PISA and mathematics education: what can we learn – and what we cannot

Conference item

International large-scale assessments (ILSAs) such as PISA play a powerful role in shaping debates about mathematics education, yet their findings are often used to support claims that extend beyond what their designs can warrant. Responsible use of ILSA data requires alignment between the constructs measured, the study design, the questions asked, and the conclusions drawn. In this paper, I consider three areas in which these issues arise: the policy and public narratives surrounding international comparisons; the methodological and measurement characteristics of ILSAs; and the use of ILSAs to address substantive questions in mathematics education research. The evolving design of ILSAs offers many opportunities to examine important issues within mathematics education, whilst also creating new questions about construct, design and contextual alignment.

Authors: Ingram, J

• Publication status: Accepted
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: ERME/HAL Archive
• Acceptance date: 2026-09-18
• Event title: 2nd Feedback & Assessment in Mathematics Education Conference (FAME 2026)
• Event location: Budapest, Hungary
• Event website: https://fame2.renyi.hu/
• Event start date: 2026-06-03
• Event end date: 2026-06-05
• Language: English
• Keywords: international large-scale assessments; policy borrowing; comparative education; methodology; validity