03/06/2015
The future of the university entrance exam in China (the gaokao) was discussed by our Chief Executive, Michael O’Sullivan, in a speech he delivered in Mandarin at the 2015 Beijing Education Supervision and Evaluation Seminar on 3 June 2015.
Under the theme of Educational Modernisation and Supervision, the seminar was jointly organised by the National Educational Supervision Committee of the State Council, Beijing Municipal Education Committee and the Beijing Municipal Educational Supervision Office. Speakers included senior officials and key opinion leaders in China, and over 200 representatives from central government authorities and local education organisations took part.
In his speech, Michael reflected on the future of examinations and how trends in assessment – such as assessment of ‘21st century skills’ and the growth of digital assessment – are impacting on test design. “Ultimately, design of a good examination depends on what the examination will be used for, and this must be identified with precision and clarity. Sometimes the same examination is used for too many different purposes: for evaluating students, for making selection, for evaluating teachers and schools,” he said. Read the full speech.