PISA 2015 Assessment and Analytical Framework : Science, Reading, Mathematic and Financial Literacy

Abstract

The PISA 2015 survey focused on science, with reading, mathematics and collaborative problem solving as minor areas of assessment. PISA 2015 also included an assessment of young people’s financial literacy, which was optional for countries and economies. PISA assesses not only whether students can reproduce knowledge, but also whether they can extrapolate from what they have learned and apply their knowledge in new situations. It emphasises the mastery of processes, the understanding of concepts, and the ability to function in various types of situations. In PISA 2012, around 510 000 students completed the assessment, representing about 28 million 15-year-olds in the schools of the 65 participating countries and economies. An additional 7 countries participated in 2015. Computer-based tests were used, with assessments lasting a total of two hours for each student, in a range of countries and economies. Test items were a mixture of multiple-choice questions and questions requiring students to construct their own responses. The items were organised in groups based on a passage setting out a real-life situation. About 390 minutes of test items were covered, with different students taking different combinations of test items. Students also answered a background questionnaire, which took 35 minutes to complete. The questionnaire sought information about the students themselves, their homes, and the school and learning experiences. School principals completed a questionnaire that covered the school system and the learning environment. For additional information, some countries/economies decided to distribute a questionnaire to their teachers. It was the first time that this optional teacher questionnaire was offered to PISA-participating countries/economies. In some countries/economies optional questionnaires were distributed to parents, who were asked to provide information on their perceptions of and involvement in their child’s school, their support for learning in the home, and their child’s career expectations, particularly in science. Countries could choose two other optional questionnaires for students: one asked students about their familiarity with and use of information and communication technologies (ICT); and the second sought information about their education to date, including any interruptions in their schooling, and whether and how they are preparing for a future career.