State of Education

Bibliography

Script & Further Reading

Introducing PISA and OECD

PISA test students between 15 years and 3 months to 16 years and 2 months at the time of assessment in maths, reading, and science. [3] PISA (2022) FAQ 

also

"who are enrolled in school and have completed at least 6 years of formal schooling, regardless of the type of institution in which they are enrolled, and whether they are in full-time or part-time education, whether they attend academic or vocational programmes, and whether they attend public or private schools or foreign schools within the country" [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 24

The programme for international student assessment (PISA) test educational systems from countries in the organisation for economic co-operation and development (OECD).

There are 2 fundamental requirements to become a OECD member. [1] OECD (2018) OECD Membership and the Values of the Organisation

1.          Be a democratic society, committed to rule of law and protection of human rights.

2.          Have open, transparent and free-market economies.

This 8th round of testing was done in 2022 instead of the scheduled 2021 because of the COVID disruptions.

Studies from Australia, Canada, Denmark and Switzerland show

"students who performed better in PISA at age 15 were more likely to attain higher levels of education by the age of 25" [3] PISA (2022) FAQ 

The Education at a Glace from 2021, generally speaking, found those with higher levels of education are more likely employed, with higher salaries, and live longer. Correlation not necessarily causation. [4] OECD (2021) Education at a Glance 2021

15 years old because

 "it is when young people in most OECD countries are nearing the end of compulsory education." [3] PISA (2022) FAQ 

With around 100 participating countries and economies it gives PISA a unique scope.

“Some 690 000 students took the assessment in 2022, representing about 29 million 15-year-olds in the schools of the 81 countries and economies.”  [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 40

That took part in 2022

"PISA is financed exclusively through direct contributions from the participating countries and economies’ government authorities, typically education ministries". [3] PISA (2022) FAQ

But that means it does cost to take part. With international and national costs explained on their website.  [3] PISA (2022) FAQ

"PISA uses multiple-choice testing as the primary feature of its assessments because it is reliable, efficient, and supports robust and scientific analyses"  [3] PISA (2022) FAQ

“computer-based tests were used in most countries and economies in PISA 2022, with assessments lasting a total of two hours for each student” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 41

“The assessment of financial literacy was offered again in PISA 2022 as an optional computer-based test”  [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 41

But multi-choice tests have limitations.

"Students also answer a background questionnaire, providing information about themselves, their attitudes to learning and their homes" [3] PISA (2022) FAQ

“These included: a questionnaire for teachers asking about themselves and their teaching practices; and a questionnaire for parents asking them to provide information about their perceptions of and involvement in their child’s school and learning” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 41

There so much data in a PISA report but there is certainly more data that could be collected with nuances, subjects and various other factors to consider,

however, I still think the data is worth looking at despite its many limitations.

"The PISA test is designed to provide an assessment of performance at the system (or country) level. It is not designed to produce scores for individual students, so it is not necessary for each student to receive exactly the same set of test items".[3] PISA (2022) FAQ

No standardized tests

"In PISA 2022, most students took an hour-long sequence of mathematics questions combined with an hour of either reading, science or creative thinking questions. A small proportion of students took a combination of reading, science or creative thinking questions".[3] PISA (2022) FAQ

At the moment, only volumes 1 and 2 are publicly available out of the 5 planned to be published. With them being very long reads, I am only covering my points of interest from volume 1 in this video.

Those being UK or specifically England's system. And looking at the other high profile systems - America, Canada, Australia then the high rankings systems for the various metrics measured.

So a lot but not a lot of considering the 81 countries or economies that took part in 2022.

There were some technical limitations with countries in the 2022 assessment. Access to computers being an obvious example but standard testing is planned for the 2025 assessment.

"The OECD strives to identify what policies and practices appear to be “working” in countries and economies that are recording high performance or show evidence of significant improvement over time on PISA. It then reports those findings and supports countries and economies that wish to investigate and explore the extent to which they would benefit from similar programmes." [3] PISA (2022) FAQ

One person describing the so-called algorithm of PISA improvement  [5] SuperMemo (2022) PISA fuels the education arms race

1.          Run a set of education systems

2.          Measure the outcomes

3.          Compare the systems

4.          Let worse systems learn from better systems by copying the solutions

5.          Go back to Step 1

This person going on to say

"We cannot effectively measure the outcomes, and we cannot provide a single formula for all individuals!" [5] SuperMemo (2022) PISA fuels the education arms race

Trying to emphasize the best system depends on the metrics you measure.

So the best education system always depends on the context. Context of educators, learners, and environments.

OECD Compass

Timestamp: 5:15

For context here the OECD compass framework is what they try and encourage other educational systems to follow for most students.[7] OECD (2021) OECD future of education and skills 2030 

"The industrial form of schooling meant that students were often expected to be passive participants in classrooms." [6] OECD (2019) Conceptual learning framework learning compass 2030 

But with the rapidly evolving landscape there is a

"need to re-think the goals of education, and the competencies students need to thrive." [6] OECD (2019) Conceptual learning framework learning compass 2030 

The aim of the compass is to help find answers to questions like

•             What knowledge, skills, attitudes and values will today's students need to thrive in and shape their world? [6] OECD (2019) Conceptual learning framework learning compass 2030 

•             How can instructional systems develop these knowledge, skills, attitudes and values effectively? [6] OECD (2019) Conceptual learning framework learning compass 2030 

A compass was used as a metaphor to emphasize

"The need for students to learn to navigate by themselves through unfamiliar contexts and find their direction in a meaningful and responsible way, instead of simply receiving fixed instructions or directions from their teachers." [6] OECD (2019) Conceptual learning framework learning compass 2030 

Looking for and encouraging student agency

"Student agency does not mean student autonomy or student choice." [6] OECD (2019) Conceptual learning framework learning compass 2030 

"Student agency is thus defined as the capacity to set a goal, reflect and act responsibly to effect change. It is about acting rather than being acted upon; shaping rather than being shaped; and making responsible decisions and choices rather than accepting those determined by others".[6] OECD (2019) Conceptual learning framework learning compass 2030 

But as the OECD says

"There is no global consensus on the definition of “student agency”". [7] OECD (2021) OECD future of education and skills 2030 

As for the compass it is

"Not an assessment framework or curriculum framework." [6] OECD (2019) Conceptual learning framework learning compass 2030

It is a

"Product of government representatives, academic experts, school leaders, teachers, students and social partners" [6] OECD (2019) Conceptual learning framework learning compass 2030

using

"well-being of society as a shared destination." [6] OECD (2019) Conceptual learning framework learning compass 2030

So

"The OECD Learning Compass 2030 is an “evolving framework” in that it will be refined over time by the wider community of interested stakeholders." [6] OECD (2019) Conceptual learning framework learning compass 2030

Going on to add

"Learning doesn't only happen in school" [6] OECD (2019) Conceptual learning framework learning compass 2030

And for me, that is where this framework has potential power because it goes outside of school and educators can use it basically anywhere.

Looking at the compass there are core foundations which the OECD defines

"as the fundamental conditions and core skills, knowledge, attitudes and values that are prerequisites for further learning across the entire curriculum" [9] OECD (2019) Conceptual learning framework core foundations for 2030

These foundations being split into

•             cognitive foundations, which include literacy and numeracy, upon which digital literacy and data literacy can be built  [9] OECD (2019) Conceptual learning framework core foundations for 2030

•             health foundations, including physical and mental health, and well-being  [9] OECD (2019) Conceptual learning framework core foundations for 2030

•             social and emotional foundations, including moral and ethics  [9] OECD (2019) Conceptual learning framework core foundations for 2030

"These core foundations are the building blocks upon which context-specific competencies for 2030, such as financial literacy, global competency or media literacy, can be developed."  [9] OECD (2019) Conceptual learning framework core foundations for 2030

How educators include these in curricula is a long conversation, but these also link with the transformative competencies in the next part of the compass.

"A competency is a holistic concept that includes knowledge, skills, attitudes and values."  [9] OECD (2019) Conceptual learning framework core foundations for 2030

"Skills are a prerequisite for exercising a competency."  [9] OECD (2019) Conceptual learning framework core foundations for 2030

So you develop skills alongside attitudes and knowledge to become competent.

They wrote.

"Students need to be able to use their knowledge, skills, attitudes and values to act in coherent and responsible ways that change the future for the better."  [9] OECD (2019) Conceptual learning framework core foundations for 2030

Going on to add

"Competency and knowledge are neither competing nor mutually exclusive concepts."  [9] OECD (2019) Conceptual learning framework core foundations for 2030

And the compass identifies 3 transformative competencies.

"Creating new value means innovating to shape better lives, such as creating new jobs, businesses and services, and developing new knowledge, insights, ideas, techniques, strategies and solutions, and applying them to problems both old and new." [10] OECD (2019) Conceptual learning framework transformative competencies for 2030 

Questioning the status quo or thinking outside the box.

"Reconciling tensions and dilemmas means taking into account the many interconnections and inter-relations between seemingly contradictory or incompatible ideas, logics and positions, and considering the results of actions from both short- and long-term perspectives." [10] OECD (2019) Conceptual learning framework transformative competencies for 2030 

Gain deeper understandings of opposing positions to find practical solutions to conflicts.

"Taking responsibility is connected to the ability to reflect upon and evaluate one’s own actions in light of one’s experience and education, and by considering personal, ethical and societal goals." [10] OECD (2019) Conceptual learning framework transformative competencies for 2030 

It is argued that

"These competencies are needed more in societies that continue to become more diverse and more interdependent as they develop." [10] OECD (2019) Conceptual learning framework transformative competencies for 2030 

Which should be done through the AAR

"The Anticipation-Action-Reflection (AAR) cycle is an iterative learning process whereby learners continuously improve their thinking and act intentionally and responsibly, moving over time towards long-term goals that contribute to collective well-being." [11] OECD (2019) Conceptual learning framework anticipation-action-reflection cycle for 2030 

As this is a cycle you would think there isn't really a start but the first A is

"the anticipation phase, learners use their abilities to anticipate the short and long-term consequences of actions, understand their own intentions and the intentions of others, and widen their own and others’ perspectives."  [11] OECD (2019) Conceptual learning framework anticipation-action-reflection cycle for 2030 

To me, this is appropriate planning.

Then to action

"An action, in itself, may be neutral, yet could result in anything from very positive to very negative outcomes for the individual, society or the planet. It is therefore important that actions taken are both intentional and responsible – hence the need for anticipation prior to the action, and for reflection following the action."  [11] OECD (2019) Conceptual learning framework anticipation-action-reflection cycle for 2030 

That last bit I am not so sure on, but I think we get into what came first chicken or egg situation, so I am going with.

"Reflection is a systematic, rigorous, disciplined way of thinking, with its roots in scientific inquiry."  [11] OECD (2019) Conceptual learning framework anticipation-action-reflection cycle for 2030 

Where

"learners improve their thinking and deepen their understanding, improving their ability to align future actions with shared values and intentions, and to adapt successfully to changing conditions."  [11] OECD (2019) Conceptual learning framework anticipation-action-reflection cycle for 2030 

This compass framework used to help students find they way.

Documentation shows a well-being goal figure from the OECD. Then some development goals from the United Nations. When looked at side by side you can see the overlap.[6] OECD (2019) Conceptual learning framework learning compass 2030

Most of those goals being a bit to much for an individual student but 

“Students who graduate from compulsory education without acquiring basic knowledge and skills are unlikely to do well in their adult life” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 143

Which is what this compass framework is looking to help with, and

“when a large share of the population lacks basic skills, social and economic capital can be compromised” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 143

And I think that is where the broader goals could be applied if students are thought of as a group or society.

“Some people argue that the PISA tests are unfair, because they may confront students with problems they have not encountered in school. But then life is unfair, because the real test in life is not whether we can remember what we learned at school, but whether we will be able to solve problems that we can’t possibly anticipate today.” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 5

Sounds like much of the online critiques of current schooling.

“If all we do is teach our children what we know, they might remember enough to follow in our footsteps; but if they learn how to learn, and are able to think for themselves, and work with others, they can go anywhere they want.” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 5

Which to me sounds like what most educators and learners are looking for or want.

The skills spoken about here are defined as

"the ability and capacity to carry out processes and be able to use one’s knowledge in a responsible way to achieve a goal." [11] OECD (2019) Conceptual learning framework anticipation-action-reflection cycle for 2030 

•             cognitive and meta-cognitive skills, which include critical thinking, creative thinking, learning-to-learn and self-regulation

•             social and emotional skills, which include empathy, self-efficacy, responsibility and collaboration

•             practical and physical skills, which include using new information and communication technology devices

When talking about knowledge it

"includes theoretical concepts and ideas as well as practical understanding based on the experience of having performed certain tasks." [13] OECD (2019) Conceptual learning framework knowledge for 2030 

•             Disciplinary knowledge includes subject-specific concepts and detailed content.

•             Interdisciplinary knowledge involves relating the concepts and content of one discipline/subject to the concepts and content of other disciplines/subjects.

•             Epistemic knowledge is the understanding of how expert practitioners of disciplines work and think. Helping students find the purpose of learning, understand the application of learning and extend their disciplinary knowledge.

•             Procedural knowledge is the understanding of how something is done, the series of steps or actions taken to accomplish a goal.

For attitudes and values

"They refer to the principles and beliefs that influence one’s choices, judgements, behaviours and actions on the path towards individual, societal and environmental well-being." [14] OECD (2019) Conceptual learning framework attitudes and values for 2030 

•             Personal values are associated with who one is as a person, and how one wishes to define and lead a meaningful life and meet one’s goals.

•             Social values relate to those principles and beliefs that influence the quality of interpersonal relationships. They include how one behaves towards others, and how one manages interactions, including conflict.

•             Societal values define the priorities of cultures and societies, the shared principles and guidelines that frame the social order and institutional life.

•             Human values have much in common with societal values. However, they are defined as transcending nations and cultures; they apply to the well-being of humanity. These values can be identified across spiritual texts and indigenous traditions spanning generations. They are often articulated in internationally agreed conventions, such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

But does all that happen in the education systems, well that is what the PISA report looks to assess.

PISA 2022 results

Timestamp: 15:00

So volume 1 of the 2022 report was

"the state of learning and equity in education" [15] OECD (2023) PISA 2022 results

Those wanting a pretty picture and summary, students math, reading and science results got worse.

But there is a lot more to this story.

Confusion about data can be added when you see different reports and interpretations.

This worldwide fact map for example says the UK average score was 486.3 putting us rank 20 below the US. [16] FactsMaps (2023) PISA 2022 Worldwide Ranking - Average Score of Mathematics, Science and Reading

But when you look at the PISA scores 489 + 494 + 500 = 1483/3 and you get 494.3 putting us 15th above the US. And yes 465 + 504 + 499 = 1468/3 489.3 so the US number is accurate, but the UK one isn't for some reason.

It seems that Belgium have had the reverse, 1459/3 is 486.3 so maybe the UK and Belgium scores were mixed up some how.

I don't know but I am just showing that infographics and interpretations of the data can be misleading.

Including this video, reinforcing the importance of checking original sources.

Much of the data in the PISA report supports what I think many educators would have, could have guessed.

We should [15] OECD (2023) PISA 2022 results 

Sounds easy. PISA 2022 focused heavily on maths as the main subject. Yes a limitation. So bare that in mind. This is what a spokesperson had to say about the maths testing.

"In 2022 PISA focused on mathematics..." [17] All4Ed (2023) 2022 PISA Panel Discussion 2:00 - 3:25

A little later in the presentation math reasoning was explored a little further.

"The kind of mathical reasoning today.... " [17] All4Ed (2023) 2022 PISA Panel Discussion 3:39 - 4:05

Artificial Intelligence and the digitalisation of the way we live emphasized a lot.

But even though many countries saw a decline in results some places bucked the trend

"The good thing is that there is a set of countries that have bucked that trend ... " [17] All4Ed (2023) 2022 PISA Panel Discussion 4:54 - 5:50

Before looking deeper at the numbers some countries, economies and regions are included but didn't hit some of the previously expected standards. They are indicated by an Asterix, typically due to. [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education

•             Overall exclusion rate

•             School response rate

•             Student response rate

“This volume discusses only statistically significant differences or changes” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 22

Set to 5% but significance is where interpretations can be cloudy.

In the PISA report there is

“three benchmarks for interpreting test-score differences.” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 154

“a “large” change, is 20 score points. This is approximately equivalent to the typical annual learning gain by students around the age of 15” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 154

So a 20 point drop is like being 1 year behind.

““small” differences and differences that are “medium” or “large”, is 10 score points.” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 154

Then there are those that have

“statistical uncertainty intrinsic to PISA indicators” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 154

“Countries/economies whose results do not differ significantly between two consecutive assessments are classified as having “stable” results.” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 154

Performance

21:18

When we look at student performance.

“PISA considers a mathematically proficient person to be someone who can mathematically reason their way through complex real-life problems and find solutions by formulating, employing and interpreting mathematics.” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 26

Not just memorizing Pythagoras and balancing equations.

“reading proficiency is defined as follows: “Reading literacy is understanding, using, evaluating, reflecting on and engaging with texts in order to achieve one’s goals, to develop one’s knowledge and potential, and to participate in society”” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 83

“Reading in the 21st century involves not only the printed page but electronic formats (i.e. digital reading). It requires triangulating different sources, navigating through ambiguity, distinguishing between fact and opinion, and constructing knowledge” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 83

Which sounds much like the journalistic, academic, or digital media competencies many people online try and encourage more people to do.

myself included

“A scientifically proficient person, therefore, is willing to engage in reasoned discourse about science and technology, which requires the competencies of: Explaining phenomena scientifically: recognising, offering, and evaluating explanations for a range of natural and technological phenomena. Evaluating and designing scientific enquiry: describing and appraising scientific investigations and proposing ways of addressing questions scientifically.Interpreting data and evidence scientifically: analysing and evaluating data, claims and arguments in a variety of representations and drawing appropriate scientific conclusions.” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 83

Going beyond a gut reaction to information.

“An average of 69% of students are at least basically proficient in mathematics in OECD countries.” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 26

During PISA 2022

“the mathematics scale is divided into eight proficiency levels” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 89
 “proficiency Level 2 is considered the baseline” [...] “use mathematics in simple real-life situations” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 89

Here is item 2 question 2 from the assessment which has a difficulty level of 2. [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 377

"Refer to the Triangluar Pattern on the right and click on a choice to answer the question. If Alex were to extend the pattern to a fifth row, what would be the percentage of blue triangles in all five rows of the pattern?" [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 377

Pause if you want to give it a go.

I wanted to get the number so I counted 10 red 6 blue, then added 5 red and 4 blue to make 15 red 10 blue. 10 blue over the 25 total as a percentage I wasn't sure so divided by 5 to get 2/5 then doubled to get 4/10 which is 40%.

But you could have said 40% because there are less than half blue triangles and all the other numbers are above 50%

I was right. Yay I am mathematically proficient.

“eight proficiency levels used in the PISA 2022 reading assessment” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 98

with

“seven proficiency levels used in the PISA 2022 science assessment” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 102

You can find all the questions in Annex C on page 375 onwards if you want to take a look.

“About three out of four students have achieved basic proficiency in reading and science in OECD countries” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 26

But when we look at the points performance

“the OECD average dropped by almost 15 points in mathematics and about 10 score points in reading compared to PISA 2018.” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 27

“31 countries and economies managed to at least maintain their performance in mathematics since PISA 2018” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 3

But

“Australia*, Japan, Korea, Singapore, and Switzerland maintained or further raised already high levels of student performance (OECD average 472).” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 3

When looking at those education systems

“common features including shorter school closures, fewer obstacles to remote learning, and continuing teachers’ and parental support,” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 3

I think educator assumptions confirmed by the data.

The overall average still dropped but it is worth noting that the report said

“the decline can only partially be attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 3

"In these subjects, performance peaked in 2012 and 2009, respectively, before dipping. This indicates that longer-term issues are also at play" [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 3

so performance was already declining, other related factors will be discussed later but it was emphasized that

“teachers’ support is particularly important in times of disruption” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 4

“one in five students overall reported that they only received extra help from teachers in some mathematics lessons in 2022.” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 4

“Around eight percent never or almost never received additional support.” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 4

Now again lots of nuance and caveats should be considered, but there seems to be a lot of students not getting the support they arguably should be getting.

“parental involvement in students’ learning at school decreased substantially between 2018 and 2022” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 4

which struck me as odd, considering lockdown and the amount of parents at home with children.

“students who enjoy more support from their families reported a greater sense of belonging at school and life satisfaction, and more confidence in their capacity for self-directed learning” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 232

Things that sounds small seem to play a big role for example

“Higher-performing students reported that their family regularly ("about once or twice a week" or "every day or almost every day") eats the main meal together, spends time just talking with them, or asks them what they did in school that day. These students scored 16 to 28 points higher in mathematics than students who reported that their family does not do those things regularly, on average across OECD countries and after accounting for students’ and schools’ socio-economic profile” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 232

So

"Overall, education systems with positive trends in parental engagement in student learning between 2018 and 2022 showed greater stability or improvement in mathematics performance." [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 4

Parents helping children is good, but

“While there is no doubt as to the importance of parental and family engagement in education, there is an on-going debate on the appropriate balance and nature of their involvement, especially beyond children’s early years.” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 232

These results showing that

“for adolescents, even seemingly innocuous activities, like sharing a family meal or just talking together, are strongly associated with student performance and well-being.” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 232

But as discussed later, food isn't a simple topic.

When we look at the performance snapshot and focus on mean scores in 2022 you can see the UK, Canada and Australia have all 3 subjects above the OECD average. [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 66

But the US are behind in mathematics. Looking at national and subnational level.
 Canada still at the top but then England, Australia, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, then the US for mathematics

Reading Canada and US at the top followed by Australia then England, Scotland, Northern Ireland then Wales. [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 68

Science Canada at the top followed by Australia, England, US, Northern Ireland, Scotland, then Wales. [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 72

I am also taking note of Singapore, Japan, Korea and Estonia because each subject has over 500 points.

They must have something right for the PISA assessment at least.

“Singapore scored significantly higher, on average, than all other countries and economies that participated in PISA 2022” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 50

But

"we cannot provide a single formula for all individuals" [5] SuperMemo (2022) PISA fuels the education arms race

So a copy paste of their system is unlikely going to be the solution, but I am sure there are aspects that could be adopted.

hint hint to a later point

“Mathematics anxiety is particularly high among countries/economies with low levels of performance in mathematics.” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 59

Somewhat expected, but nice to see the data confirming it.

Also finding a growth mindset can help with performance anxiety. [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 62

“A growth mindset, as opposed to a fixed mindset, is the belief in the malleability of ability and intelligence, and is one possible explanation why some people fulfil their potential while others do not (Dweck, 2006[14]).” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 59

“PISA 2022 asked students whether they agreed (“strongly disagree”, “disagree”, “agree”, or “strongly agree”) with the following statement: “Your intelligence is something about you that you can’t change very much”. Students strongly disagreeing or disagreeing with the statement are considered to have a growth mindset.” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 59

A bit shallow for my liking, but a data point to consider at least especially when thinking about 'resilient students'. a reference to a later point

Investment

29:52

when it comes to investment in education

“we see a positive relationship between investment in education and average performance up to a threshold of USD 75 000 (PPP) [Purchasing power parity] in cumulative spending per student from age 6 to 15.” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 4

Just under 60K in pounds. but this means there is

“no relationship between extra investment and student performance” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 4

Over the threshold. And Countries like

“Korea and Singapore have demonstrated that it is possible to establish a top-tier education system even when starting from a relatively low-income level” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 4

So more money over the threshold, doesn't necessarily help.

This was a point raised in a panel discussion.

"Equity in educational opportunity .... " [17] All4Ed (2023) 2022 PISA Panel Discussion 6:12 - 7:38

“Trend analysis shows that the socio-economic gap in student performance widened very little over the last decade on average in the OECD zone. However, in eight countries/economies the gap has grown – seven of which are European (Estonia, Finland, the Netherlands*, Norway, Romania, Sweden and Switzerland; the non-European economy is Macao [China]).”  [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 45

Estonia catching my eye here as it was one of the top 4 in performance. But

“It is not an improvement in advantaged students’ performance but, rather, a decline in the performance of their less privileged counterparts”  [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 46

So the investment gap in performance widening due to the disadvantaged students declining

Equity

32:12

Which is where equity in education is important.

“namely, that all students, regardless of background, are given a fair chance to reach their full potential.”  [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 44

But socio-economic status was and is one of the biggest predictors of performance.

“Socio-economically advantaged students scored 93 points more in mathematics than disadvantaged students on average across OECD countries."  [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 45

“About 15% of the variation in mathematics performance on average across OECD countries can be attributed to students’ economic, social and cultural background”  [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 22

“While socioeconomic status remains a significant predictor of performance [...] “Canada, Denmark, Finland, Hong Kong (China), Ireland, Japan, Korea, Latvia, Macao (China) and the United Kingdom are highly equitable by PISA's standards”  [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 3

Other metrics were measured.

“educational disparities linked to gender, immigration status, geographical location (e.g. urban vs. rural areas), disabilities, and other student background characteristics have gained visibility as sources of inequity in educational enrolment and learning ” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 110

Further reading:

As meanings are people not words, this section may help clarify what they mean by equity.

“Equity in education does not mean that all students should achieve the same results; indeed, some degree of variation in student results is to be expected in any education system, even those with high levels of equity. The goal of equity-oriented policies is not to curtail the academic achievement of top-performing students nor “dumb down” education systems so that they produce homogeneous outcomes. Instead, equity-oriented policies should help all students become the best version of themselves.” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 110

Which is why

“Only education systems that combine high levels of fairness and inclusion are considered highly equitable.” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 111

Later going on to say

“In a fair educational system, students’ learning outcomes would be independent of background circumstances such as their family socio-economic status, immigration background or gender because these are circumstances over which students have no control.” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 111

But the report does recognize that

“Students whose parents have higher levels of education, and more prestigious and better-paid jobs benefit from a wider range of financial (e.g. private tutoring, computers, books), cultural (e.g. extended vocabulary, time management skills) and social (e.g. role models and networks) resources.” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 111

Highlighting that when comparing students there will always be those disadvantaged and

“Disadvantaged students are more likely to repeat grades and enrol in upper secondary vocational rather than general programmes.” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 111

they are

“also less likely to expect to complete a post-secondary degree” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 111

which when thinking back to the education at a glance data, could explain why those disadvantaged are more likely unemployed, get lower pay, or don't live as long.

emphasizing the importance of equity in education.

“Boys outperformed girls in mathematics by 9 score points and girls outperformed boys in reading by 24 score points on average across OECD countries. In science, the performance difference between boys and girls is not significant.” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 27

but

“Non-immigrant students scored 29 points more than immigrant students in mathematics on average across OECD countries but non-immigrant students scored only five points more than immigrant students once socio-economic status and language spoken at home had been accounted for.” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 27

Which to me suggests when language and socio-economics barriers are balanced, performance is very similar.

Potential room for policy and or practice reassessment you may think.

Looking at the snapshot of socio-economic disparities in academic performance focusing on math performance variance, and disadvantaged students with resiliance. [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 30

We see Canada and the UK are in the top half of the table above the OECD average for both metrics.

Australia and the US both below in both metrics. [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 30

For gender gap metrics Australia, Canada and the UK are above the average for all subjects, the US again below on mathematics. [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 32

For me putting Canada at the top with the UK and Australia behind and the US underneeth for the 4 countries I focused on.

The report saying socio-economics status is

“a broad concept that aims to capture students’ access to family resources (i.e. economic capital, social capital, and cultural capital) and the social position of the student’s family/household.” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 114

Further reading:

That is where the ESCS comes from in the data.

“economic, social and cultural status (ESCS)” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 114

“ESCS is a composite score that combines into a single score information from three components: parents’ highest level of education; parents’ highest occupational status; and home possessions, which is a proxy for family wealth).” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 114

More information will be released about the technical descriptions in the technical report planned.

But this index helps look at the data, interestingly finding

“countries and economies with higher levels of fairness by socio-economic status are not often those with strong student performance” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 114

Looking at this lovely figure we can see those with below average math performance down the bottom and below average socio-economic fairness to the left [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 122

The bottom right grid being the many countries or economies with above average socio-economic status but below average performance.

Macao and Hong Kong in China seemingly doing very well. Other countries in the top right following suit.

“Socio-economically disadvantaged students are seven times more likely than advantaged students to score below Level 2 in mathematics on average across OECD countries” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 118

“When it comes to reading and science, the odds of low performance are also more than five times higher for disadvantaged students compared to their advantaged peers on average across OECD countries” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 118

But PISA look at academically resilient students as well.

“Academically resilient students are defined in PISA as students who are in the bottom quarter of the PISA index of economic, social and cultural status (ESCS) in their own country/economy but scored in the top quarter in that country/economy” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 119

“On average across OECD countries, 10% of disadvantaged students scored in the top quarter of mathematics performance in their own countries and thus can be considered academically resilient” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 120

looking at the data the UK are high followed by Canada the US then below the OECD average is Australia

I think worth pointing out that disadvantage doesn't always end with lower performance.

But food insecurity was an equity metric I was surprised at.

“the number of food insecure people in 2023 is about 1.14 billion .” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 121

Further reading:

“Personal income, food prices, and economic inequality are among the major factors affecting people’s ability to access food,”[2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 121

but there was

“8.2% of students reported not eating at least once a week in the past 30 days because there was not enough money to buy food” (“OECD v1 22”, p. 121)

“there are OECD countries where the proportion of students suffering from food insecurity exceed 10%, including the United Kingdom (10.5%), Lithuania (11%), the United States (13%), Chile (13.1%), Colombia (13.3%), New Zealand* (14.1%) and Türkiye (19.3%).”  [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 121

and in

“18 countries/economies, more than 20% of students reported not eating at least once a week due to lack of money”  [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 121

But in some countries food is part of the core curriculum

“In Finland, school meals are an integral part of the national core curriculum. National legislation guarantees students, from pre-primary through upper secondary education, the right to free meals on school days ”  [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 130

Further reading:

“In Ireland, the School Meals Programme provides funding for the provision of needs-based meals for students and children in schools and organisations”  [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 130

Further reading:

The data shown in this graph has some expected results, but is still very worrying [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 124

Looking back at the gender disparity

“disparities in performance at age 15 may have long-term consequences for girls’ and boys’ personal and professional future” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 122

“the under-representation of girls among top performers in science and mathematics can partly explain the persistent gender gap in careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields – which are often among the highest-paying occupations.” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 123

Again I am going to emphasize nuance here, correlation doesn't mean causation and

“Gender differences in achievement are not explained by innate ability; instead, social and cultural contexts reinforce stereotypical attitudes and behaviours that, in turn, are associated with gender differences in student performance.” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 123

for example

“boys are significantly more likely than girls to be disengaged from school, get lower marks, repeat grades, and play video games in their free time.” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 123

where as

“Girls tend to behave better in class, get higher marks, spend more time doing homework, and read for enjoyment, particularly complex texts such as fiction, in their free time” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 123

which would probably explain the drastic point difference in boys and girls reading and mathematics performance.

“Girls are also less likely to repeat grades. But girls are more likely than boys to feel anxious about mathematics” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 123

For the math scores you can see boys scored higher than girls [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 126

for the reading scores you can see girls scoring higher than boys [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 127

When considering all this data, those people making policies need to answer a central question. Do they focus on students or schools?

This suggested policy framework looks to help with that question. [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 133

“the strength of the socio-economic gradient, i.e. the proportion of the variation in student performance that is accounted for by differences in student socio-economic status” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 131

goes from low on the left to high on the right

“the slope of the socio-economic gradient, i.e. the score-point difference in student performance associated with an increase of one unit in the PISA index of socio-economic status.” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 131

goes from flat on the bottom to steep on the top.

put together we can see this figure [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 134

the UK, and US falling in universal policies but Australia and Canada falling in performance-targeted policies.

“Universal policies are more appropriate in education systems where student socio-economic status does not have a great impact on student performance” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 132

“Universal policies aim to improve performance across the board and raise educational attainment for all children through reforms that are applied equally across the system.” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 132

Whereas

“targeted policies are those that focus on particular groups of students” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 133

“focus resources and efforts on low-performing students (“performance-targeted”) or socio-economically disadvantaged students (“socio-economically-targeted”) or both (“mixed”).”[2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 133

Canada and Australia falling in that performance targeted group to try and raise low performers.

But

“PISA results show that it remains a challenge for education systems to create school environments that are accepting of diversity, multiculturalism and immigrant students.” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 206

When looking at comparing countries it is

“important to keep the national wealth of countries in mind when interpreting the performance of education systems across countries.” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 135

“While per capita GDP reflects the potential resources available for education in each country, it does not directly measure the financial resources actually invested in education” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 136

So when looking at this figure I personally would look at each countries investment of funds into education before making any interpretations [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 138

But as mentioned earlier

“we see a positive relationship between investment in education and average performance up to a threshold of USD 75 000 (PPP) in cumulative spending per student from age 6 to 15.” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 4

As I think you would expect

“Countries with more highly educated adults are at an advantage over countries where parents have less education” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 137

“According to this analysis, the share of tertiary-educated 35-44 year-olds accounts for 57% of the variation in 15-year-old students’ mean mathematics performance across 42 countries/economies with available data” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 137

And when looking at the figure we can see as the percentage of tertiary education adults goes up moving to the right, the mean score in math also goes up [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 140

Having said all that, 2022 was the year of technology in education.

Technology

44:30

Digital devices in school has 2 sides of the argument which I have discussed before, but PISA found that the

“students encountered fewer problems during remote learning tended to score higher in mathematics than other systems” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 228

"When technology is used... " [17] All4Ed (2023) 2022 PISA Panel Discussion 13:00 - 13:40

“Students who spent up to one hour per day on digital devices for learning activities in school scored 14 points higher in mathematics than students who spent no time”  [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 4

However

“remote learning left many students struggling to motivate themselves”  [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 228

"During the pandemic..." [17] All4Ed (2023) 2022 PISA Panel Discussion 19:30 - 19:53 

“results suggest that providing students with the skills to use technological tools for learning is not enough; students also need to learn how to assume responsibility for their learning.”  [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 228

Going on to add

“Students who reported that they become distracted by other students who are using digital devices in at least some mathematics lessons scored 15 points lower than students who reported that this never or almost never happens”  [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 4

When looking at the data

“around 30% of students, on average across OECD countries, reported that, in most or every mathematics lesson, they get distracted using digital devices”  [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 230

“around 25% of students indicated that, in most or every lesson, they become distracted by other students who are using digital devices,”  [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 230

However, like I mentioned in the previous video on phone bans

“At first glance, cell phone bans would appear to be a useful policy. However, further research is needed to fully understand the effectiveness and impact of such bans”  [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 231

“On average across OECD countries, 30% of students in schools where the use of cell phones is banned reported using a smartphone several times a day, and 21% reported using one every day or almost every day at school"  [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 231

so the blanket bans are hard to enforce

“results also show that, in some countries/economies, when cell phones are banned at their school, students are less likely to turn off their notifications from social networks and apps on their digital devices when going to sleep at night” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 231

Which when considering student well-being brings parents and the home environment into the conversation again.

In addition

“Students who spend up to one hour per day on digital devices for learning activities in school scored 24 points higher in mathematics than students who spend no time on such devices, on average across OECD countries.” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 231

and

“This positive relationship is observed in over half of the education systems with available data.” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 231

However

“the relationship becomes negative when students spend more than one hour per day on digital devices for learning in school” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 231

Where this gets interesting for me is that

“Students who spend up to one hour per day on digital devices for leisure activities scored 20 points higher in mathematics than students who spend no time on such devices.” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 231

So

“These findings suggest that moderate use of digital devices is not intrinsically harmful and can even be positively associated with performance.” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 231

Mirroring what I said in my past video

“It is the overuse and/or misuse of digital devices that is negatively associated with performance” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 231

But something that could be new to educators is blended learning which happens in Singapore.

Ranked number 1 in this report for performance on all subjects.

“Blended Learning, regular Home-Based Learning (HBL) Days have been implemented in all secondary schools and pre-university institutions since the end of 2022.” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 229

“Regular HBL Days provide students with more opportunities to learn curricular content in a self-directed manner, using both digital and non-digital methods of learning” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 229

“HBL Days also include time set aside for student-initiated learning, where students can pursue their own interests and learn outside the curriculum – such as learning a foreign language, or studying financial literacy or programming.” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 229

In Singapore there are

“two HBL days a month as part of the school schedule.” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 229

which accounts for

“10% of curriculum time in an academic year.” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 229

The time is split

“Around four to five hours are allocated to the curriculum and at least one hour is dedicated to student-initiated learning” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 229

“Schools determine the subjects and topics covered on HBL Days and customise the support for student-initiated learning based on their students’ interests and needs” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 229

The Singapore Student Learning Space is a national online program which has been

"rolled out for all secondary school students under the National Digital Literacy Programme" [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 229

which supports this blended learning.

and something new I found out reading this was

"Students who require additional learning support or who do not have a home environment that is conducive to learning can return to school on HBL Days where they will be supervised by school personnel but will still have the opportunity to learn and organise their schedule independently." [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 229

Thinking back to student agency in the compass framework, this sounds like something policy makers and educators could take note off.

Time in school

Timestamp: 50:28

Then there is the time in school

“The earlier students are selected into different academic programmes, the greater the isolation of advantaged and disadvantaged students in the education system” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 232

This makes me think about the relative age effect, matthew effect, pygmalion effect and all the other social grouping related phenomina

and

“This is important because classmates and schoolmates can have a strong influence on one another (i.e. peer effects) – for better and for worse” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 232

and

“Education systems with more grade repetition tend to show lower average performance in mathematics” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 233

Now

“data cannot establish causality” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 233

But

“on average across OECD countries and in a majority of education systems, students who had attended pre-primary school for at least one year were considerably less likely to have repeated a grade at any education level than students who had never attended pre-primary school or who had attended for less than a year, even after accounting for socio-economic factors” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 233

Suggesting getting children into early years is important but when we look at early years education, especially in England right now, the prices are a bit, challenging.

When looking at teacher support

“In half of all countries/economies and on average across OECD countries, teacher support deteriorated between 2012 and 2022” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 233

Again considering nuance and context here

“Principals were more concerned about the shortage of education staff in 2022 than in 2018.” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 234

With the report saying

“It is important for education systems to examine why principals in 2022 perceived a greater shortage of teachers when the number of teachers per student had not necessarily decreased.” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 234

Workload being the word that springs to mind.

Of course this report is averaged so some countries might be struggling to get teachers while losing more of them at the same time.

and

“results show that socio-economically disadvantaged schools were more likely than advantaged schools to suffer from shortages of material resources” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 234

again considering the equity of each educational system.

“it is important to ensure that all schools, regardless of their socio-economic profile, enjoy adequate and quality educational material and digital resources.” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 234

Something I was surprised by was that

“In high-performing education systems, schools tend to provide a room where students can do their homework, and school staff offer help with homework” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 234

“Students in schools that provide a room to do homework scored 13 points higher in mathematics than students in schools that do not provide such a room” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 234

So homework being done at school rather than home.

More like after lesson work.

in addition to the performance increase

“an increase in the availability of peer-to-peer tutoring is associated with an increase in students’ sense of belonging at school.” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 234

and

“These results highlight the importance of social interaction for student learning and well-being.” ([2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 235

When looking at some examples

“more than half of the curriculum in Estonia, Kazakhstan and Korea involves collaborative learning” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 235

Estonia and Korea being in the top 4 in the performance rankings.

Student Agency is discussed in the compass framework but school autonomy is also looked in the report with them saying

“the greater the autonomy granted to schools in an education system, the higher the average mathematics performance; and this is most evident when education authorities and schools had certain quality assurance mechanisms in place” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 235

For those in England that would be Ofsted, did a video about that situation recently.

the idea to assess the quality assurance of

“teacher mentoring arrangements; monitoring teacher practice by having inspectors observe classes; schools’ systematic recording of students’ test results and graduation rates; internal or self-evaluations; tracking achievement data by an administrative authority; and using mandatory standardised tests at least once a year.” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 235

Safety

Timestamp: 54:25

These assessments also relate the safety of school

"Of course there is a lot of variability in this..."  All4Ed (2023) 2022 PISA Panel Discussion 20:30 - 20:46

“Overall, students feel safe at school, particularly in their classrooms. However, PISA 2022 results suggest that education systems could consider improving safety on the routes students travel to or from school, or in places outside of the classroom, such as hallways, cafeterias or restrooms” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 230

Behaviour and safety reports of each education system tell vastly different stories but in

“Portugal, the School without Bullying, School without Violence plan (2019) emphasises a whole-community approach to combatting bullying and school violence, with actions aimed at teachers, parents, students and other stakeholders” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 230

"What you can see in many high performing education systems..." All4Ed (2023) 2022 PISA Panel Discussion 33:16 - 34:16

Students feeling unsafe being one of the reasons related to school absense.

Attendance has become a big issue since the pandemic.

But as was presented

"Finally we look at student absenteeism..." All4Ed (2023) 2022 PISA Panel Discussion 20:50 -21:10

Teachers

Timestamp: 56:46

Teacher quality, and materials alongside teacher education become central to helping prevent students getting bored and turning up to school because they feel it is worth it but

"This is the key message..." PolicyExchangeUK (2023) Launch of the UK PISA 2022 Results 16:25 - 17:15

Emphasizing the importance of having teachers in school.

Shining a light again on the comment

“Principals were more concerned about the shortage of education staff in 2022 than in 2018.” [2] PISA (2022) The State of Learning and Equity in Education page 234

Now in the UK

Reading is on the rise, math slighlty declining but science is drastically dropping. [15] OECD (2023) PISA 2022 results 

So doing expected or better on average.

but something I wanted to point out

"54% of students in the United Kingdom were in schools whose principal reported that the school’s capacity to provide instruction is hindered by a lack of teaching staff (and 19%, by inadequate or poorly qualified teaching staff)" [15] OECD (2023) PISA 2022 results

In the US despite the poor declining math results, reading and science are both on the rise suggesting what they are doing is better. [15] OECD (2023) PISA 2022 results 

but

"42% of students in the United States were in schools whose principal reported that the school’s capacity to provide instruction is hindered by a lack of teaching staff (and 18%, by inadequate or poorly qualified teaching staff" [15] OECD (2023) PISA 2022 results

Australia's performance doesn't look to good, with all subjects declining. [15] OECD (2023) PISA 2022 results 

But I think that is partly due to other countries improving, as Australia are still in the top 20.

61% reporting lack of teaching staff and 27% by inadequate or poorly qualified teaching staff. [15] OECD (2023) PISA 2022 results 

Canada's performance telling a similar story to Australia but still very high in the rankings.[15] OECD (2023) PISA 2022 results 

Well above average for all subjects.

But, 44% reporting lack of teaching staff and 24% by inadequate or poorly qualified teaching staff. [15] OECD (2023) PISA 2022 results 

When looking at the top 4 in the rankings.

For Singapore, it was 26% and 8% respectively. Japan, 64% and 43% respectively. Korea 51% and 16% respectively. Estonia 73% and 51% respectively. [15] OECD (2023) PISA 2022 results 

So somehow top performers are doing it when they want more and better staff. 

Which is where I want to emphasize this comment

"Learning doesn't only happen in school" [6] OECD (2019) Conceptual learning framework learning compass 2030

Future of Education

Timestamp: 59:50

With the rapidly evolving landscape, there is a so-called race between technology and education.

"Computers, including Artificial Intelligence, are not as good as humans at abstract tasks, manual tasks, tasks requiring complex contextual information and tasks requiring ethical judgements. They are, however, good at routine manual, non-routine manual and routine cognitive tasks" [19] OECD (2019) OECD Future of Education and Skills 2030 project background

Further reading:

"Due, in part, to these changes, the nature of work has also changed over the past half-century" [19] OECD (2019) OECD Future of Education and Skills 2030 project background

Online education and internet resources are playing a much larger role in education and that isn't going away any time soon.

"Some entrepreneurs consider the purpose of business to be not solely for making profits but for creating social value and solving society’s most urgent problems." [19] OECD (2019) OECD Future of Education and Skills 2030 project background

The change in the work, needing to be reflected in a change in education.

But

"To turn this vision into reality, everyone needs to take action. To move from the “division of labour” to “shared responsibility”, everyone needs to have the skills, knowledge and the desire to contribute." [19] OECD (2019) OECD Future of Education and Skills 2030 project background

Coming from the OECD framework

"a sense of shared responsibility for the education system and stakeholder engagement has also evolved: decision-making is no longer controlled by a select group of people, rather it is shared among stakeholders of the education system, e.g. parents, employers, communities and students." [19] OECD (2019) OECD Future of Education and Skills 2030 project background

But of course

"challenges are also emerging: the use of big data threatens individual privacy; and the easy manipulation and creation of false data and stories, aided by digitalisation and social media, has spawned fake news and a “post-truth” era." [19] OECD (2019) OECD Future of Education and Skills 2030 project background

This is where

"the role of students in the education system is changing from participants in the classroom learning by listening to directions of teachers with emerging autonomy, to active participants with both student agency and co-agency in particular with teacher agency, who also shape the classroom environments." [19] OECD (2019) OECD Future of Education and Skills 2030 project background

As one person said

"I think the biggest challenge..." All4Ed (2023) 2022 PISA Panel Discussion 39:45 - 40:07

and then there is

"Our kids can't learn if they are..." All4Ed (2023) 2022 PISA Panel Discussion 36:00 -37:30

and as the OECD have said

"The paradigm has shifted so that the environment is viewed as a larger ecological system" [19] OECD (2019) OECD Future of Education and Skills 2030 project background

I don't think that is referring to the ecological approach I follow, which I have spoken about briefly before, but it certainly emphasizes how education is much larger than schools..