The document summarizes key international studies that the Scottish government participates in to assess education performance, including PISA, PIRLS, and TIMSS. It outlines what each study measures (e.g. attainment, attitudes), when they take place, who participates, and what insights they provide (e.g. impact of socioeconomic factors). The studies also examine aspects of curriculum, instructional time, and assessment practices across countries.

1. Scottish Learning Festival International Studies Their potential for the practitioner

4. The Assessment Quadrant Source: circular no. 02 June 2005 Qualifications, Assessment and Curriculum Division

13. Self-confidence in learning science (S2) - TIMSS 2003 529 34 551 46 595 20 Japan 489 19 509 41 548 41 New Zealand 456 10 475 30 512 60 Norway 459 14 481 28 539 59 **Scotland ** 430 13 445 38 490 48 International average Mean score % Mean score % Mean score % Country Low Medium High

14. Anxiety in PISA 2003

16. Impact of socio-economic factors PISA 2003 Economic factors Maths score

17. Impact of socio-economic factors PISA 2003 Scotland N’lands Canada Finland Japan Korea OECD average

18. Having a computer at home TIMSS 2003

19. Having a desk at home TIMSS 2003

20. Early Home Literacy Activities PIRLS 2001 555 8 561 37 566 55 N’lands 474 13 493 41 518 47 Norway 548 14 561 45 572 41 Sweden 513 3 546 14 578 83 England - 2 529 16 546 82 Scotland Average scores % students Average scores % students Average scores % students Low EHLA Medium EHLA High EHLA Countries

21. Parents discuss child’s classroom reading work with him/her PIRLS 2001 572 28 560 41 555 23 N’lands 509 25 503 42 494 23 Norway 573 29 563 40 551 23 Sweden 580 20 573 43 562 32 England 558 12 552 41 529 44 Scotland Average scores % students Average scores % students Average scores % students Once or twice a month Once or twice a week Almost every day Countries

23. Student views of teacher support PISA 2003 54 62 49 62 53 The teacher gives students an opportunity to express opinions 60 71 40 61 74 The teacher continues teaching until the students understand 49 86 79 86 84 The teacher helps students with their learning 66 80 56 77 78 The teacher gives extra help when students need it 49 63 58 54 65 The teacher shows an interest in every student's learning Netherlands% Canada% Korea% Finland% Scotland % Country

24. Impact of teacher support PISA 2003

25. Emphasis on homework TIMSS 2003 science

26. Student experiences of incidences in school PIRLS 2001

28. Emphasis in the science curriculum TIMSS 2003 N YY Y Y YY Lithuania YY YY N N YY Sweden N Y Y N YY Australia N YY YY Y N Netherlands NN Y Y Y YY Japan NN Y Y N N Korea N Y Y Y N Scotland Experience of different ethnic groups Impact of human on environment Impact on society Integrating science Nature of science

29. Methods of assessment PIRLS 2001