[Culturechat] PISA Test

[Vance Roy]

Perhaps some of the teachers in the chat can amplify on this test and 
what they think of it. The PISA (Programme for International Student 
Assessment) is a test given to between 4,500 and 10,000 15 year old 
students in the industrialized countries of the world. The 2003 tests 
were completed and I read the results this week in the local paper.

Of course, the main interest here is in Switzerland's performance. I 
found some surprises.

  In reading, CH ranks 11th, the USA 15th, and Finnland is 1st. Russia 
is last (29th). In the 2000 tests (they are given every three years), 
Finnland was 1st, USA 15th, and CH was 17th. Russia was last at 29th.

In mathematics in 2003, Finnland was 1st, CH was 7th, and the USA was 
25th--next to the last, Russia. In 2000, Japan was 1st, CH was 7th, and 
the USA was 19th (five up from the bottom, Italy).

In the natural sciences in 2003, Finnland was 1st, Ch was 9th, and the 
USA was 19th, again five up from the bottom, Italy. In 2000, it was 
South Korea 1st, CH 18th (6 up from the bottom, Russia), and the USA 
was 14th.

In the category of problem solving in 2003, South Korea was 1st, CH was 
8th, and the USA was 24th (one up from the bottom, Italy.

I wonder what all this means for our next generation? India and China 
are not in the test group, but I have a hunch by 2006 or 2009, they 
will be up there with the Koreans and Finns.. Are all our 
grandchildren's bosses going to be from other countries?

Vance Roy
gigli.saw@dplanet.ch
http://homepage.mac.com/fredch

“Never under estimate the ingenuity of the stupid.”
Anon.