EDU-JPN: Background of the success of Japanese PISA result compare to U.S. -Part I

Education in Japan (Natalie Collor)

An Introduction to PISA

PISA is the acronym used by the Program for International Student Assessment, an organization that surveys education systems across the globe by testing hundreds of thousands of students in over seventy countries. PISA creates a two-hour test in the areas of science, math, and reading for students around the age of fifteen and administers the test to select schools and regions every three years to track educational developments worldwide. The results of the PISA surveys can be very useful in both domestic and international education spheres.

In addition to administering surveys to evaluate student performance in these three areas, PISA is also very involved in improving the state of education in low-income countries by helping students become better learners and teachers becoming better instructors.

Results of the 2015 PISA Survey

The first PISA survey was administered in 2000, and the most recent PISA survey was given in 2015. Countless interesting analyses are possible when comparing the results of all the countries participating in this survey; however, the current essay is concerned with the results of Japan compared to those of the United States. Although these two countries may have a lot in common economically and politically, the results of the PISA survey would suggest these two countries have significant differences in educational practices.

The results of the most recent PISA survey suggest Japan’s educational system is more suited to preparing students for tests and surveys like PISA, as Japanese students scored higher on average than American students in all three areas tested. Japan is one of the leading countries in science—trailing only Singapore—and has been for many iterations of the survey. Moreover, Japan has outscored the U.S. in all three areas tested on PISA surveys for many years.

• OECD About PISA,http://www.oecd.org/pisa/aboutpisa/
• PISA 2015,http://www.compareyourcountry.org/pisa/country/jpn?lg=en
• OECD COUNTRY NOTE Japan,http://www.oecd.org/pisa/pisa-2015-Japan.pdf