PISA Mathematics: Teacher's Guide

PISA is an international assessment of the skills and knowledge of 15-year olds. It is a project of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and takes place at three-year intervals. In the first assessment, which took place in 2000, reading literacy was the major assessment domain1, and mathematics and science literacies were minor domains. 

In 2003, mathematics literacy was the major domain, while reading literacy, science literacy, and cross-curricular problem solving were minor domains. This guide presents the results of the PISA 2003 mathematics assessment and considers implications for teaching and learning mathematics in post-primary schools in Ireland. We begin by considering recent developments in mathematics education in Ireland.