05 December 2017
In the rapidly changing global economy, it is essential that students be equipped not just with book knowledge, but also with the ability to think out of the box, adapt to novel situations, and tackle problems and challenges creatively.
To this end, the Programme for International Student Assessment (Pisa) conducted by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development will be revised to include components that test creative and problem solving ability, the ability to work in teams, as well as adopt an attitude of open-mindedness and regard for diverse cultures and opinions.
In the proposed mode of assessment, students will read about a case study, and respond to questions that evaluate their capacity to understand the complexity of the case. They will also be gauged on their openness toward people from other cultures as well as toward values such as global-mindedness and responsibility.
OECD has stated that this is a first step in assessing whether students are learning about the complexity of a globalising and multicultural world, and to what extent they are prepared to address global developments and collaborate productively.
Dr Andreas Schleicher, OECD’s director for education and skills, said it was important to measure students’ capacity to work with others, because in today’s increasingly interconnected world, people are often required to collaborate in order to achieve their goals.