ABSTRACT
Policy makers from countries participating in international studies of student performance often cite two reasons for involvement in such endeavours – they are interested in (1) obtaining data to inform policy decisions about national programmes and practices and (2) comparing their students with those in other countries. The results of international assessments serve not only to flag potential educational problems, as other diverse data sources can do, but also to illustrate the magnitude of these problems relative to a country’s trading partners or regional or cultural counterparts.
