National Assessment Study 2011

Who participated in the study and when was it carried out?

More than 27,000 fourth-grade students from over 1,300 primary and special-needs schools participated in the National Assessment Study 2011. Each school was selected at random and then one class was chosen randomly to take part in the study. The data collection took place throughout Germany between May and July 2011.

 Which content areas were tested?

Students were tested on two content areas in German: listening and reading. Some of the students were also given items on spelling. The mathematics test covered all five content areas set out in the educational standards: numbers and operations, space and shape, patterns and structures, sizes and measurements, and data, frequency and probability.

 Apart from information on student competencies, what other data did the study collect?

The competency tests were supplemented by a questionnaire that asked students to provide information about themselves and their lessons. Principals, selected teachers and the parents of the participating children were also asked to answer questionnaires. The information was used to obtain an overview of teaching and learning conditions in Germany’s primary schools, and to investigate to what extent and under which conditions all students are receiving optimal support.

 Who is responsible for the study and who conducted it?

The study was commissioned by the ministers of education and cultural affairs in each state. Overall academic and data-protection responsibility for the study was with the Institute for Educational Quality Improvement (IQB) at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. This is where the test instruments and questionnaires used in the study were developed, trialled and optimised. The IEA Data Processing and Research Center (DPC) in Hamburg was tasked with organising and carrying out the study. The tests themselves are run by external administrators who have received special training for the task from the DPC.

 Who analysed the study and when was the information released?

The DPC coded the students’ responses and prepared the data in line with requirements set out by the Institute for Educational Quality Improvement (IQB). The work on analysing the data and on identifying the competencies that students have achieved in each state was conducted at the IQB. The results of the data analysis have been summarised in a report that was presented to the public in autumn 2012. After publication of the report, all participating schools were informed of their individual results. The IQB will not, at any stage, publish individual school results or pass them on to third parties.