French Pisa Mathematics Results and Reactions

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French Pisa Mathematics Results and Reactions
Communication to the Second Iberian Mathematical
MeetingBadajoz, October 3-5, 2008
Antoine Bodin Research Institute of Mathematics
Education University of Franche-Comté / France
EMS (Société Mathématique de France)
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Focus

• Understanding the Project
• Understanding the Scores
• PISA Mathematical Content
• Lessons for France
• Reactions in France

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What PISA seeks to assess
In its four fields Reading, Mathematics,
Science and Problem solving.
PISA seeks to measure how well young adults, at
age 15 are prepared to meet the challenges of
todays knowledge societies. The assessment
(Focus) on young peoples ability to use their
knowledge and skills to meet real-life
challenges, rather on the extent to which they
have mastered a specific school curriculum.
(OECD 2003, The PISA 2003 Assessment
framework)
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Mathematical literacy in PISA
PISA defines mathematical literacy as the
ability to formulate and solve mathematical
problems in situations encountered in life 
(OECD, 2001  Knowledge and skills for life)
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Mathematical literacy in PISA
Definition of mathematical literacy for OECD/PISA
Mathematical literacy is an individuals
capacity to identify and understand the role that
mathematics plays in the world, to make
well-founded mathematical judgements and to
engage in mathematics, in ways that meet the
needs of that individuals current and future
life as a constructive, concerned and reflective
citizen.
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PISA scores 1
Understanding PISA Scores
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PISA scores 2
Understanding PISA scores
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Comparisons 1
Comparisons Across Countries and Time
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Comparisons 2
Comparing across countries and time
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Mathematical content M547_STAIRCASE
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Mathematical content M547_STAIRCASE 2
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Mathematical content M555_NUMBER CUBES 1
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Mathematical content M555_NUMBER CUBES 2 EVAPM
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Mathematical content M266_CARPENTER 1
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Mathematical content M266_CARPENTER 2
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Correlations Math - Reading - Science - Problem
solving
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French results

• Not satisfactory in all domains
• ? Space and shapes (508 on the Pisa scale))
• ? Change and relationships  (520)
• ? Quantity (507)
• ? Uncertainty (506)
• Better results for students attending the first
  year of secondary school and of normal age.
• PISA confirms other studies (TIMSS, National
  studies,)
• France is not successful in providing the
  weakest part of the population with basic
  mathematical knowledge.
• The most successful French students dont reach
  a satisfactory level on the subject covered by
  the PISA framework.

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Possible Reasons

• Due to True Weaknesses in the French Educational
  system
• Formal and abstract way of teaching
• Competition between Maths and Other subjects
• Lack of general interest for maths
• Lack of interest for PISA
• Influence of social and societal problems
• Due to the PISA Design and Process
• Curriculum Biases
• Cultural Biases
• Sampling and data Gathering Biases

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Reactions 1
Until recently, official comments aimed mostly at
reassuring public and teachers In mathematical
literacy, , they are at ease in activities based
on school oriented subjects. They are, however,
able to apply their acquired theoretical
knowledgeto cope with exercices not usually
presented within the French school system.
DEPP (Ministry of Education) 01/52/2001 France
scores significantly above the mean score of the
OECD countries. DEPP 04/12/2005DEPP 01/52/2001
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Reactions 2
Dramatic change after PISA 2006 (and after a
change in French government). Alert on the
school level. Negative signals are piling up on
French School performance. Le Monde 16/12/2007
The minister "This is not normal we are
going to see this very soon with the PISA study
on mathematical competency at the end of lower
secondary school, - that France hasnt stopped
sliding downward. We are much below European
average. (2/11/2007) The PISA study shows
that the results obtained by the end of the
compulsory schooling period are at the same time
poor for scientific literacy, of considerable
concern for reading comprehension, and alarming
for mathematics where Frances results regress
(12/12/2007)
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Reactions3
Mathematicians and the Mathematics community take
their share in the alarming observations APMEP
(Association of Mathematics Teachers) Alert on
Mathematics (01/12/2003) Laurent Lafforgue
(Field medial) People dont realize it, but
we are witnessing a wreckage! Most people think
French youths are good in maths. But, presently
they are definitely poor, (04/12/2004) Jean-Pi
erre Bourguignon (Head of the IHES) We must
acknowledge that the French educational System
doesnt succeed in raising everyone to a correct
level. We may fear that in this regard, the gaps
are constantly becoming larger.(4/12/2007)
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References and Links

• References in
• A. Bodin (2007) What does PISA really assess?
  What it doesnt? A French view. In S. Hopman, G.
  Brinek, M. Retzl (éds) PISA according to PISA.
  Wien Lit Verlag, 2007. 
• Download http//www.univie.ac.at/pisaaccordingto
  pisa 
• A. Bodin (2006) Ce qui est vraiment évalué par
  PISA en mathématiques. Ce qui ne l'est pas. Un
  point de vue Français. Bulletin de l'APMEP. Num.
  463. p. 240-265.
• Pisa on the APMEP site http//www.apmep.asso.fr/s
  pip.php?rubrique114
• Contributions to the Joint Finnish-French
  Conference "Teaching mathematics beyond the PISA
  survey  Paris 6 - 8 octobre 2005
• http//smf.emath.fr/VieSociete/Rencontres/France-F
  inlande-2005/ResumeConferences.html
• EMS REFERENCE LEVELS STUDY
• http//www-math.univ-fcomte.fr/DEPARTEMENT/CTU/IRE
  M/internat.htm
• http//www.emis.de/

Antoine Bodin antoinebodin_at_mac.com Web site
http//web.mac.com/antoinebodin/