Different Educational Systems, Different Life Skills Profiles: Evidence from PISA 2022 in Greece, Germany, and Finland

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Jake

The international PISA 2022 assessment provides extensive data to examine not only students’ cognitive performance, but also learning strategies and attitudes linked to life-skill development. The study uses secondary data from PISA 2022 Results (Volume V): Learning Strategies and Attitudes for Life to compare student learning profiles in Greece, Germany, and Finland. By analyzing indicators on interest in learning, multiperspective processing, active participation, and students’ digital informational autonomy, it identifies differences across educational systems and explores how these systems map to distinct combinations of learning strategies and life skills.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages9

Reading Time23 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Life skills in international educational research

Learning strategies and attitudes toward knowledge

PISA and comparative analysis of educational systems

Comparative profiles of life skills and learning strategies: analysis of PISA 2022 data

Greece: high interest in learning but limited digital autonomy

Different Educational Systems, Different Life Skills Profiles: Evidence from PISA 2022 in Greece, Germany, and Finland Nikolaos Neveskiotis Nikolaos Neveskiotis, Ph.D. Candidate, University of Crete, Greece Abstract The international PISA 2022 assessment provides extensive data that allows the examination not only of students’ cognitive performance but also of learning strategies and attitudes associated with the development of life skills. In the international literature, learning strategies, self-regulation of knowledge, and active engagement in learning are considered critical factors for the development of life skills and lifelong learning. The present study uses secondary data from the report PISA 2022 Results (Volume V): Learning Strategies and Attitudes for Life to comparatively examine student learning profiles in three European countries: Greece, Germany, and Finland, which represent different educational traditions and models of educational organization. Through the analysis of selected indicators related to interest in learning, multiperspective knowledge processing, active learning participation, and students’ digital informational autonomy, the study aims to highlight differences in students’ learning profiles and to explore how different educational systems appear to be associated with different combinations of learning strategies and life skills. Keywords: life skills, learning strategies, PISA 2022, comparative education, Greece, Germany, Finland Introduction In recent years, international educational research has increasingly highlighted the importance of so-called life skills within the school environment. Beyond cognitive performance, contemporary educational policy places growing emphasis on skills such as self-regulated learning, critical thinking, adaptability, and problem-solving ability, which are considered essential both for lifelong learning and for the effective participation of students in complex social and cognitive environments (Abrami et al., 2015; Panadero, 2017; Ryan & Deci, 2000) . Within this context, learning strategies and students’ attitudes toward knowledge constitute critical dimensions of the educational process, as they influence how students approach knowledge, organize their learning activity, and develop skills that go beyond the narrow cognitive dimension of learning (Huang & Lajoie, 2023; Zhai et al., 2023) . The OECD’s international PISA assessment represents one of the most important tools for comparative analysis of educational systems, providing data not only on student learning outcomes but also on factors related to the learning process (OECD, 2023) . In particular, the thematic reports of PISA examine learning strategies and attitudes toward knowledge, allowing the exploration of how different educational systems appear to be reflected in different combinations of learning strategies and skills related to learning autonomy, critical processing of information, and the use of digital resources for learning purposes (OECD, 2024) . The present study uses secondary data from the report PISA 2022 Results (Volume V): Learning Strategies and Attitudes for Life (OECD, 2024) in order to comparatively examine student learning profiles in three European countries: Greece, Germany, and Finland. These countries were selected because they represent different educational traditions and models of educational organization in Europe. Greece represents a characteristic case of a Southern European educational system in which, in recent years, discussion has intensified regarding the integration of transversal skills and life skills into the curriculum of compulsory education (Neveskiotis, 2025) . Germany represents a more institutionally structured educational model, emphasizing structured learning pathways and the connection between education, professional trajectories, and skills, a feature associated with the long-standing tradition of the dual system of vocational

FAQs

What data source does the study use for comparing life skills profiles?

The study relies on secondary data from PISA 2022 Results (Volume V): Learning Strategies and Attitudes for Life.

Which three countries are compared, and why were they selected?

Greece, Germany, and Finland are compared because they represent different European educational traditions and models of educational organization.

Which indicators are used to characterize students’ learning profiles?

The analysis focuses on interest in learning, multiperspective knowledge processing, active learning participation, and students’ digital informational autonomy.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Jake