Analysis of the Assessment Framework of the Students' Scientific Literacy in the PISA International Study

Document Type : Review article

Authors

1 Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Shahid Rajaee Teacher Training University, Tehran, Iran

2 2Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Shahid Rajaee Teacher Training University, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Since 2000, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) measures the performance of 15-year-old students using the Pisa Scientific Literacy Test (PISA) in member countries every three years, emphasizing their ability to deal with real-world issues and future life challenges. PISA assessment is not just about reproducing what students have learned, but also about testing how students can apply their learning in new situations, both at school and outside. The PISA test answers questions about whether students are well prepared to face the challenges of a future life. In this research, while describing the PISA evaluation system, different dimensions of scientific literacy in the template of this system have been analyzed. A general comparison of the structure of the PISA test with the trends in the international mathematics and science study (TIMSS) and progress in international reading literacy study (PIRLS) tests was done in terms of objective, type of questions, and process. The PISA test assesses the skills of the reading, science, mathematics, and problem solving by focusing on students' characteristics, motivation, and attitudes toward learning and learning strategies, while the TIMSS and PIRLS study the mathematics and science education and reading literacy progress, respectively, with curriculum orientation and with focusing on curriculum and teachers' classroom behaviors and school activities.

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