2) The research shows that in the United Kingdom, fifteen-year-old students scored above average in reading, math, and science. Girls seemed to have higher scores than boys on average. Another trend was immigrant students outperforming their non-immigrant peers in multiple reading.

3) Some key findings I found necessary were the comparisons to other countries. "The United Kingdom’s average performance was not statistically significantly different from that of Australia, Belgium, Germany, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, and the United States in at least two of the three subjects." This is somewhat expected as I feel like these countries have a lot in common. Another important concept I found was that on average, the UK had a higher rate of bullying which I found surprising, but could affect the results of their scores.

4) Something I would like to learn more about that is not included in the report is possibly a separate set of statistics for those who do not identify as a boy or girl and see if it has any affects in their score.

2.  Trends in student performance:

-Students scored higher than the OECD average in reading (503) and science (503), but not significantly different than the math average

- Performance rates in all areas have been declining since 2003

-Student performance less strongly associated with socio-economic status than on average across OECD countries

-High math and science performing students: 1 in 3 boys and 1 in 5 girls expect to be an engineer or science professional by 30

-29% immigrant students scored in the top quarter in reading

-Socio-economically advantaged students outperformed disadvantaged students in reading by 89 points

3. Key findings of interest:

-Australian students reported being bullied more frequently (30%), were more afraid of failing, and more likely to have skipped school (21%) and feel lonely at school (19%)

-Student competition more prevalent than on average across OECD countries (64%)

- 68% of students have a growth mindset- 63% on average across countries

-Girls significantly outperformed boys in reading, boys outperformed girls in math, girls and boys performed similarly in science

-Less staff and material shortage than the OECD average

-Many students are less ambitious- do not expect tertiary education

-28% of students come from an immigrant background; 1 in 4 are socio-economically disadvantaged

4.  What I’d like to know more about:

-Why are these students feeling more lonely and targeted at schools in Australia than in any other OECD country?

-Why do they feel they are in competition with their peers?

-Why are these students less ambitious; what is causing them to believe they cannot obtain higher education even when they have high test scores?

2.) The research shows that in Finland, fifteen-year old females performed better than males in all three subjects included int the assessment which were reading, math, and science. Even though this country's mean scores fall above the OECD averages in all subjects, the performance trends have began to drop since 2006. Finland's disadvantaged students have also scored in the top quarter of reading performance, which is higher than the OECD average.

3.) Some key findings that I found of interest in the PISA report are that Finland's students are bullied less, miss school less often, and are overall more happy or satisfied with their lives when compared to the OECD average percentages. Although these all are more student focused, rather than educational, I believe these statistics are still important because it plays into their educational environment and willingness to learn.

4.) I would like to find out more about the actual process they use to teach their students. I am wondering what they may be doing differently in comparison to the United States and if we can possibly implement these processes into our own school systems. One other thing I would like to learn more about is how students of other ages answers compare to these.

2. Students in Luxembourg scored lower than the OECD average in reading, mathematics and science. Compared to the OECD average, in Luxembourg, a smaller proportion of students performed at the highest levels of proficiency (Level 5 or 6) in at least one subject; at the same time a smaller proportion of students achieved a minimum level of proficiency (Level 2 or higher) in all three subjects. Students in Luxembourg scored 483 points in mathematics in PISA 2018, slightly below the OECD average (489 score points). Students in Luxembourg scored 477 points in science in PISA 2018, slightly below the OECD average (489 score points). Students in Luxembourg scored 470 points in reading in PISA 2018, below the OECD average (487 score points). In all countries and economies that participated in PISA 2018, girls significantly outperformed boys in reading – by 30 score points on average across OECD countries, and by 29 score points in Luxembourg. The gender gap in reading in Luxembourg was narrower in 2018 than in 2009 (39 score points), although boys’ performance remained stable over the period.

3. The link between socio-economic status and performance in PISA is stronger in Luxembourg than in any other PISA-participating country.

4. I would like to know more about the breakdown of scores throughout the grades and different age groups. The PISA assessment is only taken by 15 year old’s but I would be interested to know about other ages as well.

2: Students in greece scored lowered on average reading mathetics and science than the OECD by about 20-30 points.Compared to the OECD average, a smaller proportion of students in Greece performed at the highest levels of proficiency (Level 5 or 6) in at least one subject; at the same time a smaller proportion of students achieved a minimum level of proficiency (Level 2 or higher) in at least one subject.In Greece, 69% of students attained at least Level 2 proficiency in reading (OECD average: 77%). At a minimum, these students can identify the main idea in a text of moderate length, find information based on explicit, though sometimes complex criteria, and can reflect on the purpose and form of texts when explicitly directed to do so. • Some 4% of students in Greece were top performers in reading, meaning that they attained Level 5 or 6 in the PISA reading test (OECD average: 9%). At these levels, students can comprehend lengthy texts, deal with concepts that are abstract or counterintuitive, and establish distinctions between fact and opinion, based on implicit cues pertaining to the content or source of the information. In 20 education systems, including those of 15 OECD countries, more than 10% of 15-year-old students were top performers.ome 64% of students in Greece attained Level 2 or higher in mathematics (OECD average: 76%). At a minimum, these students can interpret and recognise, without direct instructions, how a (simple) situation can be represented mathematically (e.g. comparing the total distance across two alternative routes, or converting prices into a different currency). The share of 15-year-old students who attained minimum levels of proficiency in mathematics (Level 2 or higher) varied widely – from 98% in Beijing, Shanghai, Jiangsu and Zhejiang (China) to 2% in Zambia, which participated in the PISA for Development assessment in 2017. On average across OECD countries, 76% of students attained at least Level 2 proficiency in mathematics. • In Greece, 4% of students scored at Level 5 or higher in mathematics (OECD average: 11%). Six Asian countries and economies had the largest shares of students who did so: Beijing, Shanghai, Jiangsu and Zhejiang (China) (44%), Singapore (37%), Hong Kong (China) (29%), Macao (China) (28%), Chinese Taipei (23%) and Korea (21%). These students can model complex situations mathematically, and can select, compare and evaluate appropriate problem-solving strategies for dealing with them.Some 68% of students in Greece attained Level 2 or higher in science (OECD average: 78%). At a minimum, these students can recognise the correct explanation for familiar scientific phenomena and can use such knowledge to identify, in simple cases, whether a conclusion is valid based on the data provided. • In Greece, 1% of students were top performers in science, meaning that they were proficient at Level 5 or 6 (OECD average: 7%). These students can creatively and autonomously apply their knowledge of and about science to a wide variety of situations, including unfamiliar ones

3.In Greece, socio-economically advantaged students outperformed disadvantaged students in reading by 84 score points in PISA 2018. This is not significantly different from the average difference between the two groups (89 score points) across OECD countries. In PISA 2009, the performance gap related to socio-economic status was 91 score points in Greece (and 87 score points on average across OECD countries).

4. I would like to examin more the level of education in relation to gender identity

1. Italy

2. In 2018 Italy scored below the OECD average in reading and science. Italy scored around the average in mathematics. Their mean in performance declined after 2012 in reading and science while mathematics stayed the same. Reading declined with girls but maintained a stable level with boys. Science declined for both boys and girls.

3. In all three subjects Italy's mean score was lower than most counties

4. Only 1 in 4 boys is expected to work as an engineer or a similar science professional by the age of 30 but with girls its 1 in 8. 1 in 4 girls is expected to work in a health related profession while only 1 in 9 for boys. I would like to know why they are so focused on gender and how to get more students interested in those jobs.

2.     One in every two 15-year-old boys expect to work as engineers. Whereas one in every two 15-year-old girls expects to work in a healthcare related career. These expectation follow the pretty tradition gender stereotypes for female and male professions. In 2018 students scored average scores in reading, mathematics, and science. This mean is lower than the one that was calculated using the 2015 test scores however the scores have been improving steadily since then.  

3.     One interesting fact about Portugal that I learned from the PISA is fewer students are reposting acts of bulling instead they are reporting strong antibullying attitudes in comparison to many of the other averages.

4.     What is the biggest difference that Portugal is implementing that is causing this positive trend in their test scores in recent years? Once this is determined how can other countries implement similar tactics to improve their students’ scores and education systems overall?

1. I am interested in covering Italy. 
   

2. Mean performance in Italy declined in reading and science, and remained stable in mathematics. Reading performance declined for girls and remained stable among boys. Science performance declined with the highest-achieving students, by a similar amount for both boys and girls. In Italy, 77% of students attained at least Level 2 proficiency in reading, 76% of students in Italy attained Level 2 or higher in mathematics, and 74% of students in Italy attained Level 2 or higher in science. 

3. In Italy, 67% of students reported that they are satisfied with their lives, and 91% of students in Italy reported sometimes or always feeling happy, and about 6% of students reported always feeling sad. It is interesting to see how even though the country is declining in OECD averages, the majority of students are still relatively happy. 

   
   4. I would like to find out more about students’ mental health in regards to their schooling and education. The report shows studies on emotions of students, but I would like to learn more about the affects mental health has on students in Italy in comparison to the U.S., where mental health among students is extremely prevalent.

2.     Italy’s trends in student performance declined in certain subjects. Science and reading were below the OECD average, while mathematics remained average. Science performance declined mainly in high-achieving students regardless of gender, reading performance declined mainly in girls and remained stable in boys. In all three of these subjects, the mean performance in Italy was lower than in many countries such as Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, Slovenia, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. Absences in class caused more learning loss for 15-year-old students in Italy. The OECD average is 21%, but 57% of students had not attended school for a day in the two weeks before the PISA test in Italy. Also, 30% of students in Italy said that most lessons in their language of instruction start late because the teacher must wait for students to settle down.

3.     Some key findings I found interesting were that In Italy, 24% of students reported being bullied at least a few times a month, compared to 23% on average across OECD countries. A higher percentage of students in Italy (30%) than the OECD average (26%) said that their language teacher often must wait for the class to be quiet. This affects their reading scores negatively. After considering socio-economic status, students in Italy who said this happens in most or every lesson scored 21 points lower in reading than those who said this rarely or never happens.

4.     I’d like to find out more about the behavioral issues within schooling in Italy, as it seems to be a big reason for the below-average scores. I’d like to look more into bullying, class disruptions, and skipping. I’d also like to look at how these factors affect the mental health of students in Italy based on age and gender.

2. Italy scored below the OECD average in reading and science, and around the OECD average in mathematics. Mean performance in Italy declined, after 2012, in reading and science, and remained stable (and above the level observed in 2003 and 2006) in mathematics. Reading performance declined, in particular, amongst girls (and remained stable among boys). Science performance declined most markedly amongst the highest-achieving students, by a similar amount for both boys and girls.n 2018, 10% of students in Italy had an immigrant background, up from 6% in 2009; and almost half of them were amongst the quarter of the most socio-economically disadvantaged students in Italy. Still, 14% of immigrant students scored in the top quarter of reading performance in Italy and were amongst the country’s highest-achieving students. In Italy, boys outperformed girls in mathematics by 16 score points, which was wider than the average gender gap in mathematics across OECD countries (5 score points). While girls slightly outperformed boys in science (by two score points) on average across OECD countries in PISA 2018, in Italy girls and boys performed similarly in science.

3. Some key findings that I found in the article about Italy were that 91% of their students reported they were happy which was really cool to hear how awesome it must be to go to school there. science performance declined most markedly amongst the highest-achieving students.

4. I would like to find out more about how italy works on creating a positive environment for their students, and how they speak on behalf of mental health within the students

2. In France, students scored 493 points in reading, which is slightly above the average. This was similar to some other countries including Belgium, the Czech Republic, Germany, and Portugal. The students in France also scored slightly above average for science and mathematics. In France, one in three boys is expected to work as an engineer or science profession at 30 years old, while one in four girls are expected to work in health related professions.  

3. I think that one of the key findings of interests that I discovered are the statistics about the students’ well being. I think that this is very important. The article discusses that students in France had a greater fear of failure and less self efficacy than other OECD countries. A majority of students also said that when they are failing, they are scared that they may not have enough talent and in turn, they are scared that they will not succeed in the future. I think that this can be a reflection on the education system because they may not be supporting their students. 

4. I am interested in learning about whether anything has changed or any changes are being put in place that will help to change the education system since this article is from 2018 and there were multiple complaints made about the education system and the way things were run. 

2. Trends in student performance:

-15 year old students scored higher than the OECD average in reading, math, and science.

-The gender gap in reading amongst students in Japan was narrower than the OECD average gap.

-Since 2009, girls' performance declined while boys' performance remained stable.

-Compared to the OECD average, in Japan, a larger proportion of students performed at the highest levels of proficiency in at least one subject

-However, at the same time a larger proportion of students achieved a minimum level of proficiency in at least one subject.

3. Key findings of interest:

-Students in Japan reported one of the highest levels of fear of failure (77%).

-50% of students reported they are satisfied with their lives.

-17% of students reported being bullied, and 93% of students think joining in bullying is wrong.

4. What I'd like to know more about:

I would really like to dive deeper on the fact that a large portion of students in Japan are afraid to fail. Are they putting too much pressure on themselves? This could be looked at through investigating the mental health of students in Japan. Also, based on the statistics about bullying, it seems as though students in Japan are very disciplined and have good morals. I would like to know if there are different rules and regulations at schools in Japan regarding bullying as I feel most schools in the United States struggle with the issue of bullying and could use some guidance possibly from other countries like Japan.

I am interested in covering Australia.

2.    

- After looking at the PISA results, it was said that students from Australia were bullied more and presented signs of loneliness and doubt in regards to their educational success.

-       1/3 boys expect themselves to be an engineer or science professional at 30 years old. in contrast, 1/5 girls expect this same statement. Boys were shown to expect to work in ICT jobs, where there were no girls.

-       Performance in reading for Australian students is steadily declining

-       Students scored higher than the OECD average in reading, science, and slightly math. Scores are comparable to students from Germany, New Zealand, Sweden, UK, and US.

3.      

-       Something I found interesting in the PISA report was that 68% of students hold a growth mindset- that they can’t change their intelligence very much. I think this matches up with the data in terms of declining in different departments and being worried about failing a lot, but somewhat confusing considering that Australian students placed higher than average when asked if they can find a way out of a difficult situation.

-       I also thought it was interesting to see that students strongly agree that their teacher showed enjoyment in teaching. The statistics match up with this statement and show a direct relationship, showing that their students scored higher when they felt this way.

4.    

Something that I am interested in learning about that was not listed In the PISA report is topics relating to mental health and how that affects their performance in school. Furthermore, I’d like to do more research on the basic curriculum and try to find a cause for the high levels of competition that many students feel.