Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Education Commons

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Articles 1 - 5 of 5

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.


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 …


Snapshots Issue 3: Equity And Effectiveness, Sue Thomson, Kylie Hillman Feb 2015

Snapshots Issue 3: Equity And Effectiveness, Sue Thomson, Kylie Hillman

Kylie Hillman

A key message from the most recent OECD PISA report released by ACER in December 2013 is that high-performing countries tend to allocate resources more equitably across socioeconomically advantaged and disadvantaged schools. This issue of Snapshots looks to the data from the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) and the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), to examine whether this is the case for Australia.


Snapshots Issue 4: Boys, Girls And Mathematics, Lisa De Bortoli Feb 2015

Snapshots Issue 4: Boys, Girls And Mathematics, Lisa De Bortoli

Lisa De Bortoli

The most recent OECD Programme for International Assessment (PISA) survey enables educators, policy makers and the wider community to compare Australian students with each other, as well as their counterparts across the world. PISA measures the extent to which 15-year-old students near the end of compulsory education have acquired the knowledge and skills that young adults need to meet the challenges of the future. This issue of Snapshots looks to the data from PISA on similarities and differences in student performance by sex to inform education policies, improve educational outcomes and equity.


Perspectives On Numeracy: Reflections From International Assessments, Dave Tout, Iddo Gal Feb 2015

Perspectives On Numeracy: Reflections From International Assessments, Dave Tout, Iddo Gal

David (Dave) Tout

This paper examines perspectives regarding the mathematical skills expected of adults and school graduates, comparing ideas developed as part of two major multinational comparative assessments of skills: the Programme for International Student Assessment and the Programme for International Assessment of Adult Competencies (also known as the OECD Survey of Adult Skills). The paper reflects on the conceptual and assessment frameworks developed for these two programmes, aiming to shed light on the commonalities and differences between the constructs of numeracy and mathematical literacy and to inform current debate about directions for developing mathematical skills in the 21st Century.