OECD PISA

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to closure of schools around the world as well as forced teachers and students in many countries to adapt to teaching and learning online in a short time. New report by the OECD, PISA (Program for International Student Assessment), reveals significant differences, both between countries and within countries, in technology availability in schools and teachers ability to effectively use ICTs.

Effective Policies, Successful Schools project analyzes the results of the latest OECD PISA 2018 test, which was attended by about 600 000 15-year-olds from 79 countries and economies.

On average, there is about one computer for every 15-year-old in school for educational purposes across the OECD countries in 2018. However, school principals in many countries reported that computers were not powerful enough in terms of computing power, which was experienced by one in three students worldwide.

Significant differences were found between schools for children from well-off and disadvantaged families. In Brazil, principals estimated that 68% of students in "well-off" schools had access to fairly powerful digital devices, compared to 10% of students in "disadvantaged" schools. In Spain, difference in the availability of sufficiently powerful digital devices between schools was 40 percentage points (70% vs. 30%).

Teachers ability to use technology varies. On average, 65% of 15-year-olds in OECD countries were enrolled in schools where teachers have necessary technical and pedagogical skills to integrate digital devices into learning. Proportion increased significantly between socially and economically successful and disadvantaged schools. For example, the same indicator is 89% of students in well-off schools in Sweden, in the case of poor schools - 54% of students.

On average, about 60% of 15-year-olds in OECD countries were enrolled in schools where principals say that teachers have enough time to prepare lessons using digital devices.
At the same time, some students at home are not even available to the main base for training. On average, 9% of 15-year-olds in OECD countries do not have a quiet place to study at home. Even in Korea, which is the leader according to PISA, one in five students from the 25% most disadvantaged schools reported that they have no place to study at home, compared to one in ten students in better-off schools.

The report also compares other key aspects of school policy and equality.

PISA shows that many schools faced a lack of resources even before the pandemic. On average, 27% of students in OECD countries were enrolled in schools where principals reported that learning was difficult due to a lack of teaching staff, and this staff shortage much more often reported by schools for children from low-income families (in 42 education systems) and public school principals (in another 42 education systems).

According to the report, providing all schools with adequate and high-quality resources, as well as appropriate support, is key to provide students with equal opportunities to learn and succeed.

Results of the report also show how early the success foundations are laid in education. Students who attended preschool longer than their peers scored higher in PISA.

On average, 6% of students in OECD countries have not attended or attended pre-school centers for less than one year. At the age of 15, they showed lower results in reading than those who had completed one to three years of pre-school education.

Between 2015 and 2018, percentage of 15-year-olds who completed pre-school education increased in 28 countries.

It is also noted that countries and economies tend to show greater equality in education when they: inform parents about their child's progress; use student assessments to identify aspects of learning or curriculum that can be improved; use written student performance specifications initiated by school; request feedback from students; and conduct regular consultations on improving school system - at least once every six months, depending on district or country policy.

Full version of the report is available at: http://www.oecd.org/education/pisa-2018-results-volume-v-ca768d40-en.htm