Policy impact of PISA on mathematics education: the case of Norway

Abstract

This article addresses the policy implications of participation in international large-scale assessments (ILSAs), particularly the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), and the ways in which such implications might influence mathematics education. Taking Norway as a special case, this discussion focuses on insights into teaching, learning and assessment practices that can be inferred from the PISA study, and how participation in ILSAs has contributed to educational policy and even changed policy makers' perspectives on schools, teachers and students. Following publication of the PISA 2000 results, Norway experienced a 'PISA shock', leading to the implementation of a national quality assessment system and national tests. In addition, changes were made to the mathematics curriculum for compulsory school and to mathematics teacher education. More recently, public debate has focused less on rank and league tables, shifting instead to the high number of low-achieving students and the low number of high achievers. Moreover, there has been little uptake of policy advice provided by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), which focuses on strengthening accountability measures. Furthermore, although the Norwegian educational system in the past decade has undergone a decentralisation process, the educational system still follows the Nordic model, which focuses on equity and 'education for all'. Analyses of the Norwegian case indicate that policy making takes place in highly cultural contexts, and that international studies might be used merely to validate existing policy directions.

Assessment in mathematics education: responding to issues regarding methodology, policy, and equity

“…Such efforts might not take into account the cultural context of national educational systems. Analyses by Baird et al (2016) and Nortvedt (2018) have indicated that the national context influences policy decisions to a large extent.…”

“…A key issue discussed in the research literature concerns the use of assessment data for policy development (Lin et al this issue;Nortvedt 2018) and whether existing assessment practices provide the information that stakeholders need to make informed decisions (Gaber et al 2012). This issue points to the potential consequences linked to the use of assessment data to inform decisions, since (1) more than one stakeholder is often involved and (2) the potential for misinterpretation always exists.…”

“…Mathematics tests may also be used for admission to higher education or to monitor or evaluate the effectiveness of schools or educational systems. In addition, assessment outcomes are widely used to inform policy-making and decisions about educational reform (Elstad et al 2009;Newton 2007;Nortvedt 2018).…”

Teachers’ Role in Enhancing Equity—A Multilevel Structural Equation Modelling with Mediated Moderation

“…A natural point of departure for reviewing the teachers' formal qualifications in Norway and Sweden can be traced back to an important phenomenon known as the PISA shock in 2001 (Elstad, Nortvedt, & Turmo, 2009;Haugsbakk, 2013;Lundström, 2015;Tveit, 2013). Norwegian students produced results on the PISA 2001 that were so far below expectations that the Norwegian Minister of Education compared it with the failure to bring home any medals from the Winter Olympics (Elstad et al, 2009;Nortvedt, 2018;Tveit, 2013). Following the PISA shock in 2001, Norway implemented several policy changes, including reforming the National Curriculum for Grades 1-13 called the "Knowledge Promotion" and introducing a National Quality Assessment System that implemented national tests alongside participation in other ILSA studies, like TIMSS 2 (for more details, see Elstad et al, 2009).…”

PISA and policy-borrowing: A philosophical perspective on their interplay in mathematics education

“…Politically, lower than desired performance has the potential to legitimise increased government involvement in re-orientating mathematics education policies (Dossey & Wu, 2013;Ertl, 2006;Takayama, 2008), although PISA results may also be used to validate existing policy proposals (Nortvedt, 2018). As Dossey and Wu (2013) noted, "the very existence of rankings provided by assessments such as the … OECD studies provide a perceived base of scientific rationality for policy proposals and their public explanations" (p. 1019).…”