Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) FAQs

• What is the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA)?
• Why is PISA important?
• What knowledge and skills are assessed?
• Who organises PISA?
• What countries participate in PISA?
• When and how will PISA data be collected in New Zealand?
• How are the schools and students chosen for PISA?
• How can I find out more about PISA?

What is the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA)?

The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) is a project of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) that assesses the reading, mathematics and science literacy of 15 year-old students. Three literacy domains are assessed: Reading; Mathematics; and Science (see What knowledge and skills are assessed?).

PISA assesses how well students approaching the end of their compulsory education are prepared for life beyond the classroom by focusing on the application of knowledge and skills to problems with a real-life context. The aim of PISA is to provide information on the following questions:

• How well are young adults prepared to meet the challenges of the future?
• Are they able to analyse, reason and communicate their ideas effectively?
• Do they have the capacity to continue learning throughout life?
• Are some kinds of teaching and school organisation more effective than others?

PISA is an international collaboration that provides information for policymakers and researchers throughout the world.

The survey is implemented in three yearly intervals with 43 countries participating in the first assessment in 2000, and 41 countries in the second assessment in 2003. Fifty-seven countries will participate in the third assessment in 2006.

Tests are typically administered to between 4,500 and 10,000 students in each country.

Why is PISA important?

PISA is a source of information that the Ministry of Education uses to measure progress towards the government education sector’s goals of building an education system that equips New Zealanders with 21st Century skills, and reducing systemic underachievement in education. PISA provides a measure of international relativity for this goal (see Ministry of Education Statement of Intent 2005-2010, pp 9-15). The PISA data provides evidence to inform policy and practice in areas such as literacy, numeracy and curriculum development.

What knowledge and skills are assessed?

PISA assesses three key areas of knowledge and skills: reading literacy, mathematical literacy, and scientific literacy. PISA concentrates on one of these assessment areas each cycle: in 2000 reading was the main domain; in 2003 mathematics; and in 2006 science is the main domain.

Reading Literacy focuses on the ability of students to use written information in situations which they encounter in their life. PISA defines reading literacy as a student's ability to understand, use and reflect on written texts, in order to achieve their goals, to develop knowledge and potential and to participate in society.

Mathematical Literacy focuses on a students ability to analyse, reason and communicate effectively as they pose, solve and interpret mathematical problems in a variety of situations involving quantitative, spatial, probabilistic or other mathematical concepts. PISA defines mathematical literacy as a student's ability to identify and understand the role that mathematics plays in the world, to make well-founded judgments and to use and engage with mathematics in ways that meet the needs of that student's life as a constructive, concerned and reflective citizen.

Scientific Literacy focuses on the application of science knowledge and skills in real-life situations, as opposed to testing particular curricular components. PISA defines scientific literacy as a student's ability to use scientific knowledge, to identify questions and to draw evidence-based conclusions in order to understand and help make decisions about the natural world and the changes made to it through human activity.

Who organises PISA?

Internationally PISA is an OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) initiative and a collaborative effort of participating countries. Leading international experts work to develop assessments whose results are comparable across different national and cultural contexts.

The PISA project is conducted for the OECD by a consortium of The Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER), The Netherlands National Institute of Educational Measurement (Citogroup), Westat Inc, the Educational Testing Service (ETS) and the Japanese National Institute for Educational Policy Research (NIER).

In New Zealand PISA is coordinated by the Research Division of the Ministry of Education. New Zealand's National Project Manager for PISA 2006 is Maree Telford (see How can I find out more about PISA? below).

What countries participate in PISA?

The survey was implemented in 43 countries in the first assessment in 2000, in 41 countries in the second assessment in 2003 and nearly 60 countries will participate in the third assessment in 2006.

When and how will PISA data be collected in New Zealand?

The PISA 2006 Field Trial was administered to 1,200 students in 45 schools during May and June 2005. The main purpose of the field trial was to test the operational procedures for sampling students and the administration of the assessment in schools, and to collect data to ensure that the science questions and the questions in the background questionnaires developed for the main study are sound in all countries.

The PISA 2006 assessment, a two hour test booklet and 30-40 minute student questionnaire, will be administered in participating schools between 24 July and 25 August 2006. A school questionnaire is also completed by the school principal or designate.

The schools randomly selected to participate in the PISA 2006 Main Study will be advised of their selection at the beginning of Term 1, 2006. Schools’ support with PISA is greatly appreciated.

How are the schools and students chosen for PISA?

The PISA target population for New Zealand are students aged between 15 years 3 months to 16 years 2 months (these students are referred to as 15-year-olds for brevity).

The sampling design is a two stage stratified sample. Firstly, a random sample of schools are selected and then, depending on the size of the school, 30 or 60 fifteen-year-old students are randomly selected within a school. The designed sample should yield at least 4,500 students from about 200 schools.

This design ensures that the sample is representative, in terms of students from schools of different sizes, deciles or from urban and rural schools. As a result, every 15-year-old has roughly the same chance of selection.

How can I find out more about PISA?

If you would like to find out more about PISA you could visit the PISA pages on the OECD websites.

If you have a specific question about PISA or PISA 2006 you can send an e-mail to the Ministry of Education.

Alternatively you can write to the Ministry of Education directly: