Programme For International Student Assessment Scores Research Articles

Influence of Refugee Status Factors and Demographic Reporting on PISA Mathematics Scores in Germany

The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) scores are a leading international measure of achievement. This study reviews German 2015 PISA data and imputes scores on income and time in nation to provide comparisons between native, immigrant and refugee students. This quantitative study uses cultural capital to explain the association of independent variables to PISA scores for students, revealing an unexpected negative linear relationship between those variables. The results and significance of this study may assist those involved in policy for refugee populations and inform the strategies of test protocols and measures in a new global student paradigm.

Does private schooling affect international test scores? Evidence from a natural experiment

ABSTRACTThe effects of private schooling on Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) scores of 63 countries across the globe from 2000 to 2012 are estimated. I employ year and country fixed effects regression models and use the short-run demand for schooling within a country and year as an instrument to predict private share of schooling enrollment. I find evidence to suggest that an increased share of private schooling leads to improved PISA scores around the world. Specifically, the model using control variables alongside country and year fixed effects finds that a 1 percentage point increase in the private share of schooling enrollment is associated with a 1.4-point increase in math scores and a 1.1-point increase in reading scores. However, only the reading result remains statistically significant in the instrumental variables analysis.

Budgeting for efficiency? A case study of the public K-12 education systems of Canada

ABSTRACTIn spite of the declining and uneven performance of Canadian students on the OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) tests, little attention has been paid to whether provinces are allocating their education budgets to improve academic performance. This study uses a two-stage data envelope analysis (DEA) technique to estimate the degree to which education expenditures are efficiently allocated relative to achievement scores. We find that in these terms the overall cost-efficiency of the public K-12 education systems in the 10 provinces has deteriorated and that, in general, the provinces have become less able to allocate resources efficiently and use them in the most technically productive way. However, some provinces are more efficient than others. To gauge the extent to which performance measures, such as PISA scores, factor into budgeting decisions we interviewed 28 budget managers in 10 Canadian provinces and two territories, probing the criteria used to allocate education resources. The preponderant pattern of budgeting is described as an ‘increments-based-on-formula’ approach, one that is not particularly responsive to efficiency concerns but that often takes account of equity imperatives.

How Robust Are Cross‐Country Comparisons of PISA Scores to the Scaling Model Used?

AbstractThe Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) is an important international study of 15‐olds' knowledge and skills. New results are released every 3 years, and have a substantial impact upon education policy. Yet, despite its influence, the methodology underpinning PISA has received significant criticism. Much of this criticism has focused upon the psychometric scaling model used to create the proficiency scores. The aim of this article is to therefore investigate the robustness of cross‐country comparisons of PISA scores to subtle changes to the underlying scaling model used. This includes the specification of the item‐response model, whether the difficulty and discrimination of items are allowed to vary across countries (item‐by‐country interactions) and how test questions not reached by pupils are treated. Our key finding is that these technical choices make little substantive difference to the overall country‐level results.

Alleviating or exacerbating disadvantage: does school attended mediate the association between family background and educational attainment?

ABSTRACTOpportunities for social mobility are generated by education systems designed to alleviate the effects of social origin by providing equality of opportunities and resources. The persistence of the strong association between socioeconomic status (SES) and child’s educational achievement and attainment suggests that social origin continues to play an integral role in the educational outcomes of successive generations of Australians. Sociologists draw on a range of theoretical perspectives to explain this association including Bourdieu’s cultural and social capital theories. Using data collected by the Longitudinal Survey of Australian Youth 2009 (LSAY09) project, I examine the associations between student SES, school SES and two outcome variables: Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) score and university enrolment. The results indicate that low SES students attending high SES schools perform better on PISA tests than low SES students attending low SES schools. After controlling for PISA score, low SES students were less likely than their high SES peers to enrol at university. Furthermore, students attending low SES schools were less likely than their peers attending high SES schools to enrol at university, net of their individual SES and their PISA scores.

Predicting PISA Scores from Students’ Digital Traces

The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) is an influential worldwide study that tests the skills and knowledge in mathematics, reading, and science of 15-year-old students. In this paper, we show that PISA scores of individual students can be predicted from their digital traces. We use data from the nationwide Russian panel study that tracks 4,400 participants of PISA and includes information about their activity on a popular social networking site. We build a simple model that predicts PISA scores based on students' subscriptions to various public pages on the social network. The resulting model can successfully discriminate between low- and high-performing students (AUC = 0.9). We find that top-performing students are interested in pages related to science and art, while pages preferred by low-performing students typically concern humor and horoscopes. The difference in academic performance between subscribers to such public pages could be equivalent to several years of formal schooling, indicating the presence of a strong digital divide. The ability to predict academic outcomes of students from their digital traces might unlock the potential of social media data for large-scale education research.

Does Private Schooling Affect Non-Cognitive Skills? International Evidence Based on Test and Survey Effort on PISA

I use Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) data from over 300,000 individual students within 44 countries in 2009 and a historical natural experiment to estimate the causal impact of private schooling on student effort. Since nations with larger shares of Catholics in 1900 tend to have larger shares of private schooling today, the study uses the Catholic share of the population in 1900 as an exogenous instrument to predict whether a given child is in a private school in 2009. The results suggest that private schooling increases student effort on PISA tests, as measured by test decline, while decreasing diligence on student surveys, as measured by careless answer patterns and non-response rates. In addition, I find that private schooling substantially increases PISA test scores, and that stronger non-cognitive skills are associated with higher PISA scores.

Are pupils' 'Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA)' scores associated with a nation's fish consumption?

Omega-3 fatty acids are essential for neurodevelopment. Fish is a major source of these essential nutrients. We asked whether a nation's fish consumption is associated with its pupils' PISA scores as measures of school achievement, independent of economic status and breastfeeding. Method (Design and Setting): This was a regression analytic study based on published data. Data on fish consumption and PISA scores were available for 64 countries. A significant regression model explained 72% of the variance in PISA scores. Breastfeeding does not enter the model. After controlling for technical and/or economic development, a nation's fish consumption remains a significant predictor, explaining an additional 4% of the variance. This effect is likely due to the fact that fish, as the major source of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids for a population, is important for the omega-3 supply to mothers and the early neurodevelopment of their children. Fish consumption, as a proxy for a population's omega-3 supply, is an independent predictor of pupils' school achievement, in addition to a nation's economic development.

Does Private Schooling Improve International Test Scores? An Instrumental Variables Fixed Effects Analysis of the Impact of Private Schooling on PISA Scores

We estimate the effect of private schooling on Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) scores of 62 countries across the globe from 2000 to 2012. We employ time and country-fixed effects regression models and also use the short-run demand for schooling within a country and year as a new instrument for private share of schooling enrollment. We find evidence to suggest that increased private schooling leads to improved PISA scores around the world. Specifically, our preferred model finds that a ten percentage point increase in the private share of schooling enrollment is associated with a 28% standard deviation increase in math, a 24% standard deviation increase in reading, and a 18% standard deviation increase in science.

Differences in the Intelligence of 15 Year Olds in 42 Provinces and Cities of the Russian Federation and Their Economic, Social and Geographical Correlates

This study reports data for the intelligence of 15 year olds in 42 provinces and cities of the Russian Federation assessed in the 2015 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) and their economic, social and geographical correlates. It was found that the average PISA scores of the provinces and cities were significantly correlated with the scores on the Unified State Examination in 2014 (r = .53, p<.001) reported by Grigoriev et al. (2016), with literacy rates in 1897 (r = .50, p<.01), with the percentage of ethnic Russians in the population, and with latitude and longitude showing that PISA scores were higher in the more northerly and westerly provinces.

Benchmarking London in the PISA rankings

The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) is an important international study of 15-year-olds' academic achievement. Although PISA has traditionally been used to draw comparisons across countries, there is growing interest in the production of regional (i.e. city, state, or provincial level) results. In this paper we present the first attempt to benchmark London in the PISA rankings. Pooling data across the 2009 and 2012 survey waves, we estimated a 95 per cent confidence interval for London's mathematics, reading, and science PISA scores. These are compared not only to country-level averages, but also to the scores of other major world cities and states. The paper concludes by discussing how these results should be interpreted, and possible directions for future research.

Premigration School Quality, Time Spent in the United States, and the Math Achievement of Immigrant High School Students.

Using a nationally representative sample of 1,189 immigrant youth in American high schools, we examine whether the quality of education in their country of origin is related to post-migration math achievement in the 9th grade. To measure the quality of their education in the country of origin, we use country-specific average test scores from two international assessments: the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) and the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). We find that the average PISA or TIMSS scores for immigrant youth's country of origin are positively associated with their performance on the 9th grade post-migration math assessment. We also find that each year spent in the United States is positively associated with performance on the 9th grade post-migration math assessment, but this effect is strongest for immigrants from countries with low PISA/TIMSS scores.

The Higher Education Academic Readiness of Students in the United States

The authors examined the state of United States student academic readiness for higher education from a global perspective utilizing data from the Organization of Economic and Co-operation and Development (OECD) and Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), which tests over a half a million 15 year old student’s skills and knowledge. These scores were compared to the expenditures per student according to GDP growth and relation to U.S. dollars to draw conclusions. While it is true that the United States is among the top nations in terms of expenditures per student per year, the United States does not score in the top nations when tested by PISA. The author’s did not find a correlation between the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate and the PISA Scores. The authors also examined several OECD studies across age groups and national performance and the United States students performed below the national averages. The authors, however, suggest that the declining average GDP growth rates and deteriorating standard of living in the United States are related in part, to the weakening academic performance in the United States. While the statistical correlation between academic performance and economic growth rates has not been proven, the United States mediocre test results are still disquieting. It may prove true that it will take several decades before the correlation becomes statistically evident and, at that point, it may take a generation, or much more, for the United States to recover and become competitive globally once again.

Correcting for sample problems in PISA and the improvement in Portuguese students’ performance

The results of large-scale international assessments such as Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) have attracted a considerable attention worldwide and are often used by policy-makers to support educational policies. To ensure that the published results represent the actual population, these surveys go through a thorough scrutiny to ensure their validity. One important issue that may affect the results is the occurrence of different participation rates across groups with heterogeneous average student scores. In this study, we illustrate how problems of representativeness of the samples may be corrected by the use of post-stratified weights. We use the case of Portugal, a country where we uncover a meaningful difference between the actual population and the PISA samples in terms of the distribution of students per grade and track of studies. We show that after post-stratification, the temporal evolution of the PISA scores is quite different from the one reported.

Explaining the difference between PISA 2009 reading scores in Finland and Estonia

The aim of the study was to explain the difference between the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2009 reading results for Finland and Estonia using characteristics of teaching and learning, and characteristics of the overall development of these countries. PISA data were collected via a reading test and student questionnaires from 4,729 students in Estonia and 5,810 students in Finland. Regression analysis made it possible to identify the speed of the rise in PISA scores in relation to the selected variables. The speed was multiplied by the value of the variable to calculate the effect of the variable. The effects of the joy of reading and the diversity of reading materials were greater in Finland, but the effects of metacognition and online reading activities were greater in Estonia. The countries had different values for several indices of development, and this was concordant with the difference in the PISA scores.

Why do East Asian children perform so well in PISA? An investigation of Western-born children of East Asian descent

A small group of high-performing East Asian economies dominate the top of the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) rankings. This has caught the attention of Western policymakers, who want to know why East Asian children obtain such high PISA scores, and what can be done to replicate their success. In this paper I investigate whether children of East Asian descent, who were born and raised in a Western country (Australia), also score highly on the PISA test. I then explore whether their superior performance (relative to children of Australian heritage) can be explained by reasons often given for East Asian students’ extraordinary educational achievements. My results suggest that second-generation East Asian immigrants outperform their native Australian peers by approximately 100 test points. Moreover, the magnitude of this achievement gap has increased substantially over the last ten years. Yet there is no ‘silver bullet’ that can explain why East Asian children obtain such high levels of academic achievement. Rather a combination of factors, each making their own independent contribution, seem to be at play. Consequently, I warn Western policymakers that it may only be possible to catch the leading East Asian economies in the PISA rankings with widespread cultural change.

Türk Öğrencilerin PISA Başarı Düzeylerinin Veri Zarflama Analizi ile Yıllara Göre Karşılaştırılması

AbstractThis research aimed to determine the relative efficiency of the types of school common to three administrations of the PISA (2003-2006-2009) by comparing their results, along with the activities that are to be performed for inefficient school types and changes in the efficiency value of the school types by year. The comparative analysis was based on information obtained from student questionnaires and cognitive skills tests. Turkish students completing the PISA in 2003, 2006, and 2009 comprised the population of the survey-based study. In the study, the data obtained from the PISA tests were analyzed using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA). The results of the study indicated that the differences in quality among high schools are still prominent. The low economic, social, and cultural index of the elementary-school-level students, and vocational high school students' inability to allocate sufficient time for study outside of school hindered these schools' efficiency, as shown in the three administrations of the PISA. Consequently, student achievement was found to vary by year, and variables to be increased or decreased for improved student success have been identified.Key WordsDEA, PISA, School Type, Student Achievement.Education is currently the most important component of economic and social development, and is in rapid and constant change worldwide. Education is one of the most effective tools of political, social, and cultural integration and management of changes (Milli Egitim BakanlIgI [MEB], 2005a). Educational institutions aim to cultivate individuals able to respond to the requirements of the constantly changing world (Kutlu, Dogan, & Karakaya, 2008). Students' success in life depends on their attaining levels at which they are able to use the basic knowledge and skills they have learned during their school years (Berberoglu, 2006). Looking at students' levels of success in their school lives, we can make some deductions for the power of rivalry in countries' future economy (Acar, 2008). By means of successful individuals will increase the workforce, which ensures the country's development. Students' academic success is considered an important representation of the effectiveness of the educational system in many countries. In the process of finding and improving deficiencies in the educational system and its components, most decisions are made according to the findings obtained through objective instruments of measurement (MEB, 2010).One of the examinations used by the Ministry of National Education to evaluate student success is international, and compared the educational system with those of other countries: The Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), prepared by the Organization for Economic CoOperation and Development (OECD). The PISA is a study carried out every three year to evaluate students' knowledge in math, science, and reading skills, it evaluates how much knowledge 15-year-old students in the OECD and other participating countries have so that they can understand their place in the modern world (MEB, 2010).Turkey participated in PISA in 2003 for the first time. The 2003 PISA results demonstrated math literacy; the average score was 425. According to the experts, this score is under even basic proficiency level. Although important reforms were made in 2006, results from that year were the same. In 2009, Turkey's PISA score increased from 425 to 446. From 2006, when the focus of field was science literacy, to the year 2009, Turkey has experienced a thirty score increase. In comparison to 2006 PISA scores, literacy scores increased by 17 (MEB, 2010). Although the scores increased, the position of Turkey in the international frame remained mostly unchanged. While Turkey stood between 37th and 44th positions among 75 countries in 2006, in 2009 Turkey remained in 41st and 43rd positions among 65 countries. The fact that the nation's standing did not change and that student success did not significantly improve should be analyzed by different statistics. …

What Policies Work? Addressing the Concerns Raised by Canada's PISA Results

Canadian educators can draw key lessons on how to improve student performance from the most recent Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) report, according to a new C.D. Howe Institute publication. In “What Policies Work? Addressing the Concerns Raised by Canada’s PISA Results,” author John Richards addresses six widely discussed education policies that may reverse Canada’s falling PISA scores. Relying on the exhaustive background research undertaken by PISA, he concludes that four of the policies may work; two probably won’t.

An analysis of the impact of socio-economic disadvantage and school quality on the probability of school dropout

This paper combines the Australian Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) micro-level data with its longitudinal continuation, the Longitudinal Survey of Australian Youth data, to measure the association between individual PISA scores and early school dropouts. We use multilevel modelling to distinguish between student and school factors when estimating school dropout propensity for 15–18-year olds. We model attrition and deal with the possibility that PISA scores are endogenous in the dropout decision. We find that PISA scores predict well early dropout, especially so for bottom achievers, and that individual and social disadvantage plays a crucial role in this relationship, both directly and indirectly.

Türkiye’nin PISA 2009 ve 2012 Sonuçlarına İlişkin Karşılaştırmalı Bir Analiz

The purpose of this study is to make an international comparative analysis of Turkey’s PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) 2012 performance in reading, math, and science skills according to previous term (2009). The study was designed as descriptive. In the study, the data were derived from OECD PISA 2009 and 2012 reports and PISA databases. The present study shows that in terms of average scores of math and science, the international rank of Turkey has not been changed considerably. In both terms, the proportion of top achievers is quite below OECD average. PISA scores of Turkey in all domains are below OECD average. Nevertheless, Turkey has not achieved the ET 2020 benchmark in terms of decreasing the share of low achievers. However, in terms of reading scores, while Turkey was 31st among 34 OECD countries in 2009, it has raised 27th in 2012; while it was 39th among 65 countries in 2009, it has raised 36th in 2012. Another important result is that Turkey has achieved the European Education and Training 2020 (ET2020) benchmark (<15%) in terms of decreasing the share of low achiever girls (12%)