What does the National High School Exam (enem) tell Brazilian society?

This article assesses the limitations and potentials of the National High School Exam (ENEM) as an indicator of school effectiveness in Brazil, and considers the effects of introducing contextual variables. A multilevel regression analysis was performed on three levels (individual, school and state) using microdata on 17,359 schools from 2009 and 2010. Contextual factors made it possible to explain 79% of the difference between schools. The raw average and value-added (random effect at the school level) produced contrasting evaluations in 34% of cases; and the average was more stable (r = 0.8) than value-added (r = 0.5) in both years. Various shortcomings in the ENEM as an indicator of school effectiveness were identified. The results show that this league table reveals more about socioeconomic conditions than the schools' own merit, in other words the value-added they are supposedly providing to the students.

Digital inclusion in education in Tarija, Plurinational State of Bolivia

This study analyses digital inclusion in secondary education in the Tarija School District in the Plurinational State of Bolivia for the 2012-2013 school year, using the indicators in the Plan of Action for the Information Society in Latin America and the Caribbean (Plan of Action elac). This is an exploratory and descriptive analysis based on a sample of 311 students, 108 teachers and 15 school principals. According to the findings, teenagers use the Internet to look for information and entertainment; the expansion of mobile technology among them offers numerous educational opportunities; and insufficient training for teachers on how to integrate information and communications technologies (icts) into the learning process is a top challenge. The existence of icts in schools has been confirmed, but not their use. Local and national efforts are helping to reduce the digital divide and promote equality of opportunity for young people.