Infographic: PISA insights - students\u27 mathematics anxiety

Each cycle of the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) includes a student questionnaire. One topic – mathematics anxiety – is characterised by feelings of tension, fear or apprehension when a person is faced with mathematics-related tasks. Today’s infographic provides useful prompts for teachers when considering their own students.https://research.acer.edu.au/teacher_graphics/1243/thumbnail.jp

Infographic: Popular book genres for students

To encourage students to read, it’s important they have access to books that appeal to their interests. This infographic shares the most popular fiction and non-fiction genres of ebooks borrowed by students in primary, secondary and upper secondary.https://research.acer.edu.au/teacher_graphics/1247/thumbnail.jp

Snapshots issue 19: Confidence, gender and mathematics in PISA

Mathematical self-efficacy refers to an individual’s belief in their ability to successfully perform tasks and solve problems in mathematics. This Snapshot examines gender differences in mathematical self-efficacy and the levels of confidence that students feel in doing a range of formal and applied mathematics tasks. It also examines the extent to which exposure to these tasks influences their mathematical self-efficacy

Collaboration: Skill development framework. 2nd edition

ACER\u27s skill development framework addresses the challenges associated with teaching and assessing collaboration. It is designed to synthesise and harmonise existing theory and research on collaboration to provide a holistic perspective. It outlines collaboration processes along prescribed strands and aspects that are informed by a sound evidence base. It is based on three strands: Building shared understanding; Collectively contributing; and Regulating the group

Creative thinking: Skill development framework. 2nd edition

The Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) has reviewed the extensive literature on creative thinking and developed both a definition and a framework that synthesises and harmonises existing theory and research on creative thinking. This framework has been developed to address the challenges associated with teaching and assessing creative thinking. It outlines creative thinking processes along prescribed strands and aspects informed by a sound evidentiary basis. The aspects contained within the framework are designed to provide foci for teaching and the basis of assessment. ACER’s creative thinking framework identifies key factors that underpin the development of creative thinking with a focus on observable skills and teachable creative thinking strategies. A main aim of this framework is to support the development of assessments that can be delivered in the classroom and support teachers in developing and evaluating students’ creative thinking skills

SDG 4.1.1 Minimum Proficiency Levels. Definition and blueprint for assessment

Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 aims to ensure that, by 2030, “all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes.” The primary indicator 4.1.1 concerns the proficiency of girls and boys in two learning areas (reading and mathematics) at three stages of education: at the end of lower primary, at the end of primary, and at the end of lower secondary. Large-scale learning assessments are essential tools to capture data on learning outcomes and to provide system-level evidence on education quality and equity. In the context of SDG 4, it is important that these data can also be used to monitor countries’ progress with achieving this goal – by reporting on SDG indicator 4.1.1 – the proportion of learners achieving at least a minimum proficiency level (MPL) in reading and mathematics at three stages of education. While the number of countries implementing large-scale learning assessments has increased substantially over the past two decades, these vary substantially in the assessed target population, learning areas, domains and constructs. In light of this, the UNESCO Institute for Statistics is supporting Ministries of Education, assessment agencies and organisations, education donors, partners and other stakeholders to use various national, regional and international large-scale assessments to report against SDG indicator 4.1.1. The UIS has specified a set of 7 key reporting criteria, each containing a set of technical requirements that assessments must meet to be eligible to report against SDG 4.1.11. This document has been created to support the application of reporting criterion 1 – Alignment to the MPL and construct validity, by providing a clear definition of the MPLs and a blueprint for each educational stage – a) at the end of lower primary (Grades 2/3), b) at the end of primary, and c) at the end of lower secondary

Infographic: Teens’ career expectations over time

A new report from the OECD draws on PISA 2022 data to reveal the top 10 most popular expected occupations of 15-year-old girls and boys from around the world and compares these new results to the data from PISA 2000. Here, we share how career expectations have changed over the last 22 years for girls and boys.https://research.acer.edu.au/teacher_graphics/1244/thumbnail.jp

National Assessment Program Civics and Citizenship 2024 : Technical report.

This report describes the procedures and processes involved in the conduct of the National Assessment Program – Civics and Citizenship (NAP – CC) 2024. The report is divided into chapters covering: the assessment framework and instrument design, item development, test design, scoring student responses, the student questionnaire, student background information, sampling and weighting, data collection procedures and data management, and scaling procedures. The report include an extensive collection of tables and figures

Essential skills for learning

This document outlines work by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) to identify a set of five essential skills for learning. As a result of an ongoing research program ACER has identified the skills of critical thinking, creative thinking, collaboration, communication, and self-regulation, and this overview document describes the building of evidence-based skill frameworks that include levels of skill development

Understanding the delivery of music learning in NSW public schools: Primary Teachers\u27 Survey - New South Wales

The Music Education: Right from the Start Primary Teachers’ Survey New South Wales was conducted to understand the delivery of music education in NSW Department of Education (the department) public primary schools and to provide baseline data for policy and program development. This broad-ranging survey of teachers and representatives from 706 New South Wales public primary schools. The results highlight the status of music education in NSW public primary schools, demonstrating teachers\u27 need for better resources, improved preparation in Initial Teacher Education (ITE), increased access to quality professional learning, and integration of music into the broader curriculum