The Educational Research Centre (ERC) is an internationally recognised centre of excellence in research, assessment and evaluation in education.
The Centre carries out research at all levels of the education system. Research is undertaken on behalf of the Department of Education, at the request of other agencies and on the initiative of the ERC itself and its staff.
The ERC provides an assessment support service to schools, supplying a range of standardised tests to primary and post-primary schools. The ERC Drumcondra tests are the leading standardised tests used in Irish schools.
The ERC also publishes the Irish Journal of Education.
The ERC was established as a designated statutory body of the Department of Education under Section 54 of the Education Act (1998) on 9 September 2015 (S.I. no. 392 of 2015 and S.I. No. 309 of 2017). The Centre was first established in 1966 in St Patrick’s College, Drumcondra and operated as a functionally autonomous part of St Patrick’s College (now incorporated in Dublin City University) until 2015.
Mission and Strategy
The Establishment Order (SI 392 of 2015) draws a distinction between two objectives of the Centre:
- Provide an assessment support service to schools and centres for education that will enable them to fulfil their obligations under Section 9 of the Education Act 1988; and
- Conduct independent research on all aspects of education and at all levels of the education system including educational research that will inform policy making and the improvement of educational standards.
The Centre’s Strategic Plan 2022-2024 provides further information on our Mission, Values and Strategic Goals. An leagan Gaeilge anseo.
The Centre’s previous Strategic Plan (2019-2021) can be accessed here. An leagan Gaeilge anseo.
Overview of the Centre’s activities
National Assessments of Educational Achievement
As part of the Centre’s role in monitoring the outcomes of education, national surveys of achievement at primary level have been carried out in association with the DES since 1972.
The surveys have been conducted in the areas of English (reading), Irish (reading and oral language) and mathematics.
These assessments are conducted about once every five years at primary level. They involve pupil tests as well as context questionnaires for pupils, teachers, principals and parents.
International Assessments of Educational Achievement
International assessments of educational achievement have been conducted since the 1980s. Currently, the ERC oversees three international assessments covering primary and post-primary levels:
- Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS; every 5 years, Fourth class)
- Trends in International Maths and Science Study (TIMSS; every 4 years, Fourth class and Second year)
- The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA, every 3 years; 15- and 16-year-olds).
Like the national assessments, they involve tests as well as context questionnaires for learners, teachers, principals, and/or parents, and provide international benchmarks as well as national contextual information.
Research and evaluation in educational disadvantage
Evaluations of initiatives and new programmes in schools to improve the learning and life chances of students in socially-disadvantaged situations are an ongoing focus of our work. Completed projects include the evaluations of the Rutland Street Project, Breaking the Cycle, Early Start, the Home-School-Community Liaison Scheme and a review of Giving Children an Even Break. The current evaluation of Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS) is ongoing.
Development of standardised tests and provision of standardised testing support service
Work is carried out on an ongoing basis on the development of tests and profiling systems which teachers use to assess learners in primary and post-primary schools.
At primary level, these include the Drumcondra Primary Reading Test (DPRT-R), the Drumcondra Primary Mathematics Test (DPMT-R), the Drumcondra Reasoning Test (DRT), Triailacha Ghaeilge Dhroim Conrach do Bhunscoileanna Rialta (TGD-R) agus do Bhunscoileanna Gaeltachta agus Lán-Ghaeilge (TGD-G).
From 2019 onwards, newly-normed tests of reading and mathematics are available in both paper (first-sixth class) and online (third-sixth class) formats for primary school pupils.
We also offer the Drumcondra Test of Early Literacy (DTEL) and the Drumcondra Test of Early Numeracy (DTEN).
At post-primary level, we offer online tests of reading, mathematics and reasoning for Second years.
The ERC also offers a scoring service for its paper-based tests.
Activities
The Establishment Order (Articles 8 and 9) specifies a non-exhaustive list of activities consistent with the furtherance of the objects of the function of the ERC:
- Enabling schools to assess the attainment levels and academic standards of students as required under Section 9(k) of the Education Act, 1998
- Enabling schools to report systematically on the attainment levels and academic standards of students to parents, students, boards of management, the Minister for Education and others
- Assisting schools to identify the special educational needs of individual students
- Providing advice to schools and centres for education on the assessment of the attainment levels and academic standards of students
- Carrying out national and international assessments of the attainment levels and academic achievement of students and reporting on such assessments to the Minister
- Maintaining, storing securely and publishing information on the attainment levels and academic standards of students in schools and centres for education in Ireland
- Engaging in the evaluation of educational programmes and activities
- Initiating and conducting research consistent with the objects of the Centre, and publishing and disseminating the findings of this research
- Building capacity for educational assessment and research in Ireland by making provision for the professional development of staff of the Centre and by providing to others training in, and advice on, areas of its competence
- Serving on national and international bodies of relevance to the Centre
- Co-operating with other bodies, as appropriate, in research, assessment and evaluation studies and in the dissemination of findings concerning research, assessment and evaluation
- Providing consultancy services
- Co-operating with other bodies, as appropriate.
The breadth of the activities of the Centre is indicative of the multiple strands of work and collaboration that need to exist between ERC and various layers of the education system. It includes:
- the development of assessment instruments and related material for distribution and sale to schools
- the publication or submission for publication personally authored or co-authored articles, books and reports
- the initiation of research other than research on behalf of the Department, in accordance with agreed work-plans
- the carrying out of research with and for other bodies
- commenting publicly on education policy and practice on the basis of its own research and on the basis of the research literature more generally
- seeking to clarify any matters relating to media reports of ERC work
- maintaining a relationship with schools and the education community more generally that is different from the relationship between these parties and the Department (for example, information supplied by individual schools to the ERC is not shared with the Department unless the school has been made aware in advance that this will happen)
- having its own website and develop this website and other forms of electronic communication
- the publication of the Irish Journal of Education.
Working in partnership
The ERC operates within a network of diverse stakeholders who contribute to, and benefit from, its research activities. The ERC meets the needs of key stakeholders by delivering timely, relevant assessments and research, communicated clearly in a way that the education of children and young people.
Our stakeholders provide valuable insights, resources, and support that enhance the Centre’s research capabilities and impact. By fostering strong relationships and effective communication with all stakeholders, the ERC ensures that its research is relevant, practical, and beneficial to the educational community at large.
