Chapter 8. What Are the Main International Large-Scale Student Assessments?

International large-scale assessments are designed to provide participating countries with feedback on the performance of their education systems within a comparative framework (box 8.1). They are designed to answer questions such as the following: • How well do students in my education system perform in comparison with those in other education systems? • What factors are associated with student performance in my education system? • What factors are associated with student performance across many countries’ education systems? • Are students in my education system performing better or worse over time?

This chapter provides a brief overview of three international large-scale assessments: the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS), and the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). Annex A (table 8A.1) compares key dimensions of each of these assessments. More detailed information can be found by visiting the official websites or contacting the sponsoring organization for each assessment (included in the reference section of this chapter).