Commentary on the OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment 2012 - CTF Research and Information December 2013

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Margaret

A 2013 CTF Research & Information commentary reviews the OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2012 and explains why its results shape education policy. It outlines PISA’s growing global reach, testing scale, and domains including the first-time inclusion of financial literacy, plus the assessment format and shift toward computer-based testing. It highlights Canadian performance patterns in mathematics, reading, and science, discusses equity and score trends, and examines how media attention and international ranking “league tables” influence public debate.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages7

Reading Time18 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Highlights of Canadian PISA results

Obsessive focus on rankings

Commentary on the OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment 2012 CTF Research and Information December 2013 Commentary on the OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment 2012 Bernie Froese-Germain, Researcher CTF Research & Information December 2013 Introduction Every three years the focus of the international education community shifts to the release of the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) study conducted by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) . No other international study of education commands as much attention as PISA. Numerous media events sponsored by the OECD as well as national education ministries take place around the world for the release of the latest results. In an age of intense global competition among information-based economies where education is increasingly viewed as an important (if not the most important) national “competitive advantage”, in less than two decades, PISA has become the widely used if inadequate proxy for the performance of education systems around the world. The OECD’s interest in education in the service of human capital development and economic growth is of course not surprising given the organization’s focus. The expansion of PISA to include the assessment of financial literacy demonstrates the narrow goals driving the program. The number of participating countries/economies grows with each testing cycle – countries increasingly feel they cannot be left out of this influential test. Andreas Schleicher who oversees PISA remarks that, “in a global economy, the benchmark for educational success is no longer improvement by national standards alone, but by the best performing school systems internationally.” PISA 2012 tested over half a million 15-year-old students in 65 participating countries and economies (between 5,000 and 10,000 students from at least 150 schools were tested in each country) . The major focus of the survey was mathematics, with a secondary focus on reading, science and problem-solving. As noted, financial literacy was included for the first time in 2012. The assessment is a paper-based test lasting 2 hours with an additional 40 minutes added in some countries for a computer-based assessment of math, reading and problem-solving. PISA 2015 is expected to transition to a fully computer-based assessment. Highlights of Canadian PISA results Canada’s participation in PISA is coordinated through a partnership between the Council of Ministers of Education Canada (CMEC), Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), and Statistics Canada. Approximately 21,000 Canadian students from about 900 schools in all provinces were tested in the spring of 2012. A companion report on the Canadian PISA results, Measuring Up: Canadian Results of the OECD PISA Study, was released on the same day as the OECD report. According to the report these are some key findings for Canada from PISA 2012 (major domain of mathematics; minor domains of reading and science): 􀁸 As in past PISA cycles, Canadian 15-year-olds placed well above the OECD average and remain among the top performers in mathematics. Only nine participating countries/economies performed better than Canada: Shanghai-China, Singapore, Hong Kong-China, Chinese Taipei, Korea, Macao-China, Japan, Liechtenstein, and Switzerland. 􀁸 Reading and science results also put Canada in the top tier of participating countries and economies, well above the OECD average. 􀁸 Canada continues to stand out as one of the high-performing countries with relatively high equity in student performance (measured by the gap between the highest-and lowestperforming students) . In all three areas assessed by PISA, the gap between high-and low-achievers is smaller in Canada than in OECD countries on average. 􀁸 Although overall Canadian scores in mathematics remain high, they have drifted downward over time. There is a clear trend showing a decrease in average

FAQs

What is the main purpose of the commentary on PISA 2012?

It explains what PISA 2012 measures, why it has wide policy influence, and summarizes key takeaways from the Canadian results.

Which subjects were emphasized in PISA 2012, and what new element was added?

Mathematics was the major focus, with secondary focus on reading, science, and problem-solving; financial literacy was included for the first time in 2012.

What major findings does the document report for Canada’s PISA 2012 results?

Canada placed well above the OECD average, showed strong equity with a smaller gap between high- and low-achievers than the OECD average, and exhibited a downward drift in mathematics scores over time.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Margaret