Pisa test does not measure skills needed in 21st century
The Programme for International Student Assessment (Pisa) does not fully measure the critical factors that contribute to a holistic, balanced and effective educational system (“S’pore students top in science, maths and reading in Pisa test”; Dec 7).
It also does not measure many of the important qualities and skills that may be required by future employers in the brave new world.
Pisa recognises the shortcomings of its tests and therefore is planning to measure broader areas, such as social and emotional skills, intercultural sensitivity, ethical thinking, creativity and entrepreneurship.
Besides measuring these, the Pisa test should assess pupils’ character development and mastery of other 21st-century skills — higher-order skills that would help students understand, control and improve their cognitive processes — to help them become wise, responsible and useful people.
These skills can also be cross-fertilised and built upon to help pupils develop other skills that support them in different pathways of excellence.
Also, these 21st-century skills may not be easily executed by current automation technology, and can help students create, manage and respond to technological advancement.
These include metacognitive and fluid intelligence skills, leadership and persuasion skills, financial literacy skills and giving-back skills.
The Pisa test does not measure the above skills now, and they can make a difference to helping students live a purposeful, fulfilling life.
For example, self-directed skills can help students develop the joy of learning and passion for learning how to learn. It can thus motivate them to pursue lifelong learning.
The path of excellence in the disruptive future is not algorithmic (following a pattern) but heuristic (breaking away from a pattern).
To achieve breakthroughs, students must develop knowledge that may not be covered adequately in the current curriculum.
Continuous learning, and not only formal education, is the only platform to help them change and improve results.
