The estimation theory as a basic of Educational Value Added methodology in assessing the quality of school education

Abstract

The widespread adoption of the idea of the Educational Value Added (EVE) meets in Poland with the many voices of support and opposition, within the same environment, i.e. among teachers and academics. A distanced evaluation of the issues makes it possible for us to look in a less biased way at the arguments presented by the proponents and the opponents of assessment and predictions of learning outcomes by means of EVE. Much of the criticism against EVE and the failures in its application, but also excessive confidence to it, is rooted in unfamiliarity with its fundamentals, primarily based on the Estimation Theory.