PISA 2015 Main Study
(March-April 2015)
Informational meeting with School Principals
October 2014
Petros Georghiades, PhD
Modestina Modestou, PhD
PISA 2015 Cyprus National Centre
Centre for Educational Research and Evaluation
The purpose of this meeting
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Overview of PISA
PISA 2015 Main Study: Content and procedures
Role and responsibilities for participating schools
School Principals’ support
PISA 2012 / PISA FT2015 preliminary results
Use of PISA Released Material
Effective ways for promoting PISA
PISA 2015 Cyprus National Centre
Overview of PISA
• What is PISA?
 The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) took
place for the first time in 2000
 15-year-old students: end of compulsory education
 PISA surveys take place in three-year cycles
 The 6th PISA cycle will take place in 2015
 More than 70 countries participate in PISA 2015 – second
participation for Cyprus
• Who organizes PISA?
 Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
 An international consortium is responsible for the development
and management of the Programme
 Every country has its own PISA National Center
• Centre for Educational Research and Evaluation(CERE)
PISA 2012 Cyprus National Centre
Overview of PISA
• What does PISA assess?
PISA assesses students’ performance in:
science
mathematics
reading
cooperative problem solving (new domain 2015)
Proficiency levels
PISA 2015 Cyprus National Centre
Overview of PISA
• Proficiency Levels
• PISA uses proficiency levels to indicate the type of skills
students are able to use at each level, for each cognitive
domain.
• Level 1 is the lowest and level 6 is the highest proficiency level
• Level 2 is considered the baseline level
– Students at this level present a number of basic skills, which
will allow them to integrate and participate efficiently in the
social and civic life.
PISA 2015 Cyprus National Centre
Proficiency Levels
PISA 2012
46th of 65 countries
Mathematics
Below Level 1 Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Level 4
Level 5
Level 6
Cyprus
19 %
23 %
25,5 %
19,2 %
9,6 %
3,1 %
0,6 %
OECD
8%
15 %
22,5 %
23,7 %
18,2 %
9,3 %
3,3 %
Shanghai-China 55%
Singapore 40%
PISA 2015 Cyprus National Centre
Proficiency Levels
PISA 2012
44th of 65 countries
Reading
Below Level Level 1b
1b
Level 1a
Level 2
Level 3
Level 4
Level 5
Level 6
Cyprus
6,1%
9,7%
17 %
25,1 %
24,9 %
13,2 %
3,5 %
0,5 %
OECD
1,3 %
4,4 %
12,3 %
23,4 %
29,1 %
21,1 %
7,3 %
1,1 %
PISA 2015 Cyprus National Centre
Proficiency Levels
PISA 2012
50th of 65 countries
Science
Below Level 1 Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Level 4
Level 5
Level 6
Cyprus
14,4 %
23,7 %
30,2 %
21,3 %
8,4 %
1,8 %
0,2 %
OECD
4,8 %
13 %
24,5 %
28,8 %
20,5 %
7,2 %
1,2 %
PISA 2015 Cyprus National Centre
Overview of PISA
• Who takes part in PISA?
15-year-old students (end of compulsory education)
Student eligibility is strictly age-based.
NOT related to student grade or programme of study.
• What are students’ motives for participating in PISA?
 PISA is NOT related to any kind of school assessment
 Students are NOT informed about their results
Internal motivation for achieving goals
PISA 2015 Cyprus National Centre
PISA 2015 Main Study
Information - training - promotional material
– Informational meetings
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July 2014 – School Inspectors and Academics
October 2014 – School Principals
December 2014 – School Coordinators
January 2015 – IT Coordinator
– PISA 2015 promotional material
• Posters, leaflets, website, letter to parents
PISA 2015 Cyprus National Centre
PISA 2015 Main Study
Testing period
2nd March – 24th April 2014
 The testing schedule will be prepared by the
PISA 2015 Cyprus National Centre.
 ONLY in exceptional cases a change of testing
date will be examined.
Note:
Holidays and national celebrations will be taken into
account.
PISA 2015 Cyprus National Centre
PISA 2015 Main Study
Which schools participate?
 School selection criteria:
ALL Public – Greek schools with PISA-eligible
students
ALL Private – English & Greek schools with PISAeligible students
TSG: Minimum number of schools = 150
PISA 2015 Cyprus National Centre
Data collection tools
Cognitive test
- science
- mathematics
- reading
- cooperative problem solving
2 hours
Questionnaire
student
school
30 minutes
60 minutes
PISA 2015 shifts to a fully computer-based
administration of the assessment
PISA 2015 Cyprus National Centre
Student sample & Computer labs needed
 PRIVATE ENGLISH SCHOOLS
Sample: 80 students (maximum)
 Three/four computer labs
On the day of the assessment the computer labs
should be available throughout the day.
PISA 2015 Cyprus National Centre
The day of the assessment
(preliminary)
PISA 2015 Cyprus National Centre
Clarification
 Test administration will be conducted by external personnel
that will be hired and trained by the PISA 2015 Cyprus
National Centre – not by school staff.
 School staff: Invigilators
PISA 2015 Cyprus National Centre
Equipment – Computers
 The successful implementation of the survey relies heavily on
school computers used to administer the test.
 Computers need to be tested by means of a special software, in
order to establish that they can run the test.
 If a small additional number of computers is needed: use of laptops
 If a considerable additional number of computers is needed:
administration of the assessment on two days, rather than one
 The cooperation of IT teachers is very important:
– a) for the prompt testing of computers and the submission of
reliable data
– b) for the smooth administration on the day of the assessment
PISA 2015 Cyprus National Centre
The School’s role and responsibilities
By 24th October 2014 the school must assign:
a) School Coordinator
b) IT teacher (responsible for the technical tests)
(Please refer to MOEC Circular: pvt185 2/9/14)
Selecting your
School
Coordinator:
PISA 2015 Cyprus National Centre
Computer skills/email.
Teaching one of the subjects tested.
Personal interest, Organizing skills.
Good interpersonal skills.
Not necessarily a deputy head.
School Coordinator
The School Coordinator will be responsible (among other things!) for
the following:
• Frequent communication with the PISA 2015 Cyprus National Centre
• Prompt submission of the (named) list of PISA-eligible students (ALL
students who were born in 1999)
• Correct implementation of the procedure for excluding students
with special educational needs, on the basis of certain criteria
• Cooperating with IT teachers for running the technical/diagnostic
tests for computers – Prompt submission of reliable data
• Promotion of the survey within the school (towards teachers and
students)
• Cooperation and coordination with Test Administrators, prior to and
on the day of the assessment
PISA 2015 Cyprus National Centre
School Coordinator
School Coordinators’ (SC) Meeting:
• Nicosia: December 8th 2014 (Nicosia, Larnaca, Famagusta)
• Limassol: December 10th 2014 (Limassol, Paphos)
At this meeting SCs will receive:
• Detailed School Coordinator’s Manual, which describes all
the steps and processes of the survey.
• Promotional material for students/parents
• Set of forms
PISA 2015 Cyprus National Centre
The School’s role – Principal’s support
Preparation
 Promoting a positive climate among teachers and students
 Use of promotional material (leaflets, posters, website)
 Students should take the test seriously – Avoid leaving questions
unanswered
 Teachers should be informed of the availability of the released
material and be encouraged to use it in class (in all subjects
tested)
 Support your School Coordinator!
PISA 2015 Cyprus National Centre
The School’s role – Principal’s support
Informing parents
 The PISA 2015 Cyprus National Centre will prepare a letter
addressed to parents, which will be available to schools a few
days before the beginning of the testing period
 Parents consent
 Refusal to participate
PISA 2015 Cyprus National Centre
The School’s role – Principal’s support
Day of the assessment
 Clear (…and strict) instructions to students with regards to the
procedures and timing on the day of the assessment
 Supervision by members of staff
 List of sampled students on the door of each room
 Strict (common) policy on: a) break time arrangements and b)
early completion of the test
 Use of mobile phones
 Providing supportive material (e.g. stationery, calculators,
literature books, magazines)
PISA 2015 Cyprus National Centre
The School’s role – Principal’s support
Day of the assessment
 It is extremely important to achieve a high attendance /
participation rate, on the day of the assessment
 If too many students are absent on the day of the assessment
this will result to:
a) organizing a follow-up test for the school,
b) the removal of the school’s data from the country’s data
file
 Low participation rates cause serious problems, especially if
they do not meet the technical standards of the Programme.
PISA 2015 Cyprus National Centre
Confidential Material
Student Information
Public Schools (25)
Private Schools (15)
2250
660
Students’ Sample
Participating Students
2095
93,11%
596
90,30%
N/P Students (SEN &
parental refusal)
Absence
63
2,80%
28
4,24%
92
4,09%
36
5,46%
PISA 2015 Cyprus National Centre
Omitted Answers
Public Schools
Private Schools
Science (N)
21%
9%
Science (T)
19%
9%
Mathematics (T)
21%
10%
Reading (T)
13%
7%
CPS (T)
0%
0%
PBA (paper)
9%
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Student Questionnaire
4%
3%
CBA
PISA 2015 Cyprus National Centre
Indicative results
Indicative results
Indicative results
Released Material
Samples of publicized test items
Released Material
Samples of publicized test items
http://www.pisa.oecd.org
‘What PISA produces?’
Using released material
Problems:
a) There is no released material available in the
new electronic format of PISA 2015
b) To date, there are no sample exercises of
Cooperative Problem Solving (new domain)
However, using the released material is
EXTREMELY useful, since it allows students to
familiarize themselves with the content and the
nature of PISA questions.
a) Teachers should use at least one exercise, per month, per
subject, with their students.
b) Students should be encouraged to practice with the released
material, in their free time.
PISA 2015 Cyprus National Centre
Finding out more about PISA:
http://www.pi.ac.cy/keea/pisa2015/
http://www.moec.gov.cy/dme/pisa.html
(released material)
http://www.pisa.oecd.org
PISA 2015 Cyprus National Centre
Communication with PISA 2015 Cyprus National Centre:
email: pisa_cyschools@cyearn.pi.ac.cy
National Project Manager: Yiasemina Karagiorgi (22 402317)
Coordinating Team:
Petros Georghiades
Modestina Modestou
Andros Polydorou (IT support)
(22 402458)
(22 402456)
(22 402455)
Fax: 22 560118
PISA 2015 Cyprus National Centre
Discussion
 Questions - Concerns - Suggestions
PISA 2015 Cyprus National Centre
PISA 2015 Main Study
(March-April 2015)
Thank you for your cooperation
PISA 2015 Cyprus National Centre
Centre for Educational Research and Evaluation