PISA tests

The Programme for International Student Assesment (PISA) is a worldwide study carried out by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in order to allow a comparison of educational performances among several countries. The aim of the PISA tests is to evaluate the degree of success on three key competence fields, which are mathematics, science and reading, of 15-year old students. It was first developed in 2000 and then repeated every three years. The test questions do not measure just the theoretical knowledge acquired by students, based on memorization of ideas, but rather demand that students have to be able to make use of that information and put it into practice throughout their lives. Students ought to know how to apply their skills in their everyday experiences. For instance, the PISA literacy mathematics tests ask students to apply their mathematical knowledge to solve problems set in various real-world contexts. The same happens with the reading tests: students are not assessed just as a fluent readers, but they should be able to construct new knowledge by adding it to the previous one, extend and reflect on the meaning of what they have read across a wide range of texts. 

470,000 students representing 65 nations and territories took part in PISA 2009, regardless of grade or socio-economic status. An additional 50,000 students representing 9 countries were tested in 2010.

Moreover, the objective is not just to to inform of students' level, but to improve educational policies and outcomes. The data has been used both to assess the impact of educational quality on incomes and growth and for understanding what causes differences in achievements across nations. 

Method of testing

Each student takes a two-hour handwritten test, which consists of a multiple-choice quiz ad a part that involves full answers. This is followed by a cognitive test in which students have to answer a questionnaire on their background including learning habits, motivations and family. 

 What are the results of the last PISA test?

In the link below, you can consult the last results and rankings in PISA 2009.

http://www.oecd.org/pisa/46643496.pdf 


 

The Pisa 2009 tests showed that Shanghai was top of the international education rankings. Education professor Yong Zhao has noted the PISA 2009 did not receive much attention in the Chinese media, and that the high scores in China are due to excessive workload and testing, adding that it's "no news that the Chinese education system is excellent in preparing outstanding test takers, just like other education systems within the Confucian cultural circle: Singapore, Korea, Japan, and Hong Kong."

Some general remarks on PISA results

1. Investing more money doesn't necessarily mean to offer the best education and to achieve the best academic results. Countries that spent more do not automatically do better.
2. Importance of a high level of teacher's academic preparation, social prestige and status of the profession, motivation and vocation for the job.
3.  The best strategy is a combination of progressive and traditional methods and ideas. 
4.  More hours at school does not guarantee a better and successful learnig. 
5. Teachers are the base of a good learning. No educational system can exceed the quality of its teachers. 
6. The students' familiar background is also essential. Students who are better-educated and grow in a stable and good environment tend to achieve higher results. So external factors like family and socio-economic status are highly influential on grades and performances.