Delving into the Development of Chinese Students Based on PISA Scores

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AbstractSince the students from Shanghai participated in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) in 2009, the academic performance of Chinese students in the previous PISA has attracted increasing attention from domestic and foreign media and educational researchers. According to a comparative analysis of Chinese and high-performing students in other countries, China has a large number of high-performing students who have outstanding competencies in mathematics and science; however, problems remain to be tackled. Chinese students are good at memorizing and using knowledge but are weak in analyzing and solving problems. They spend too much time learning inside and outside the school and have a heavy burden of learning. They rank low in the happiness index and growth thinking. They lack sufficient career preparations. Finally, there is imbalance in the education between urban and rural areas and between different schools. Based on the PISA results, the authors find that the key competence-centered curriculum reform, supervision of out-of-school training, and improvement of evaluation indicators reflect China's efforts to eliminate the indoctrination of students with knowledge and reduce their burden of learning; however, problems such as the imbalance in education between urban and rural areas should be resolved. An objective and systematic analysis of the PISA results will help to scientifically evaluate China's educational quality and its position in the world education system so as to promote the healthy development of Chinese education. However, as an evaluation system and merely a frame of reference, the PISA cannot be used to measure the education quality of different areas and schools. We need to highlight the humanistic value of education rather than the standardized and quantitative educational evaluation; improve the diversified system of educational evaluation; focus more on the development of students’ comprehensive competences, health, and well-being; and promote the balanced development of education quality.KeywordsPISAEducational reformKey competenciesEducational evaluationBalance in education