use of the term 'at risk' is relatively recent, it has nonetheless become somewhat of a clich used to denote each or all of a variety of educational, personal, and societal problems. It is probable tha...
Issues with the conceptualization, implementation and interpretation of the OECD Programme for In... more Issues with the conceptualization, implementation and interpretation of the OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) are examined. The values that underpin the project are discussed. What PISA is intended to measure (preparation for life, key competencies, real-life challenges, curriculum independence) is contrasted with what it probably measures. Issues are identified relating to cultural fairness (quality and equivalence of translations, Anglophone origins, response styles, importance accorded to the test) and the representativeness of participating populations (samples, response rates, adjustment for nonresponse).
Online reading necessitates the use of both similar and different skills to traditional paper-bas... more Online reading necessitates the use of both similar and different skills to traditional paper-based reading. Therefore, some overlap is likely in the background and attitudinal factors associated with reading in the two modes. This study uses a multilevel framework and data from the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS, 2016) to explore the characteristics associated with online and paper-based reading in Ireland. Of independent variables examined, pupil reading confidence has the largest effect size for both PIRLS and ePIRLS. Home background variables have similar effect sizes for the two outcomes. Differences between the models emerge regarding time spent browsing the internet, the frequency of using a computer at school, pupil enjoyment of reading, and pupil ownership of a smartphone.
National Schools, International Contexts: Beyond the PIRLS and TIMSS test results, 2013
In 2011, Ireland took part in two large international assessments of achievement – PIRLS and TIMS... more In 2011, Ireland took part in two large international assessments of achievement – PIRLS and TIMSS - marking the first such participation since 1995. As well as achievement data, considerable contextual information was collected at the level of pupil, school and system. The report is a complement to Eivers & Clerkin's (2012) report on achievement outcomes in Ireland. It contains a set of thematic analyses of the Irish data from the studies, including structural characteristics of the education system, pupil attitudes, home-school interaction, pupil language, and classroom practices. It also includes a detailed examination of performance on specific aspects of the reading, maths and science assessments
National Schools, international contexts: Beyond the PIRLS and TIMSS test results, 2013
In 2011, Ireland took part in a combined administration of PIRLS and TIMSS. This chapter explores... more In 2011, Ireland took part in a combined administration of PIRLS and TIMSS. This chapter explores some of the data related to student language spoken at home and language of instruction in school. It shows that despite perceived large increases in their numbers, Ireland had considerably fewer "additional language" pupils than most countries. Such pupils were over-represented in urban and socioeconomically deprived schools, and tended to perform less well on the assessments. However, both the pupils and their parents generally expressed positive attitudes to the school attended.
PIRLS 2016 Encyclopedia: Education Policy and Curriculum in Reading, 2017
The PIRLS 2016 Encyclopedia provides an international perspective on language and reading educati... more The PIRLS 2016 Encyclopedia provides an international perspective on language and reading education around the world. The chapter on Ireland can be compared with similar chapters from other PIRLS 2016 participants. Each chapter summarizes key aspects of national language and reading instruction, official languages of instruction, and the structure and organization of the educational system. Details are provided about the language and reading curricula in the primary grades, and overall policies are discussed related to curriculum delivery.
Left to their own devices, 2019
The report describes trends in access to and use of ICT in Irish primary schools. It is largely ... more The report describes trends in access to and use of ICT in Irish primary schools. It is largely based on data from Ireland's National Assessments, and from Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) and Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). These studies provide trend data, international comparisons, and complementary data on home access and use over the same period by the same students.The accumulated data show that while Irish home access and use of digital devices had increased steadily and is above international averages, access in schools had not improved and use in-class use of ICT by students had fallen. Teacher self-reported confidence in using ICT improved over the time period studied, remained below confidence in other areas of teaching. Conclusions refer to the need to provide adequate bandwidth and technical support to primary schools.
The 2009 National Assessments of Mathematics and English Reading, 2010
The 2009 National Assessments of mathematics and English reading in Irish primary schools (NA 20... more The 2009 National Assessments of mathematics and English reading in Irish primary schools (NA 2009) is the most recent in a series of such assessments conducted at regular intervals since 1972. Mathematics and reading tests were completed by almost 4,000 Second and 4,000 Sixth class pupils. Contextual data were obtained from questionnaires completed by pupils, parents, class teachers, and principals. As the target grades differed from previous National Assessments, new test materials were developed and used. Thus, trend data for achievement are not available. Instead, NA 2009 provides baseline data against which future performance can be compared. The data were scored and scaled using an Item Response Theory framework. Scores for overall tests and for subscales were scaled to have a mean of 250 and a standard deviation of 50, approximating a normal distribution. As well as overall scales for reading and mathematics, content and process subscales were developed for each domain.
Reading achievement in PIRLS 2016: Initial report for Ireland, 2017
Summary of achievement-related findings from PIRLS and ePIRLS 2016, with a specific focus on Irel... more Summary of achievement-related findings from PIRLS and ePIRLS 2016, with a specific focus on Ireland's performance relative to some comparison countries of particular interest.
Shaping Schools: What TIMSS tells us about education systems, 2017
PIRLS and ePIRLS 2016, 2018
This report examines performance on reading items included as part of PIRLS 2016 (Progress in I... more This report examines performance on reading items included as part of PIRLS 2016 (Progress in International Reading Literacy Study) and its related online reading assessment, ePIRLS. It has a particular focus on the responses of pupils in Ireland, including items on which Irish pupils performed particularly well or poorly, and on which gender differences were markedly different to the general pattern of girls outperforming boys (in Ireland, and internationally).
This report is part of a wider project to support Malta's Ministry of Education and Emplo... more This report is part of a wider project to support Malta's Ministry of Education and Employment in developing a monitoring system for the identification of students at risk of Early School Leaving (ESL). The report is one of five deliverables from that project, and it provides a summary of approaches to ESL prevention that may be effective in Malta. Among the proposed approaches are an expansion of Malta's Free Childcare Scheme, the option of language choice in Secondary Education Certificate examinations, the adoption of whole-school interventions, and greater support for parental engagement with schools. The overall project was commissioned by the European Commission’s Structural Reform Support Service SRSS and awarded to the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement IEA.
Irish Educational Studies, 2018
Online sources are increasingly the most likely starting place when seeking information about any... more Online sources are increasingly the most likely starting place when seeking information about any topic. Parents of prospective students may access school websites in advance of enrolling their child. Parents of current students are likely to access a school’s website for information about the school’s current activities or to learn more about the teaching and learning taking place in their child’s classroom. With a few notable exceptions, there is limited research on the quality of school websites internationally, particularly at primary level. For this paper, the online presence of 100 Irish primary schools was examined. Of the 90 schools for whom some web presence was established, information provided to parents of current students and parents of prospective students was examined. Findings show that primary school websites do not comprehensively address the information needs of either group of parents and highlight areas of potential improvement.
… Centre/Department of …, 2010
Identification of students at risk of early school leaving in Malta, 2020
This report is part of a wider project to support Malta's Ministry of Education in developing a m... more This report is part of a wider project to support Malta's Ministry of Education in developing a monitoring system for the identification of students at risk of Early School Leaving (ESL). The report is one of five deliverables from that project. It provides proposals for a monitoring system to support early intervention in the case of ESL in Malta. The proposals are informed by analyses of administrative data for the cohort of students who should have completed the Secondary Education Certificate in the 2016/17 school year, identifying features that distinguished between those that did and did not obtain MQF Level 3. The overall project was commissioned by the European Commission’s Structural Reform Support Service SRSS and awarded to the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement IEA.
Aspects of the performance of Irish 15-year olds on a test of scientific literacy in the OECD Pro... more Aspects of the performance of Irish 15-year olds on a test of scientific literacy in the OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) are described. The conceptualization of scientific literacy is discussed and related to how it was assessed in PISA 2003. The performance of Irish students, which was significantly above the OECD average, is described, and related to the performance of Irish students in the 2000 cycle of PISA. In describing students’ performance, the lack of significant gender differences and the significant differences in relation to socioeconomic status, school sector, and student uptake of science are considered.
The integration of service provision for 'at risk' children and their families is examine... more The integration of service provision for 'at risk' children and their families is examined in case studies in four geographical areas. Despite differences between areas in the degree of integration achieved, provision was disjointed. Urban provision was characterized by a preponderance of services supported by short-term funding, often housed in unsuitable premises, while rural provision was limited in the extreme. Some of the main factors found to facilitate or obstruct integration are outlined. It is concluded that the 'under one roof model proposed by the OECD (1998 can work well in an urban setting, provided that services are not centralized around a school, but that a different model will be required to meet the needs of a rural population. Although widespread use of the term 'at risk' is relatively recent, it has nonetheless become somewhat of a clich used to denote each or all of a variety of educational, personal, and societal problems. It is probable tha...
Issues with the conceptualization, implementation and interpretation of the OECD Programme for In... more Issues with the conceptualization, implementation and interpretation of the OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) are examined. The values that underpin the project are discussed. What PISA is intended to measure (preparation for life, key competencies, real-life challenges, curriculum independence) is contrasted with what it probably measures. Issues are identified relating to cultural fairness (quality and equivalence of translations, Anglophone origins, response styles, importance accorded to the test) and the representativeness of participating populations (samples, response rates, adjustment for nonresponse).
Online reading necessitates the use of both similar and different skills to traditional paper-bas... more Online reading necessitates the use of both similar and different skills to traditional paper-based reading. Therefore, some overlap is likely in the background and attitudinal factors associated with reading in the two modes. This study uses a multilevel framework and data from the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS, 2016) to explore the characteristics associated with online and paper-based reading in Ireland. Of independent variables examined, pupil reading confidence has the largest effect size for both PIRLS and ePIRLS. Home background variables have similar effect sizes for the two outcomes. Differences between the models emerge regarding time spent browsing the internet, the frequency of using a computer at school, pupil enjoyment of reading, and pupil ownership of a smartphone.
The Routledge International Handbook of English, Language and Literacy Teaching, 2006
Cambridge Journal of Education, 2009
The participation of large numbers of countries in current international assessments involving re... more The participation of large numbers of countries in current international assessments involving reading literacy – 40 in PIRLS 2006 (administered to students in Grade 4 in primary schools) and 57 in PISA 2006 (administered to 15‐year‐olds in post‐primary schools) – suggests that governments and other bodies find the outcomes to be useful. This article acknowledges the benefits of participating in
Irish Journal of Education, 2010
Issues with the conceptualization, implementation and interpretation of the OECD Programme for In... more Issues with the conceptualization, implementation and interpretation of the OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) are examined. The values that underpin the project are discussed. What PISA is intended to measure (preparation for life, key competencies, real-life challenges, curriculum independence) is contrasted with what it probably measures. Issues are identified relating to cultural fairness (quality and equivalence of translations, anglophone origins, response styles, importance accorded to the test) and the representativeness of participating populations (samples, response rates, adjustment for nonresponse).
Irish Educational Studies, 2018
Online sources are increasingly the most likely starting place when seeking information about any... more Online sources are increasingly the most likely starting place when seeking information about any topic. Parents of prospective students may access school websites in advance of enrolling their child. Parents of current students are likely to access a school’s website for information about the school’s current activities or to learn more about the teaching and learning taking place in their child’s classroom. With a few notable exceptions, there is limited research on the quality of school websites internationally, particularly at primary level. For this paper, the online presence of 100 Irish primary schools was examined. Of the 90 schools for whom some web presence was established, information provided to parents of current students and parents of prospective students was examined. Findings show that primary school websites do not comprehensively address the information needs of either group of parents and highlight areas of potential improvement.
International Journal of Educational Research, 2018
Online reading necessitates the use of both similar and different skills to traditional paper-bas... more Online reading necessitates the use of both similar and different skills to traditional paper-based reading. Therefore, some overlap is likely in the background and attitudinal factors associated with reading in the two modes. This study uses a multilevel framework and data from the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS, 2016) to explore the characteristics associated with online and paper-based reading in Ireland. Of independent variables examined, pupil reading confidence has the largest effect size for both PIRLS and ePIRLS. Home background variables have similar effect sizes for the two outcomes. Differences between the models emerge regarding time spent browsing the internet, the frequency of using a computer at school, pupil enjoyment of reading, and pupil ownership of a smartphone.
ELET: The Way Forward Conference, 2019
The paper summarizes proposals for improved monitoring of students in Malta at risk of early scho... more The paper summarizes proposals for improved monitoring of students in Malta at risk of early school leaving (ESL), and improved preventative measures. Administrative data for a full cohort of students in Malta were examined to identify risk factors for ESL, as well as gaps in existing practice for data collection and sharing. Issues identified included the lack of central access to student-level data, of comparable measures of achievement, SEN, behaviour and SES. Existing ESL measures were criticized for lack of targeting, and for a focus on the individual student. Suggested changes included the expansion of the Free Childcare Scheme, a much stronger focus on whole-school approaches to ESL prevention, including a parental engagement programme and increased time for reading instruction, and the option to complete terminal examination subjects in Maltese. Additional supports to schools with a high-need intake were also proposed. The paper is based on work sponsored by the EU’s Structural Reform Support Service, conducted by the IEA for Malta's Education Ministry.