Review of the PIAAC Numeracy Assessment Framework

Introduction

The aim of this OECD project led by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) is to prepare a short paper reviewing the assessment framework that guided the assessment of numeracy in the 1st cycle of the Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC). [See http://www.oecd.org/skills/piaac/ for further information about PIAAC].

The aim of the review is to evaluate the extent to which the framework reflects current understandings of adult numeracy and the extent to which it continues to be an appropriate basis for the assessment of the capacity of adults to successfully undertake the range of numeracy tasks that they will be faced with in their everyday and working lives in the third decade of the 21st century.

The list of the team working on the review is included below.

Have Your Say

Please provide the review team with your comments and suggestions regarding any of the below issues to address & suggestions. Include references if at all possible? Or your contact details to follow up.

    Theoretical developments: Identify any theoretical developments in the understanding of and conceptualisation of adult numeracy that are relevant for the assessment of numeracy in PIAAC

    Assessment developments: Identify any developments in the assessment of numeracy (particularly of adults) that could be relevant for PIAAC – (e.g. item types and formats, use of animation, modelling)

    Numeracy or mathematical components: Evaluate the utility and feasibility of the implementation of an equivalent to the reading components assessment in the PIAAC numeracy assessment

    21st Century Digital implications: Discuss how to ensure that the assessment reflects the importance of digital information, representations, devices and applications as realities that adults have to manage in dealing with the numerical demands of everyday life

    Relationship with PISA: Discuss how the relationship between the PIAAC numeracy framework and the PISA mathematical literacy framework and assessment should be conceived, developed (if appropriate) and presented.

    Any further comments

    Your Name (required)

    Your Email (required)

    Alternatively, please send your feedback using the above template to:

    Dave Tout, Senior Research Fellow, Numeracy & Mathematics

    Australian Council for Educational Research

    Email: David.Tout@acer.edu.au

    Team members

    The Review Team comprises:

    Professor Diana Coben, PhD, is Director of the National Centre of Literacy and Numeracy for Adults at the University of Waikato, New Zealand and Emeritus Professor of Adult Numeracy at King’s College London

    Assoc. Prof Vince Geiger, Research fellow, Learning Sciences Institute of Australia, Australian Catholic University, Australia

    Dr. Lynda Ginsburg, Senior Research Associate for Mathematics Education, Center for Math, Science and Computer Education, Rutgers University, NJ, United States

    Drs. Kees Hoogland, Researcher and Curriculum Developer, SLO – Netherlands Institute for Curriculum Development, Netehrlands

    Dr. Terry Maguire, Director, National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, Ireland

    Ross Turner, Principal Research Fellow, Centre for Global Education Monitoring, Australian Council for Educational Research, Australia

    Dr Sue Thomson, Director, Educational Monitoring and Research Division and Research Director of the Australian Surveys research program, Australian Council for Educational Research, Australia

    Dave Tout, Senior Research Fellow, Numeracy and Mathematics, Vocational, Adult and Workplace Education, Australian Council for Educational Research, Australia

    Research

    The team has undertaken some research into relevant articles, papers and research and will be happy to share these results with ALM Members. Keep an eye out for this page on the ALM website for the spreadsheet of materials.