PISA Programme for International Student Assessment PISA team Department of Education – Ghent University – Belgium Beijing – July 24-25, ( Partly based on Schleicher, A., 2006)

Structure Starting grounds Objectives Samples – Population Quality benchmarks Framework Typical assessment approach National Centres

PISA: starting grounds OECD: Organisation for Economical Organisation and Development Basis of PISA: original work of OECD related to statistics and indicators about education –late 1980s –voluntary contributions –Member engagement through networks

PISA: starting grounds Network on educational outcomes –Proposal to study educational outcomes –Formally started with 11 members in 1996 –Expanded in 1997 New name PISA Members bear costs and risks –Number of countries grows every PISA edition: 2000, 2003, 2006, 2009, …

PISA 2000 OESO-landen: Australië, Oostenrijk, België, Canada, Tsjechische Republiek, Denemarken, Finland, Frankrijk, Duitsland, Griekenland, Hongarije, Ijsland, Ierland, Italië, Japan, Korea, Liechtenstein, Luxemburg, Mexico, Nederland, Nieuw-Zeeland, Noorwegen, Polen, Portugal, Spanje, Zweden, Zwitserland, Verenigd Koninkrijk, Verenigde Staten Partnerlanden (niet-OESO): Albanië, Argentinië, Brazilië, Bulgarije, Chili, Hong Kong-China, Indonesië, Israël, Letland, Voormalige Joegoslavische Republiek Macedonië, Peru, Roemenië, Rusland, Thailand

PISA 2003 OESO-landen: Australië, Oostenrijk, België, Canada, Tsjechische Republiek, Denemarken, Finland, Frankrijk, Duitsland, Griekenland, Hongarije, Ijsland, Ierland, Italië, Japan, Korea, Liechtenstein, Luxemburg, Mexico, Nederland, Nieuw-Zeeland, Noorwegen, Polen, Portugal, Slovakije, Spanje, Zweden, Zwitserland, Turkije, Verenigd Koninkrijk, Verenigde Staten Partnerlanden (niet-OESO): Brazilië, Hong Kong-China, Indonesië, Letland, Macao-China, Rusland, Servië & Montenegro, Thailand, Tunesië, Urugay

PISA 2006 OESO-landen: Australië, Oostenrijk, België, Canada, Tsjechische Republiek, Denemarken, Finland, Frankrijk, Duitsland, Griekenland, Hongarije, Ijsland, Ierland, Italië, Japan, Korea, Luxemburg, Mexico, Nederland, Nieuw- Zeeland, Noorwegen, Polen, Portugal, Slovakije, Spanje, Zweden, Zwitserland, Turkije, Verenigd Koninkrijk, Verenigde Staten Partnerlanden (niet-OESO): Argentinië, Azerbeidzjan, Brazilië, Bulgarije, Chili, Colombia, Kroatië, Estland, Hong Kong-China, Indonesië, Israël, Jordanië, Kyrgyzstan, Letland, Liechtenstein, Litouwen, Macao-China, Qatar, Montenegro, Servië, Roemenië, Rusland, Slovenië, Taipei, Thailand, Tunesië, Uruguay

OECD countries participating from PISA 2000 OECD countries participating from PISA from 2003 OECD partner countries participating from PISA 2000 OECD partner countries participating from PISA 2003 OECD partner countries participating from PISA 2006 PISA country participation PISA 2000 (32 countries) PISA 2003 (41 countries) PISA 2006 (57 countries)

A three-yearly global educational assessment What did they learn? Performance of 15-year-olds key subject areas, and a range of educational outcomes Additionally: student attitudes to learning, self efficacy beliefs, and learning strategies contextual data from students, schools, parents and systems: policy levers PISA: Objectives See further

Comparing performance within and between countries Cross-cultural study Central concept: LITERACY Mathematical literacy Scientific literacy Reading literacy PISA: Objectives

Example: scientific literacy Is defined in terms of an individual’s: Scientific knowledge and use of that knowledge to… …identify scientific issues, …explain scientific phenomena, and …draw evidence-based conclusions about science-related issues Understanding of the characteristic features of science as a form of human knowledge and enquiry Awareness of how science and technology shape our material, intellectual and cultural environments Willingness to engage with science-related issues. PISA:Objectives

Population of 15 year old pupils National samples Representative samples between 3, ,000 pupils Most federal countries: regional samples e.g., Flanders versus Wallonia within Belgium PISA covers roughly 90% of the world economy. PISA: Population versus samples

13 German speaking commmunity Wallonia French speaking commmunity Flanders Dutch speaking commmunity Belgium Federal state (10, inhabitants)

PISA sampling requirements Population: all 15-year-olds in school –excludes 15-year-olds out of school –includes 15-year-olds in special education institutions –could exclude up to 5% of 15-year-olds in school difficult to reach (e.g. remote schools) non-participation –few countries fail to reach required sample in 2003 NZ (5.1%), Denmark (5.3%), UK (5.4%), Canada (6.8%), Spain (7.3%), US (7.3%) Sample –minimum of 150 schools per country –two random samples: schools and replacement schools –if school declines, replacement school is invited –requirements set by countries

International expertise network building on the participating countries… –Instruments ~ input of > 40 countries (see next presentation) –Cross-national and cross-cultural validity –Analysis of results International, natiopnal, regional analyses and reports Country reviews Consortium of research institutions ACER, CITO, ETS, NIER, WESTAT Coordinated by OECD and international organisations PISA: Networks

Focus on performance in subject areas: –Languages: Reading literacy Using, interpreting and reflecting on written material. –Mathematics: Mathematical literacy Recognising problems that can be solved mathematically, representing them mathematically, solving them. –Sciences: Scientific literacy Identifying scientific questions, recognising what counts as scientific evidence, using evidence to draw conclusions about the natural world. PISA: Objectives

PISA Objectives: cycles Reading Maths Science

Focus on performance in additional domains subject areas: –2000: Problem Solving –2003: ICT literacy –2006: Attitudes towards science –2009: ERA PISA: Objectives

PISA key quality benchmarks Overall performance of education systems Equity in the distribution of learning opportunities –Measured by the impact students’ and schools’ socio-economic background has on performance… …not merely by the distribution of learning outcomes Consistency of performance standards across schools Gender differences Foundations for lifelong learning

PISA Reading Maths Science Problem solving ICT literacy Attitudes towards sciences ERA

PISA framework Outputs and Outcomes impact of learning Individual learner Level A Domain 1 Quality and distribution of knowledge & skills

PISA framework Student background variables Mediating variables Literacy

PISA framework: complex interplay variables Student background variables Mediating variables Literacy System level Class-school level Student level

PISA framework Social & economic outcomes of education Output and performance of institutions Quality of instructional delivery Quality and distribution of knowledge & skills Outputs and Outcomes impact of learning Individual learner Level A Instructional settings Level B Schools, other institutions Level C Country or system Level D Domain 1

High Student performance Advantage PISA Index of social background Disadvantage Low

PISA framework Structures, resource allocation and policies Social & economic outcomes of education The school learning environment Teaching, learning practices and classroom climate Individual attitudes, engagement and behaviour Output and performance of institutions Quality of instructional delivery Quality and distribution of knowledge & skills Policy Levers shape educational outcomes Outputs and Outcomes impact of learning Individual learner Level A Instructional settings Level B Schools, other institutions Level C Country or system Level D Domain 2 Domain 1

PISA framework National education, social & economic context Structures, resource allocation and policies Social & economic outcomes of education Community and school characteristics Student learning, teacher working conditions Socio-economic background of learners Antecedents contextualise or constrain ed policy The school learning environment Teaching, learning practices and classroom climate Individual attitudes, engagement and behaviour Output and performance of institutions Quality of instructional delivery Quality and distribution of knowledge & skills Policy Levers shape educational outcomes Outputs and Outcomes impact of learning Individual learner Level A Instructional settings Level B Schools, other institutions Level C Country or system Level D Domain 3Domain 2 Domain 1

Typical PISA assessment Information collection –From students 3½ hours of main domain assessment 1 hour in relation to other subdomain 2 hours on paper-and-pencil tasks (subset of all questions) ½ hour for questionnaire on background, learning habits, learning environment, engagement and motivation –From school principals Questionnaire (school demography, learning environment quality) Indirect assssment of classroom variables (teacher, class) BEWARE!! Only adequate if grade based sampling has been applied

PISA National Centre Linking with international consortium Implementation of framework ~national level Reporting to consortium Representation during international meetings

PISA International Strong prescriptive framework Framework, timing, procedures, tools National data gathering International processing of data Priority in international release of results National (regional) processing of data next priority level Secondary analysis of data: data available

New developments Towards electronic assessment 2009: first full scale trial –ERA Electronic Reading Assessment

PISA Programme for International Student Assessment PISA team Department of Education – Ghent University – Belgium Beijing – July 24-25, ( Partly based on Schleicher, A., 2006)