The current paper seeks to better understand the performance of students in Ireland, and in other countries, on PISA 2012 mathematics. It seeks to establish links between curriculum, instruction and performance on the PISA mathematics test and students’ attitudes towards mathematics and towards careers in mathematics.   

Project Maths (PM) is a new activity-based mathematics curriculum being implemented in post-primary schools. Implementation began in 2008 in 24 pilot schools and has now extended to all post-primary schools in Ireland.  The Irish sample for PISA 2012   included students in the regular PISA sample, most of whom had not studied the PM curriculum at all (essentially the last non-PM cohort) and an additional sample comprising students in schools in which PM has been implemented from the start. This provided a unique opportunity to look at the performance of the two groups on PISA mathematics.   

First, the paper notes similarities and differences between the pre-Project Maths syllabus, Project Maths, and the PISA mathematics framework/assessment, based on ratings provided by three mathematics experts who rated the likely familiarity of students taking PM and those taking the earlier syllabus on three aspects of each item: (a) the underlying concepts; (b) the context in which the item was set; and (c) the underlying mathematical processes. Separate ratings were provided for students likely to take the state Junior Certificate mathematics examination at Higher, Ordinary and Foundations (effectively yielding 18 ratings for each item). Only trend items – those likely to be used in future PISA assessments are analysed. The outcomes of this analysis will provide evidence of the extent to which the revised PM syllabus is consistent with PISA mathematics for students studying mathematics at varying levels of complexity.

The second part of the paper looks at the performance of students taking the pre-PM syllabus, and those taking the PM syllabus on overall PISA mathematics, on the four content scales (Change & Relationships, Space & Shape, Quantity, and Uncertainty & Data), and on the three process subscales (Formulating, Employing and Interpreting). Then the responses of students studying under the two syllabi on several measures of attitudes towards mathematics are compared, including intrinsic motivation to learn mathematics, extrinsic motivation to learn mathematics, mathematics self-efficacy, mathematics self-concept, and mathematics anxiety. Mathematics intentions (i.e., the intentions of students to engage in mathematics-related courses as part of their future education or careers) is also considered.  

The final part of the study is a multi-level model (school, student levels) that examines the effects of a range of variables on performance on overall PISA mathematics, including school type (whether ‘disadvantaged’ or ‘non-disadvantaged), school size, student gender, student socio-economic status, students’ attitudes towards mathematics and mathematics intentions, grade level, number of books in the home, school attendance, and immigrant and language status). In addition, a variable, whether or not students studied the PM syllabus, will be included. The purpose of the model is to gain a clearer insight into the range of factors operation on performance in PISA mathematics, including the effects (if any) of studying under the PM syllabus.

Outcomes are considered with reference to available research on the implementation of PM by teachers and students in schools in Ireland (e.g., Jeffes et al., 2012).  

Cosgrove, J., Perkins, R., Shiel, G., Fish, R., & McGuinness, L. (2012). Teaching and learning in Project Maths: Insights from teachers who participated in PISA 2012. Dublin: Educational Research Centre. Jeffes, J., Jones, E., Cunningham, R., Dawson, A., Cooper, L., Straw, S., et al. (2012). Research into the impact of Project Maths on student achievement, learning and motivation: First interim report. Slough: NFER. OECD. (2013a). PISA 2012 Assessment and Analytical Framework: Mathematics, Reading, Science, Problem Solving and Financial Literacy. Paris: OECD publishing. OECD. (2013b). What Students know and can do: Student Performance in Mathematics, Reading and Science (Volume I). Paris: OECD publishing. Perkins, R., Shiel, G., Merriman, B., Cosgrove, J., & Moran, G. (2013). Learning for life: The achievements of 15-year olds in Ireland on mathematics, reading literacy and science in PISA 2012. Dublin: Educational Research Centre.