What does PISA tell us?
Overview PISA Welcome What is Pisa? Which Countries Take Part in PISA? What Information does PISA collect? What does PISA tell us? PISA 2006 PISA 2009 Publications Useful Links National Advisory Committee Contact Information for Students ICCS TALIS	How countries compare with each other PISA provides data that allow us to compare the performance in reading, science and mathematics literacy of Irish students with that of students in other countries. Also, the proportions of low- and high-scoring students from each country can be compared to the corresponding OECD country averages.  In previous cycles of PISA, Irish students did relatively well.  The average scores obtained by Irish students on the reading and science literacy scales were significantly above the OECD average scores for these scales, while scores on mathematical literacy were not statistically different from the corresponding OECD average scores. PISA also allows us to look at trends in the performance of students in Ireland across the different cycles of the study. Student proficiency levels Student achievement is also measured along proficiency scales, ranging from low to high.  Students who achieve the highest level of proficiency are likely to be able to complete the most difficult PISA items, while students who achieve the lowest level are expected only to be able to complete basic tasks. The description of achievement (skills students are likely to succeed on) at each level provides useful information for interpreting what test scores actually mean.  National scores can be placed along this scale and the proportion of students in Ireland at each level can then be compared to the proportions in other countries at the corresponding level.  In PISA 2006, proficiency scales were reported for Science, mathematics and reading.  For example the science scales ranged from Proficiency Level 6 (the highest level, where students can show mastery of complex scientific tasks) to Below Proficiency Level 1 (where students are likely to have difficulty completing the most basic scientific tasks).  Overall, in science, Ireland tends to have fewer very low-achieving students than is typical in OECD countries, while the percentage of high-achieving students in Ireland is very similar to the OECD average. How achievement is related to school and student factors Because PISA collects contextual data, we can link background factors to student performance.  For example, in PISA 2009 (where science was the major assessment domain), information was gathered on the following factors in order to examine how they were related to achievement:     Student gender Parental involvement in the student’s education Student’s engagement in reading Teaching and learning of reading School structural characteristics Organisation of educational systems The various reports on PISA examine in detail how these and other factors are associated with performance on science, reading and mathematics.

International Studies

What does PISA tell us?

How countries compare with each other

PISA provides data that allow us to compare the performance in reading, science and mathematics literacy of Irish students with that of students in other countries. Also, the proportions of low- and high-scoring students from each country can be compared to the corresponding OECD country averages.  In previous cycles of PISA, Irish students did relatively well.  The average scores obtained by Irish students on the reading and science literacy scales were significantly above the OECD average scores for these scales, while scores on mathematical literacy were not statistically different from the corresponding OECD average scores. PISA also allows us to look at trends in the performance of students in Ireland across the different cycles of the study.

Student proficiency levels

Student achievement is also measured along proficiency scales, ranging from low to high.  Students who achieve the highest level of proficiency are likely to be able to complete the most difficult PISA items, while students who achieve the lowest level are expected only to be able to complete basic tasks. The description of achievement (skills students are likely to succeed on) at each level provides useful information for interpreting what test scores actually mean.  National scores can be placed along this scale and the proportion of students in Ireland at each level can then be compared to the proportions in other countries at the corresponding level. 

In PISA 2006, proficiency scales were reported for Science, mathematics and reading.  For example the science scales ranged from Proficiency Level 6 (the highest level, where students can show mastery of complex scientific tasks) to Below Proficiency Level 1 (where students are likely to have difficulty completing the most basic scientific tasks).  Overall, in science, Ireland tends to have fewer very low-achieving students than is typical in OECD countries, while the percentage of high-achieving students in Ireland is very similar to the OECD average.

How achievement is related to school and student factors

Because PISA collects contextual data, we can link background factors to student performance.  For example, in PISA 2009 (where science was the major assessment domain), information was gathered on the following factors in order to examine how they were related to achievement:

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  •  
    • Student gender
    • Parental involvement in the student’s education
    • Student’s engagement in reading
    • Teaching and learning of reading
    • School structural characteristics
    • Organisation of educational systems

The various reports on PISA examine in detail how these and other factors are associated with performance on science, reading and mathematics.