[Culturechat] PISA Test

[Virginia Knueppel]

Thanks, Vance, for including more information than was in the article I
read in this morning's Atlanta Journal Constitution.  I think one key
statement at the end of said article is the fact that in Finland teachers
are given the same respect (and salaries!) as other professionals --
doctors, lawyers, etc. -- and regarded by both the public and students as
the authorities in their classrooms. As a result, graduate schools for
educators are very difficult to get into because of the high number of
applicants.

I'm sure there are many reasons for the poor showing of the USA in this
test, and that solutions are in the "both/and" category. But my personal
opinion is that the current track of testing, testing, testing makes
political rather than academic good sense. I'm a retired teacher.

Thanks for all your interesting comments in culturechat. 

Virginia Knueppel
ginik@mindspring.com
Why Wait?  Move to EarthLink.


> [Original Message]
> From: Vance Roy <gigli.saw@dplanet.ch>
> To: <culturechat@untours.com>
> Date: 12/7/2004 10:06:00 AM
> Subject: [Culturechat] PISA Test
>
> 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.
>
> _______________________________________________
> This message was sent by Culturechat.
> To reply or send a new message, email to:
> Culturechat@untours.com
>
> Visit the CultureChat archives:
> http://mailman.dca.net/pipermail/culturechat/
>
> To unsubscribe, change to digest delivery, or 
> temporarily pause delivery, visit:
> http://mailman.dca.net/mailman/listinfo/culturechat