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Ross Turner

Articles 1 - 19 of 19

Full-Text Articles in Education

Assessing Maths Literacy: Learning From The Pisa Experience, Ross Turner Apr 2015

Assessing Maths Literacy: Learning From The Pisa Experience, Ross Turner

Ross Turner

A new book that draws on ACER’s work on one of the world’s largest international surveys is providing educators with important insights about how assessment can be used to improve learning outcomes.

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The 'Literacy' Idea, Ross Turner Mar 2015

The 'Literacy' Idea, Ross Turner

Ross Turner

A central reason why researchers and practitioners refer to domain literacy is to draw attention to the kinds of things students learn in the domain. In a traditional learning domain the focus might be on the acquisition of discrete facts, skills and procedures that have little obvious connection or utility. In a learning domain with a literacy orientation, the focus is on applying the domain’s facts, skills and procedures to support creativity and inventiveness, to solve novel problems and to deal with the kinds of challenges that life presents outside the classroom. In the case of mathematics, for example, a …

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Described Proficiency Scales And Learning Metrics, Ross Turner Mar 2015

Described Proficiency Scales And Learning Metrics, Ross Turner

Ross Turner

We see the process of educational measurement as one of defining dimensions of educational progression and locating learners on those dimensions. Such dimensions are variously referred to as proficiency scales or learning metrics. When we measure something using a scale we can express how much of a given attribute is possessed by that something. We use a scale of centimetres or inches to describe the length of an object. We use a scale of hours and minutes to describe an amount of time. This is also the case for educational measurement: when we measure proficiency in a subject area we …

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Class 6 Proficiency In Afghanistan 2013: Outcomes Of A Learning Assessment Of Mathematical, Reading And Writing Literacy, Tom Lumley, Juliette Mendelovits, Rachel Stanyon, Ross Turner, Maurice Walker Mar 2015

Class 6 Proficiency In Afghanistan 2013: Outcomes Of A Learning Assessment Of Mathematical, Reading And Writing Literacy, Tom Lumley, Juliette Mendelovits, Rachel Stanyon, Ross Turner, Maurice Walker

Ross Turner

In 2012, the Ministry of Education, Afghanistan, engaged the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) as a partner to support the development of a national learning assessment program in Afghanistan. To achieve this goal, the Learning Assessment unit of the Ministry of Education and ACER have collaborated to design and implement the Monitoring Trends in Educational Growth (MTEG) program in Afghanistan. MTEG is designed as a long-term monitoring program with one focus on trends in achievement outcomes in single class levels over time, and another focus on the growth of achievement in cohorts throughout the school cycle, from Class 3 …

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Measuring Learning Growth In A World Of Universal Education, Ross Turner Dec 2014

Measuring Learning Growth In A World Of Universal Education, Ross Turner

Ross Turner

ACER is leading the development of new ‘learning metrics’ – tools for measuring learning growth – as Ross Turner explains.

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Using Competencies To Explain Mathematical Item Demand: A Work In Progress, Ross Turner, Werner Blum, Morgens Niss Aug 2014

Using Competencies To Explain Mathematical Item Demand: A Work In Progress, Ross Turner, Werner Blum, Morgens Niss

Ross Turner

This chapter describes theoretical and practical issues associated with the development and use of a rating scheme for the purpose of analysing mathematical problems—specifically, to assess the extent to which solving those problems calls for the activation of a particular set of mathematical competencies. The competencies targeted through the scheme are based on the mathematical competencies that have underpinned each of the PISA Mathematics Frameworks. The scheme consists of operational definitions of the six competencies (labelled as communication; devising strategies; mathematisation; representation; using symbols, operations and formal language; and reasoning and argument), descriptions of four levels of activation of …

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Using Mathematical Competencies To Predict Item Difficulty In Pisa, Ross Turner, J Dossey, W Blum, M Niss Dec 2012

Using Mathematical Competencies To Predict Item Difficulty In Pisa, Ross Turner, J Dossey, W Blum, M Niss

Ross Turner

This paper reports an analysis of features of mathematics assessment items developed for the OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment survey (PISA) in relation to a set of six mathematical competencies. These competencies have underpinned the PISA mathematics framework since the inception of the PISA survey; they have been used to drive mathematics curriculum and assessment review and reform in several countries; and the results of the study are therefore likely to be of interest to the broad mathematics education community. We present a scheme used to describe this set of mathematical competencies, to quantify the extent to which solution …

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Some Drivers Of Test Item Difficulty In Mathematics : An Analysis Of The Competency Rubric, Ross Turner, Ray Adams Sep 2012

Some Drivers Of Test Item Difficulty In Mathematics : An Analysis Of The Competency Rubric, Ross Turner, Ray Adams

Ross Turner

This paper is concerned with the empirical validation of the competency rubric described in another paper presented at the same conference: Turner, Ross (April 2012). Some drivers of test item difficulty in mathematics. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association (AERA), Vancouver, 13-17 April 2012 http://research.acer.edu.au/pisa/4/

Using items developed for the PISA 2012 survey, and data collected as part of an extensive field trial of the PISA tasks conducted during 2011 in some 67 countries, the authors use multidimensional Rasch modelling and latent regression to examine the following three questions: 1. What is the …

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Some Drivers Of Test Item Difficulty In Mathematics, Ross Turner Aug 2012

Some Drivers Of Test Item Difficulty In Mathematics, Ross Turner

Ross Turner

This paper is one of four contributions to the symposium session at the AERA’s 2012 Annual Meeting titled Exploring Reading and Mathematics Item Difficulty: Teaching and Learning Implications of PISA Survey Data. The author presents a rubric used to analyse mathematics test items developed for use in the OECD’s PISA survey. The rubric focuses on a set of mathematical competencies that are components of mathematical literacy. The work on which this report is based suggests that demand for activation of these competencies functions as a significant driver of item difficulty, which potentially has implications for the teaching and learning of …

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Identifying Cognitive Processes Important To Mathematics Learning But Often Overlooked, Ross Turner Jan 2012

Identifying Cognitive Processes Important To Mathematics Learning But Often Overlooked, Ross Turner

Ross Turner

No abstract provided.

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Pisa Mathematics - An Insider's View, Ross Turner Jul 2009

Pisa Mathematics - An Insider's View, Ross Turner

Ross Turner

In this paper the author describes what it is that the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) mathematics assessment aims to measure, and presents a case regarding the potential benefits that could flow from a pedagogy that takes the PISA mathematics challenges seriously. Other potential uses of PISA data are also briefly canvassed.

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Learning About Students' Mathematical Literacy From Pisa 2003, S Mccrone, J Dossey, Ross Turner, M Lindquist Jul 2008

Learning About Students' Mathematical Literacy From Pisa 2003, S Mccrone, J Dossey, Ross Turner, M Lindquist

Ross Turner

The need for mathematical literacy in our world today and shares results from the 2003 PISA assessment of mathematical literacy. Includes ideas for incorporating similar problems in the classroom. Several examples of PISA problems are included, as well an internet address where other released PISA test items can be found.

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Pisa 2003—Mathematical Literacy And Learning In The Americas, John Dossey, Sharon Mccrone, Ross Turner, Mary Lindquist Dec 2007

Pisa 2003—Mathematical Literacy And Learning In The Americas, John Dossey, Sharon Mccrone, Ross Turner, Mary Lindquist

Ross Turner

The article provides an overview of the mathematics assessment program of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Developments’ (OECD) Program for Student Assessment (PISA). As such, it provides a comparative view of the PISA results for Canada, Mexico, and the United States. It outlines the program, its frameworks, and competencies PISA uses to describe the achievement of 15-year-olds in over 40 countries participating in the PISA assessments. Particular attention is given to the PISA conception of mathematical literacy and cross-disciplinary problem-solving. These two areas were a focus of the 2003 assessment. In addition to a discussion of general results, two …

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Developing Mathematical Literacy, Ross Turner, L Steen, H Burkhardt Dec 2006

Developing Mathematical Literacy, Ross Turner, L Steen, H Burkhardt

Ross Turner

Mathematical literacy has received increasing attention in many countries over the last few years. This is partly driven by concerns of employers that too many students leave school unable to function mathematically at the level needed in the modern world of work. Further, it is increasingly recognised that people can only tackle many of the challenges of modern life effectively if they are mathematically literate in key areas. Planning in personal finance, assessment of risk, design in the home or on the computer screen, and critical appraisal of the flood of statistical information from advertising, politicians and the press — …

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The Roles Of Modelling In Learning Mathematics, Malcolm Swann, Ross Turner, Caroline Yoon, E Muller Dec 2006

The Roles Of Modelling In Learning Mathematics, Malcolm Swann, Ross Turner, Caroline Yoon, E Muller

Ross Turner

This chapter illustrates how Applications and Modelling promote the learning of mathematics by developing the student’s mathematical language and her use of tools, and by developing the learner’s capacity to ask and answer questions in, with, and about mathematics.

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Modelling And Applications In Pisa, Ross Turner Dec 2006

Modelling And Applications In Pisa, Ross Turner

Ross Turner

Several test items from the OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) are now in the public domain. Some of these incorporate elements of modelling. This paper highlights a selection of those items, shows some interesting student outcomes such as gender differences and item difficulty, and poses some questions about the implications of these items for school mathematics.

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Pisa – The Programme For International Student Assessment – An Overview, Ross Turner Nov 2006

Pisa – The Programme For International Student Assessment – An Overview, Ross Turner

Ross Turner

An overview of the PISA project is given in order to set a context for a consideration of the ways in which this large international assessment programme uses scientific measurement principles and techniques. The overview describes the goals of the project, its major organisational features (its participants, its procedures and organisational structure, its main implementation steps) and its major technical components (test design, test development, sampling, assessment operations, data scaling and analysis, and reporting). The ways in which measurement principles are used are interwoven with the discussion of the relevant technical components. The paper concludes with a detailed discussion of …

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El Programa Internacional Para La Evaluación De Los Alumnos (Pisa). Una Perspectiva General, Ross Turner Feb 2006

El Programa Internacional Para La Evaluación De Los Alumnos (Pisa). Una Perspectiva General, Ross Turner

Ross Turner

This article provides a general overview of the PISA project with the aim of setting up an appropriate context for debating on some specific outcomes of the 2003 assessment survey. This general perspective focuses on the goals of the project, its participants, proce­dures and organisation, its major components and methodologies as well as on the precise ch­aracteristics of Mathematics in PISA, which was the main assessment subject in 2003. Similarly, a very brief summary on certain key outcomes of PISA 2003 assessment in Spain is also provided.

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Proficiency Scales Construction, Ross Turner Dec 2001

Proficiency Scales Construction, Ross Turner

Ross Turner

PISA seeks to report outcomes in terms of proficiency scales that are based on scientific theory and that are interpretable in policy terms. There are two further considerations for the development of the scales and levels: 1. PISA must provide a single score for each country for each of the three domains. It is also recognised that multiple scales might be useful for certain purposes, and the development of these has been considered alongside the need for a single scale. 2. The proficiency descriptions must shed light on trends over time. The amount of data available to support the detailed …

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