In the 2018 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) cycle, Scotland opted to participate in the global competence assessment. This is the first time global competence has been included in PISA.
Participating countries had the option of taking part in a global competence assessment and/or student questionnaire.
Students in 27 countries and economies, including Scotland, took both the global competence assessment and questionnaire.
Global competence will be the focus of the PISA 2018 report Volume VI, which will be published on 22 October 2020 at a launch event in Singapore.
Curriculum for Excellence
Scotland’s results will be based on assessments undertaken by almost 3,000 15 year olds who took part in PISA 2018. This includes global competence questions in the assessments, as well as questions on attitudes and beliefs in the student questionnaire. Scotland also took part in the PISA Teacher Questionnaire, which included questions on teacher beliefs and practices in the classroom.
The global competence results will allow important insights into aspects of the Curriculum for Excellence. This is particularly the case for Learning for Sustainability, where the results feed into our understanding of how Scotland is moving towards aims of the Vision 2030+ report, including the following aim:
Our learners are committed to the principles of global citizenship, social justice and equity, democratic participation and living within the ecological limits of our planet.
The results will also provide insights into the Four Capacities of CfE, allowing a greater understanding of how the curriculum is helping to develop some of the broader outcomes for young people. This is particularly the case for the Responsible Citizens Capacity, where the results will provide data on Scotland’s young people in respect of:
- respect for others
- commitment to participate responsibly in political, economic, social and cultural life
- knowledge and understanding of the world and Scotland’s place in it
- understanding of different beliefs and cultures
- ability to make informed choices and decisions
- ability to evaluate environmental, scientific and technological issues
- ability to develop informed, ethical views of complex issues
The results will provide a further evidence base to assess the impact of Curriculum for Excellence, in particular its role in supporting young people to become global citizens and to develop a broader range of skills and awareness relating to Learning for Sustainability.
Go to the PISA website for more information: https://www.oecd.org/pisa/pisa-2018-global-competence.htm
