Virginia Mathematics Teacher Spring 2017

PISA Updates

Figure 1. Student performance on the Mathematics PISA test, retrieved from OECD (2017), Mathematics per- formance (PISA) (indicator). doi: 10.1787/04711c74-en (Accessed on 28 March 2017)

PISA stands for Program for International Student Assessment. It is an assessment designed for 15-year old students around the world, that aims to measure how well their education has prepared them for the post- secondary world. The assessment, which is managed by the OECD, in partnership with national centers and leading experts from around the world, is conducted in over 70 countries and economies every three years. It covers mathematics, science, and reading. The PISA mathematics assessment does not measure a set country’s curriculum, instead, it is designed to evaluate students’ ability to apply their knowledge and skills to a real world context. Students also complete a background questionnaire, describing their homes, schools, and class- room experiences. This information allows PISA evaluators to understand what factors may influence stu- dents’ achievement in mathematics. For more information on this international study, please visit http:// www.oecd.org/pisa/. Additional Resources and References OECD (2016), Ten Questions for Mathematics Teachers ... and how PISA can help answer them, PISA, OECD Publishing, Paris, http://dx.doi.or /10.1787/9789264265387-en

Virginia Mathematics Teacher vol. 43, no. 2

41