PISA across the curriculum

Module 7

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Module aim

• To develop an understanding of how PISA sample questions and supported skills development are linked to national curriculum themes and GCSE syllabuses.

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• Identify links between PISA sample questions and their own subject area.

• Begin to generate a bank of GCSE question stimuli that can be used across a variety of subject areas to help learners:– apply knowledge and skills in unfamiliar

situations– work creatively and collaboratively to develop

thinking, literacy and numeracy skills.

Module objectives

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Task 1:Put yourself in

their shoes!

Put yourself in their shoes!• Think of a learner that you teach in Year

10.• Discuss and make some notes on the

following questions:

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Task sheet 1: ShoesA). How well do they perform in different

subjects?

C). What skills could they develop further

in your subject?

B). What skills do they use in other

subjects?

E). How effectively do they interact with

teachers and peers in different subjects?

D). How well do they engage with

unfamiliar contexts?

4 minutes

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Wider opportunities

PISA seeks to answer questions like:• can they analyse, reason

and communicate effectively?

• how well do they transfer ideas and solve problems?

• do they have the capacity to continue learning throughout life?

(Welsh Government, DfES, 2012, page 2)

PISA as a learning context

The goal should be to develop a curriculum with appropriate learning activities that:• equip learners with

transferable skills• is relevant, challenging,

interesting and enjoyable for all learners

• transforms learning to produce resourceful, resilient and reflective lifelong learners.

(Welsh Government, DCELLS, 2008, page 3)

Skills framework

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Wider opportunities

• The LNF focuses on the learners’ acquisition of and ability to apply the skills and concepts they have learned to complete realistic tasks appropriate for their stage of development.

National Literacy and Numeracy Framework

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(Welsh Government, DfES, 2013, page 8)

Wider opportunities

Teachers will be able to:• develop curriculum content to

ensure that all learners have opportunities to develop and refine . . . skills

• integrate literacy and numeracy into their teaching – whatever the subject matter.

(Welsh Government, DfES, 2013, page 8)

National Literacy and Numeracy Framework

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Task 2:Creative contexts

• Choose at least two of the PISA contexts from the resource sheets to discuss in your group.

• For each context chosen, complete a group response sheet.

• Be ready to feed back your thoughts to other groups.

Creative contexts

12 minutes

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OECD, 2009

• Ideas, opportunities, benefits, challenges?

Creative contexts feedbackRunners ReadingHeartbeat Maths

LiteracyMoreland ReadingIn poor taste ReadingStarlight Science

LiteracyMary Montagu Science

LiteracyReaction time Maths

LiteracyPlan international Reading

PISA areas

ANSWERS

12OECD, 2009

Many of the [PISA] questions require learners to apply their problem-solving skills to new contexts.Learners therefore need to have well-developed skills, especially literacy, numeracy and problem solving, and the confidence to take on the challenge of questions that are outside their ‘comfort zone.’(Welsh Government, DfES, 2012, page 3)

‘Comfort zone’ or ‘risk’

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Many of the [PISA] questions require learners to apply their problem-solving skills to new contexts.Learners therefore need to have well-developed skills, especially literacy, numeracy and problem solving, and the confidence to take on the challenge of questions that are outside their ‘comfort zone.’(Welsh Government, DfES, 2012, page 3)

‘Comfort zone’ or ‘risk’

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How often do we take risks and

work outside our ‘comfort zone’

with unfamiliar contexts?

Task 3:GCSE generation

GCSE generation• Choose two of the GCSE contexts

presented and try to generate your own set of PISA-style questions.

WJEC CBAC Ltd., 201316

9 minutes

The subjectsUnemploymentin Wales HistoryGroup 7 ChemistryHairdryer Product designSales Food technologySchool disco ICT3-D Logo Art and designSmoking cigarettes EnglishHuman Rights Religious studiesMusic Box Applied businessGas bill Maths

Collate a cross-curricular resource bank?Could learners

help develop this?

17WJEC CBAC Ltd., 2013

Time for action?• Read each statement and tick a box to

indicate your level of agreement.• Also note any actions that you or your

department could take in relation to these or other ideas raised in the session.

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References• The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) (2009),

PISA Take the Test: Sample Questions from the OECD’s PISA Assessments. Available at: www.oecd.org/pisa/pisaproducts/pisa2000/41943106.pdf

• Welsh Government, Department for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills (DCELLS) (2008), The skills framework for 3 to19-year-olds in Wales. Available at: www.wales.gov.uk/dcells/publications/curriculum_and_assessment/arevisedcurriculumforwales/skillsdevelopment/SKILLS_FRAMEWORK_2007_Engli1.pdf?lang=en

• Welsh Government, Department for Education and Skills (2012), A guide to using PISA as a learning context. Available at: www.wales.gov.uk/docs/dcells/publications/120629pisabookleten.pdf

• Welsh Government, Department for Education and Skills (2013), National Literacy and Numeracy Framework. Available at: learning.wales.gov.uk/resources/nlnf/?skip=1&lang=en

• WJEC CBAC Ltd. (2013). GCSE Past Papers. Available at: www.wjec.co.uk/index.php?nav=106

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