PISA

Sue Thomson discusses the implications of Australia's results from the latest international assessment of mathematics, science and reading.

Results from the latest international assessment reveal that, despite still performing above the international average, the mathematics and reading skills of Australian 15-year-olds have slipped backwards over the past decade.

International assessments do much more than rank nations; they provide valuable information about what teachers can do in their classrooms to improve student achievement, as Sue Thomson explains.

Results from an international student assessment of reading, mathematics and science released late last year reveal that girls tend to be better than boys at reading, understanding, remembering and summarising information.