A Critical Analysis of the PISA Mathematics Tasks/Kritički prikaz matematičkih zadataka PISA testa

Abstract

Abstract

In this paper, the authors deal with a critical analysis of some of the problems associated with PISA testing in mathematics. First of all, the social, economic and political circumstances of the launch of the PISA project are pointed out. This is followed by an analysis of what the authors consider as very important concepts for understanding PISA philosophy, such as applicable knowledge and problem solving in a real-life situation. We compared two different ways of defining these concepts and showed what the consequences of learning and teaching mathematics are in each of the cases. The authors present the results of the research that was conducted with mathematics teachers, as well as teachers of other subjects. The research dealt with the determination of the importance and role of the mathematical tasks of the PISA test for students’ further mathematical education. The results of the research have shown that there is a significant statistical difference between the assessment provided by the teachers who do and those who do not teach mathematics. The paper also analysed some specific tasks that the students were solving in PISA tests. The authors point out some deficiencies and inaccuracies observed in the mathematics tasks on PISA tests, as well as the weaknesses of PISA testing itself.

Key words: functional knowledge; mathematical literacy; real-life situation; teaching mathematics.

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Sažetak 

U ovom radu autori se bave kritičkom analizom nekih problema vezanih uz PISA testiranje iz matematike. Prije svega ukazano je na društvene, ekonomske i političke okolnosti  pokretanja PISA projekta. Zatim su analizirani, po mišljenju autora, vrlo važni pojmovi za razumijevanje PISA filozofije, a to su primjenjivo znanje i rješavanje problema u stvarnoj životnoj situaciji. Usporedili smo dva različita načina definiranja ovih pojmova i pokazali koje su posljedice po učenje i nastavu matematike u oba slučaja. Izložili smo rezultate istraživanja koje smo proveli s nastavnicima matematike, ali i nastavnicima drugih predmeta. Istraživanje se odnosilo na utvrđivanje značaja i uloge matematičkih zadataka PISA testa za daljnje matematičko obrazovanje učenika. Rezultati istraživanja su pokazali da postoji statistički značajna razlika između procjena nastavnika koji predaju i nastavnika koji ne predaju matematiku. U radu smo analizirali i konkretne zadatke koje su učenici rješavali na PISA testiranju. Ukazali smo na izvjesne nedostatke i nepreciznosti matematičkih zadataka PISA testova, kao i na slabosti samog PISA testiranja.  

Ključne riječi: funkcionalno znanje; matematička pismenost; nastava matematike; stvarna životna situacija.