PROGRAMME FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENT ASSESSMENT (PISA)
PISA is the OECD’s (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) Programme for International Student Assessment. Every three years it tests 15-year-old students from all over the world in reading, mathematics and science.
The tests are designed to gauge how well the students master the key subjects in order to be prepared for real-life situations in the adult world. It was decided that schools run byKendriyaVidyalayaSangathan (KVS), NavodayaVidyalayaSamiti (NVS) and schools in the UT of Chandigarh will participate.
Why PISA – how will it help India ?PISA is a competency based assessment which unlike content-based assessment, measures the extent to which students have acquired key competencies that are essential for full participation in modern societies. It would lead to recognition and acceptability of Indian students and prepare them for the global economy in the 21st century.
Learning from participation in PISA will help to introduce competency based examination reforms in the school system and help move away from rote learning.
The CBSE and NCERT will be part of the process and activities leading to the actual test.
The PISA assessment aims to assess knowledge, skills and competencies, embedded in the context of important content domains such as literacy, mathematics and science.
Why to choose 15-year-olds?
Because in most countries, at the age of 15, students can decide whether or not they want to continue their education.
They therefore need to be equipped for adult life.
PISA publishes the results of the test a year after the students are tested to help governments shape their education policy.
PISA 2021
India shall be participating in PISA for the second time, the first being in 2009
36 OECD member countries and over 50 non-members are expected to participate.
The focus will be on Mathematical Literacy To be conducted in April 2021
5250 students (150 schools X 35 students) will be assessed on the following subjects:-
Math and Science (47% students)
Math and Reading (47% students)
Reading and Science (6 % students)
Principles of Testing
PISA covers three domains:
reading literacy,
mathematical literacy
scientific literacy
PISA aims to define each domain not merely in terms of mastery of the school curriculum, but in terms of important knowledge and skills needed in adult life.
The assessment of cross-curriculum competencies is an integral part of PISA.
Emphasis is placed on the mastery of processes, the understanding of concepts and the ability to function in various situations within each domain.
Paper and-pen assessment-
Cognitive Assessment:
It covers three domains: Reading Literacy, Mathematical Literacy & Scientific Literacy. The assessment of cross-curriculum competencies is an integral part of PISA.
Emphasis is placed on the mastery of processes, the understanding of concepts and the ability to function in various situations within each domain.
Participating students complete a two-hour paper and-pen assessment.
Context questionnaire
Data is collected through a 35-minute Student Questionnaire which provides anopportunity to investigate factors that may influence performance and give context to the achievement scores.
Responses to a set of ‘core’ questions about the students and their family background (including age, year level and socio economic status) are collected during eachassessment.
3.School Survey
Information at the school-level is collected through a 30-minute online SchoolQuestionnaire, answered by the Principal The questionnaire seeks descriptive information about the school and information aboutinstructional practices. The survey results provide rich context for the achievement data. Participating PISA countries and economies are invited to submit questions that are then added to items developed by the OECD’s experts and contractors.
DEFINITIONS OF THE DOMAINSScientific Literacy
The ability to engage with science- related issues, and with the ideas of science, as a reflective citizen.
A scientifically literate person is willing to engage in a reasoned manner, offer and evaluate explanations for a range of natural and technological phenomena.
Evaluate and design scientific enquiry- describe and appraise scientific investigations and propose ways of addressing questions scientifically. Interpret data and evidence scientifically, analyse and evaluate data, claims and arguments in a variety of representations and draw appropriate scientific conclusions.
Reading literacy
An individual’s capacity to understand, use, reflect on and engage with written texts, in order to achieve one’s goals, to develop one’s knowledge and potential, and to be an active member in the society.
Mathematical Literacy
An individual’s capacity to formulate, employ and interpret mathematics in a variety of contexts.
It includes reasoning mathematically and using mathematical concepts, procedures, facts and tools to describe, explain and predict phenomena. It assists individuals to recognize the role that Mathematics plays in the world and to make the well-founded judgments and decisions needed by constructive, engaged and reflective citizens. Inter-disciplinary teaching can increase students’ motivation for learning and their level of engagement.