Abstract
The cognitive items covering the domain of scientific literacy in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) are explored through an analysis of the item residuals (item-by-country interactions) with the aim of looking for a distinct Nordic pattern. The findings of a cluster analysis indicate that the profile across the Nordic countries is not very distinct. However, stable profiles are established for a number of other groups of countries, and the Nordic countries are shown to be membersof a larger group of countries which is labelled North-West European countries. Furthermore, item characteristics are used to find possible explanations for the profiles.
Highlights
In this article patterns across cognitive items in scientific literacy from the OECD study Programme for International Student Assessment implemented in 2003 (PISA 2003) are explored
Of specific interest in this paper are the Nordic countries that in prior studies have been shown to have profiles across cognitive items that are relatively similar to each other. Indications for such a Nordic cluster have been established in analysis of reading items from PISA 2000 (Lie & Roe, 2003), analyses of mathematics items from the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS 1995) (Grønmo et al, 2004b; Lie et al, 1997; Zabulionis, 2001) as well as in analyses of science items from TIMSS 1995 (Angell et al, in press; Grønmo et al, 2004b; Lie et al, 1997) and science items in PISA 2000 (Kjærnsli & Lie, 2004)
A Nordic profile is present in the analysis of items from TIMSS 1995, while in the analysis of PISA 2000 items the indications are weaker
Summary
In this article patterns across cognitive items in scientific literacy (sometimes referred to as ‘science’ throughout the article) from the OECD study Programme for International Student Assessment implemented in 2003 (PISA 2003) are explored. Of specific interest in this paper are the Nordic countries that in prior studies have been shown to have profiles across cognitive items that are relatively similar to each other. Indications for such a Nordic cluster have been established in analysis of reading items from PISA 2000 (Lie & Roe, 2003), analyses of mathematics items from the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS 1995) (Grønmo et al, 2004b; Lie et al, 1997; Zabulionis, 2001) as well as in analyses of science items from TIMSS 1995 (Angell et al, in press; Grønmo et al, 2004b; Lie et al, 1997) and science items in PISA 2000 (Kjærnsli & Lie, 2004). In the analysis of the PISA 2000 data referred to above, it was especially Finland that did not cluster together with the other Nordic countries, followed by Denmark that had a profile that to some degree was drawn away from the Nordic cluster
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