Abstract
The aim of this paper is to analyse the students’ performance in the mathematical competency aspect of the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2015 tests and to compare 5 Spanish regions in this respect – Navarra, Castile-Leon and Catalonia, with results above the national average; and Extremadura and Andalusia, with results below the national average – in order to identify the factors causing these differences. To do so, we computed the degree of association between variables related to the students and to the schools with the scores obtained in the mathematical tests. The purpose of this analysis was to better understand the meaning of these scores and their causes and, above all, to propose educational policy actions for improving the students’ mathematical performance. In this study, a 2-level regression model was applied to the data collected in the PISA 2015 tests. The first level included the factors related to the students and the second was composed of the variables related to the schools. Our results highlight the significant influence of factors such as immigrant status, grade repetition, location of the school (rural or urban) and economic and sociocultural status. The relevance of these factors to students’ academic performance has been observed in previous editions of the PISA tests. We emphasise the need for action to improve students’ mathematical performance and, therefore, their educational success.Keywords: educational assessment; mathematical comprehension; multilevel analysis; performance factors; PISA; regions
Highlights
The PISA is a macro study that has been conducted by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) every three years since 2000
The results compared were obtained from students in five Spanish regions: Navarra, Castile-León, Catalonia, Extremadura, and Andalusia
The effect of the school factor was evaluated by comparing the model that includes this effect (Model A) with the one that does not (Model B)
Summary
The PISA is a macro study that has been conducted by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) every three years since 2000. According to the 2009 and 2012 results, the scientific, reading and mathematical performance of Spanish students was below the OECD average in every case. At the other end of the scale, the mathematical performance of the students from Extremadura and Andalusia might be compared with that of students from countries such as Israel, Croatia and Kazakhstan (470, 464, and 460 points, respectively). This finding suggests that the international differences highlighted by PISA are reproduced on a small scale between the regions of each country. Carabaña (2008) argued that the region would be a more appropriate unit of analysis than the country for the PISA tests, due to the wide regional diversity present in many countries
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
