The Latest PISA Report: Germany's Learning Slump Amidst the Corona Crisis
Every three years, the PISA study sheds light on education systems around the globe, measuring the academic performance of 15-year-olds. The 2022 edition reveals a grim picture for Germany, with learning gaps reaching unprecedented levels due to the coronavirus pandemic.
According to the recent PISA study, the average skills in reading, math, and science among 15-year-olds in Germany have taken a significant hit since 2018. This distressing outcome comes despite the delay in conducting the tests in 2021 due to COVID-19 restrictions.
The OECD, the organization responsible for the study, reported the lowest values ever measured in PISA's history across all three competence areas for the 2022 results. The drop in average scores between 2018 and 2022 is roughly equivalent to the yearly progress made by students, highlighting the significant learning loss experienced by German teens during the pandemic.
Since 2012, the achievement gap between high- and low-performing students across mathematics, reading, and science has remained relatively unchanged. In mathematics, however, both the high-achieving and low-achieving segments of the student population have experienced a decline in performance.
Irreversible Damage?
In Maths and Reading literacy, the percentage of learners whose performance fell below the basic competence level (level 2) increased by 12 and 11 percentage points, respectively. Germany's overall performance remains slightly above the OECD average. However, it falls short of leading nations like Singapore, Japan, and Estonia, emphasizing the need for improvement.
The PISA test primarily consists of computer-based questions, with students answering multiple-choice tasks on a specified topic. Other sections of the questionnaire focused on socio-economic background, learning times, learning environments, digital media usage, and attitudes and expectations of young people.
A Global Study
In 2022, a whopping 81 countries and over 600,000 young people participated in the survey. Germany's representative sample included 6,116 female students from 257 schools, reflecting approximately 92% of the nation's 15-year-old population.
The Digital Divide
While the PISA study spotlights the learning slump, it also uncovers significant gaps in digital literacy in Germany. According to an enrichment analysis, most 15-year-olds lack confidence in assessing online information, with only 47% capable of effectively evaluating it.
Moreover, 60% of the respondents reported that their schools' digital media function reliably; however, only 46% found accessible digital resources in the classroom. The analysis suggests that Germany still has a long way to go in enhancing its digital learning infrastructure and ensuring its young people develop the necessary digital competencies.
Enrichment Data:
- The study revealed that 69% of German 15-year-olds feel competent in finding information online, but only 47% believe they can properly evaluate its quality, with an OECD average of 51%.
- Digital competency in Germany lags behind, with around 60% reporting that digital media function reliably and are easily accessible in schools. The OECD averages for both aspects are 71% and 67%, respectively.
- The study found that German teens' perceptions of their teachers' digital competency are low, with only around half believing they possess adequate skills to use digital devices in class. Additionally, only 60% of the students report teacher openness to using digital media, both figures below the OECD average of 77%.
- Gender differences in digital competency exist, with girls reporting more frequent checks on the accuracy of online information and varied sources in their searches.
The PISA study's findings underscore the urgency of improving digital literacy, not only in Germany but worldwide, to meet the challenges presented by the evolving digital landscape.
