INCA Education around the world
INCA Thematic Probes
INCA thematic probes are comparative education reports providing snapshot cross-national data on specific subject areas/themes of interest across the INCA countries. The data, sourced from the INCA website, is usually complemented by additional information from Web-based desk research and contacts in Ministries and agencies in the countries concerned. Occasionally, the desk research is extended to cover additional countries (such as Norway), which are not included in the INCA website.
Unless otherwise stated, the thematic probes detailed below were funded by the Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency (QCDA) in England. Other organisations are at liberty to commission probes. Please contact NFER inca@nfer,ac,uk if you are interested in commissioning an INCA thematic probe.
Click on the title(s) below for access to the relevant thematic probe. All are available as freely downloadable pdf files (file size is indicated).
July 2011: Curriculum specification in seven countries (3 MB). The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) in Ireland commissioned a short piece of desk research covering curriculum specification in seven countries (Australia, for the new national curriculum framework only; Canada, the provinces of Alberta and Ontario; Finland; New Zealand; Scotland; Singapore; and South Africa). The probe covers how the curriculum is specified, whether standards are an integral part of the curriculum, the agency (or agencies) responsible for the development of the curriculum and/or standards, curriculum publication formats, and whether curriculum components are nationally, regionally or locally specified during compulsory education. The study also includes information about the arrangements for and purposes of statutory assessment. Data was collected in April 2011.
December 2010: Curriculum and assessment models for the home language, ages 11 - 17. (760 KB). This desk research, commissioned by the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual), examines how other countries teach and assess the home language (the official language of instruction in a given country or state) for 11- to 17-year-olds. The report provides an overview of curriculum and assessment models in Australia (at federal, national and Commonwealth level), Canada (looking nationally and also specificially at the province of Ontario), Hungary, Italy, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Spain and Sweden.
November 2010: Curriculum Review in the INCA countries. (986 KB). This probe examines the review and development of curriculum in the INCA countries. It aims to answer questions about the scheduling of curriculum review, coverage and drivers for curriculum review, and the extent to which consistency of the curriculum across phases is a feature of these changes. NB. Data collection was completed in June 2010.
December 2009: Sex and relationships education in other countries. (751 KB). This desk research details the ways in which sex and relationships education is provided in a selection of INCA and Eurydice Network countries. It covers what is taught and to what age group, and whether parents have the right to withdraw their children from any aspects of this provision. Data, sourced from OECD, on teenage fertility rates is also included.
October 2009: Early_Years_International_Themes:_Final Report (330KB). This literature review aims to identify the major themes in early years education in national and international literature. Analysis of 27 scholarly articles identified six major themes: pre-school effects, the quality of interactions, curriculum frameworks, cognitive and social development, practitioner training, and family participation.
September 2009: International thematic probe: the influence of relative age on learner attainment and development (585 KB). Completed in February 2009, this INCA thematic probe focuses on the attainment and development of children who are the youngest in the year group. This rapid review of research evidence aimed to identify the extent and impact of the 'relative age effect' and to identify policies and practices in place to mediate any potential effects.
June 2009: Curriculum documentation and guidance (704 KB). This probe contains desk research which examines how curriculum documents and guidance are provided in 17 countries (Australia (Queensland), Canada (British Columbia), Finland, France, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Korea, Netherlands, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, USA (Maryland), and Wales).
July 2008: The Regulation of Examinations and Qualifications: an international study (313 KB). This is a report of an international research project for which the data was collected in the autumn of 2007. The research was designed to be hypothesis generating; to give an initial understanding of how international findings could provide insight into English qualifications and examinations regulation; and to inform future work.
June 2008: Primary curriculum change: directions of travel in 10 countries (87 KB). Data collection and analysis for this report, which covers changes in the primary curriculum since 2005 in France, Germany, Italy, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Norway, Scotland, Spain, Slovenia and Tasmania (Australia), was completed in March 2008.
April 2008: Coursework in five countries (206KB). Data collection for this probe, which examines the role of coursework in examinations in France, the Netherlands, Norway, Ontario (Canada) and Victoria (Australia), took place in November 2007.
September 2007: Assessment for disabled students: an international comparison. This probe combines information from the INCA website, the network of INCA contacts, information provided by the Eurydice information network on education in Europe, and a literature review to produce a summary thematic probe report.
August 2007: Compulsory assessment systems in the INCA countries (485 KB). Data collection for this probe took place in May 2007.
October 2006: Dips in Performance and Motivation: a Purely English Perception? (266 KB)
June 2006: Thematic Probe: the Teaching of Skills in Primary and Lower Secondary Education (2,213 KB. (Data collection for this probe took place in August/September 2005.)
October 2005: Background Paper: Active Citizenship: Definitions, Goals and Practices. (1,391 KB). This paper was prepared in advance of an INCA international seminar on this theme which was held in March 2006. A linked thematic study report was published in November 2006. See the thematic studies page.
September 2005: Executive summary: Learner Motivation 3-19. An International Perspective. (111 KB)
March 2005: Thematic Probe. Learner Motivation 3-19: an International Perspective (440 KB)
March 2005: Thematic Probe: the Teaching of Skills in Lower Secondary Education (222 KB)
September 2004: Curriculum and Progression in the Arts: an International Study (179 KB)
August 2003: A thematic probe on Transition from Primary to Secondary Education across Selected Countries of the INCA Archive (467 KB), which was undertaken under the sponsorship of the Northern Ireland Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA).
December 2002: Thematic probe. Primary Education: an International Perspective This paper was prepared in advance of an INCA international seminar on this theme, held in early 2003. A linked thematic study report was published in June 2003. See the thematic studies page.
May 2002: Curriculum review: Queensland (147 KB). This paper provides additional data for Queensland (Australia) to supplement the June 2001 probe 'Curriculum review: an international perspective' (see below).
September 2001: Thematic Probe: Early Years Education (450 KB) This probe was prepared in advance of an INCA international seminar on this theme which was held in early 2002. A linked thematic study report was published in July 2002. See the thematic studies page.
June 2001: Curriculum review: an international perspective (322 KB)
June 2000: Science for the 21st Century. Queensland (Australia), Ontario (Canada), France, the Netherlands and Sweden (105 KB)
1999: Arts and creativity in education: an international perspective (190 KB) This probe was prepared in advance of an INCA international seminar on this theme which was held in July 2000. A linked thematic study report was published in December 2000. See the thematic studies page.
1996 : Control and supply of textbooks (47 KB)
INCA is the International Review of Curriculum and Assessment Frameworks Internet Archive. It provides regularly updated descriptions of government policy on education in Australia, Canada, England, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the USA and Wales. The INCA website makes particular reference to the curriculum, assessment and initial teacher training frameworks in place and focuses on education provided in schools for the 3-19 age range. Production of the website is supported by the Department for Education (DfE) in England. The website is compiled and managed by the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER).
