Metrics 2019 Mathematical Literacy Assessment

review and analysis of participating countries’ curricula and other sources of information. The assessment team reviewed grade-wise curricula and learning standards in these areas, descriptions of national assessment programs and classroom assessment guidelines, time allocations for each subject, and descriptions of transitions from mother tongue to official language of instruction in some countries. Common curricular elements identified during the review were used to develop the final SEA-PLM frameworks for mathematics, reading, and writing (UNICEF and SEAMEO 2017a).

For the SEA-PLM 2019 exercise, the mathematical literacy domain was defined as a “person’s capacity, given a problem in a context that is of interest or importance to them, to translate the problem into a suitable mathematical formulation, to apply mathematical knowledge and skills to find a solution, and to interpret the mathematical results in relation to the context and to review the merits or limitations of those results” (UNICEF and SEAMEO 2017a, p. 15).

The mathematical literacy domain comprises several subdomains, including numeric and algebraic literacy, measurement and geometry, and probability and data analysis. Each subdomain features items that require cognitive processing of mathematical information at different levels of complexity to arrive at a solution (box 9.5). In many of the tasks included in the mathematical literacy assessment, understanding and expressing a stimulus using mathematical terms is required, rather than producing numerical calculations. Real-life problems included on the SEA-PLM 2019 assessment are not limited to a specific subdomain but rather require students to combine aspects of different content areas to reach a solution (UNICEF and SEAMEO 2017a).

The reading literacy domain is defined as “understanding, using and responding to a range of written texts, in order to meet personal, societal, economic and civic needs” (UNICEF and SEAMEO 2017a, p. 23). This definition highlights the relevance of literacy as a process that involves, but goes beyond, decoding to include location and interpretation of information, understanding the purpose of a text, and using text information to evaluate knowledge of the world (UNICEF and SEAMEO 2017a).

BOX 9.5. Cognitive Processes Assessed in the Southeast Asia Primary Learning Metrics 2019 Mathematical Literacy Assessment

Cognitive processes

Translate: expressing a problem in mathematical language—taking it from the context to a mathematical formulation suitable for finding a solution Apply: using mathematical knowledge and skills to find a mathematical solution or to generate mathematical results; mainly using mathematical ideas, objects, and techniques Interpret and review: translating mathematical solutions to the context of the problem

Source: Adapted from UNICEF and SEAMEO 2017a.

Content subdomains of the reading literacy assessment comprise items that measure proficiency with particular text types and formats. Text format refers to the way in which a text is organized (continuous, discontinuous, or composite). Continuous texts are structured in sentences and paragraphs; discontinuous texts include information arranged in diagrams, tables, maps, or lists; and composite texts include information arranged in continuous and discontinuous formats, such as opinion pieces or pages in newspapers (UNICEF and SEAMEO 2017a). Box 9.6 summarizes the text types and cognitive processes included in SEA-PLM.

SEA-PLM defines writing literacy as “constructing meaning by generating a range of written texts to express oneself and communicate with others, in order to meet personal, societal, economic and civic needs.” (UNICEF and SEAMEO 2017a, p. 32). This definition emphasizes the capacity to form words but also involves spelling correctly, constructing meaning in written messages, and having a specific purpose for the message (UNICEF and SEAMEO 2017a).

Content subdomains within the writing assessment comprise items that target student proficiency with narrative, descriptive, persuasive, instructional, and transactional writing tasks. Although the definition of each writing type is similar to the list of text types described in box 9.6, the items present a task and require the student to write an answer. Because the answer depends on a student’s writing capacity, each item is scored using a marking guide that allows for partial credit (UNICEF and SEAMEO 2017a).

For the global citizenship assessment, the assessment team conducted a systematic review of global citizenship education and identified a set of core regional values as defined in the documents obtained from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. These sources informed the definition of the global citizenship domain and the identification of global citizenship outcomes that could be included as part of the assessment (UNICEF and SEAMEO 2017b).

SEA-PLM 2019 defines global citizens as individuals who “appreciate and understand the interconnectedness of all life on the planet. They act and relate to others with this understanding to make the world a more peaceful, just, safe, and sustainable place” (UNICEF and SEAMEO 2017b, p. 7). The assessment framework indicates that the key concept in this definition is interconnectedness, the idea that local actions might have global consequences and, conversely, that global events can have local effects on peace, equity, safety, and sustainability (UNICEF and SEAMEO 2017b).

The global citizenship domain includes three subdomains: systems, issues, and dynamics; awareness and identities; and engagement. Global citizenship systems are systems that reflect and support the interconnectedness of life on the planet and the multilevel dynamics that affect students’ lived experiences and the global distribution of wealth, power, and environmental sustainability. The global citizenship awareness and identities subdomain explores individuals’ multiple identities and how these identities relate to their roles as global citizens; this subdomain emphasizes respect and acceptance of diversity within and between communities. Global citizenship engagement is linked to the ways in