Learning in the School System
2.5. Learners in Formal Education: Statistical Indicators
This sub-chapter deals with the statistical indicators. We examine how the processes of formal learning could be turned into statistical indicators as these are necessary for studying the learning regions in Hungary.
Developing the indicators of formal learning, we took into consideration the traditional measures belonging to the different levels of education and we also included the indicators related to the socio-economic environment of the educational institutions.
In addition, the measures studied by the Deutscher Lernatlas (2010) and by the Canadian Composite Learning Index (2011) were also authoritative.
In the Deutscher Lernatlas formal learning – or its verbatim translation, school learning (Schulisches Lernen) – is divided into two basic parts by the researchers who examine school education and higher education separately. On the levels of secondary education the results of different competence assessments appear (including reading skills in the native language and in a foreign language, and competences in mathematics and natural sciences), together with the number of students who had to repeat a form, and the ones who dropped out, as well as the adults learning in the school. To explore higher education, they used the proportion of the 25 to 34-year-old young adult graduates and the education programmes in the various regions. The indicators were compared in 6 different regions, which were defined on the basis of the size and type of settlements.
In the development of the Composite Learning Index formal learning is placed on the pillar of Learning to Know along indicators such as accessibility of learning, availability of institutions, the proportion of postgraduate students, the dropout rate as well as reading and writing skills. The indicators examined within these categories were the time it takes to get to the institution, the proportion of graduates of ages 25-64, the proportion of students of ages 20-24 taking part in continuing education, the number of young students who drop out at the same age and finally their key competences at the age of 15.
When designing indicators for formal learning in the Hungarian learning atlas and adapting them to both studies, we divided institutionalised learning into two stages.
As seen in the atlases presented, the results of various competence assessments (PISA, IQB) were used for the study of school education. In the first phase of the study we also made use of this opportunity, but later we removed these indicators. The reason for this is to be found in the novelty of international research. On the one hand, we could not project it on the entire Hungarian population, as the different age groups participated in different assessments (or were not assessed at all).
On the other hand, the changes in the content and the methodology of education (content-based vs. competence development) and the purpose of the assessments (competence-based) took time and in some age groups of the population the results of these studies were difficult to compare and contrast. We were of the opinion that the traditional hard indicators reflect the current learning atlas in a more reliable way.
Therefore, we suggested statistical measures such as the number of people completing various levels of education, the number of students finishing their studies in different types of schools, the teacher-student ratio, the institutions classified by maintainer, as well as the dropout rate, which was also used in the atlases we referred to, and the availability of institutions.
With respect to higher education, we also found it important to study the educational programmes on offer, their accessibility and the proportion of graduates. At the same time, we also considered the ratio of students with a pre-degree certificate and those who have graduated, the rankings of higher education institutions, the geographic location of the institutions, the number of students in different fields of study and courses. We also found it significant to examine the composition of students with respect to non-traditional learners, as long as this could be read from statistical data (e.g. the proportion of the two genders, the proportion of students with disability, Roma and foreign students).
Apart from the indicators related to the educational institutions, it is also important to get an image of the demographic situation. Therefore, we suggested the inclusion of demographic data connected to formal learning. This involves the proportion of students under the dropout age, the number of people belonging to various age groups in the population, the gender proportions and regional data on the natural population growth and decrease.
From the indicators we employed to explore formal learning we used the ones we deemed as the most important in the final index. On the basis of this index the statistical-cartographical group created the complex index of formal learning. The demographic background was included as part of the so-called aging index, which is the ratio of the population above 65 and below 14. Although we did not use the results of the competence assessments based on the reasons detailed above, we did consider the proportion of illiterate people – people above 10 who have completed less than a year in primary education. To portray the number and level of qualifications, we included the proportion of graduates and those who have completed primary school to make up the final index (the latter involving the population above the age of 14 who have at least a primary-level certificate).
With respect to the socio-economic environment of formal learning, we included two indicators in the complex index, that of unemployed graduates and the availability of institutions. The data were broken down to the level of settlements.
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This chapter dealt with the processes of formal learning in Hungary. The processes of formal learning are the most important for a statistical analysis of the various learning regions, towns and communities. We have examined traditional and non-traditional learners in the school system and in school-based vocational training. Based on this we have suggested the indicators of formal learning, which will contribute to the exploration of learning regions.
Chapter 3