教育指标系统构建的理论问题

Theoretical Issues in Constructing Educational Indicator Systems

教育指标研究缘起于美国社会指标运动,兴盛于20世纪80年代。教育指标在本质上是一种认识教育现象的量化实证方法,是对教育系统状态或变化特征的刻画。就具体教育指标而言,需要合理认识该指标所指代的教育特征的含义,明确指标与指代特征间究竟符合反映性测量模型还是形成性模型,以及在特定层次上指标的界定或运用是否合理和有效。教育指标系统不是多个教育指标的简单组合,而是综合了理论认识和现实需求的有机组合。构建教育指标系统需要综合考虑教育价值或过程理论、研究技术、教育政策、教育实践和社会观念等一系列因素。教育指标系统可以用来监测教育系统的状态和变化趋势,判定目标是否达成,发现潜在的问题并指明解决方向,但不能提供因果推断,不应作为教育决策的唯一依据。

Research on educational indicators was originated from the social indicator movement and flourished during the 1980s in the US. By nature, it is an empirical way of understanding education via indicators and describes the aggregate status and change of the education system. For each specific indicator, the relevant issues include but are not limited to defining the property to be indicated, clarifying whether the relation between the indicator and the property is reflective or formative, and justifying the appropriate （dis）aggregate level. An education indicator system is not a simple collection of single indicators, but rather an intertwined set, whose construction requires integrating a variety of theoretical, technical, policy-related and practical issues. Educational indicator systems can be used to monitor the status and change of educational systems, to determine whether the goals have been attained, to identify potential issues, and to point to possible solutions. Not supporting causal inferences, they should not be the sole basis for educational decision-making.