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Perspectives on numeracy: reflections from international assessments

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Abstract

This paper examines perspectives regarding the mathematical skills expected of adults and school graduates, comparing ideas developed as part of two major multinational comparative assessments of skills: the Programme for International Student Assessment and the Programme for International Assessment of Adult Competencies (also known as the OECD Survey of Adult Skills). The paper reflects on the conceptual and assessment frameworks developed for these two programmes, aiming to shed light on the commonalities and differences between the constructs of numeracy and mathematical literacy and to inform current debate about directions for developing mathematical skills in the 21st Century.

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Notes

  1. Odds ratios are adjusted for age, gender, educational attainment and immigrant and language background. High wages are defined as workers’ hourly earnings that are above the country’s median.

  2. Note: Levels are not equivalent between PISA and PIAAC (see Gal and Tout 2014)

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Australian Council for Educational Research, Camberwell, Australia

    Dave Tout

  2. University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel

    Iddo Gal

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  1. Dave Tout
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Correspondence to Dave Tout.

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Tout, D., Gal, I. Perspectives on numeracy: reflections from international assessments. ZDM Mathematics Education 47, 691–706 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11858-015-0672-9

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