Not all students use learning strategies for sustained lifelong learning
Asking questions when in doubt, considering other perspectives when taking a stand, connecting what you know with what you have learned in the past and thinking and explaining the reasoning behind solving a mathematical problem are all strategies that can improve learning outcomes. Yet fewer than two-thirds of students on average across OECD countries use them.
Motivating students and helping them to develop positive attitudes is challenging
Intrinsic motivations can boost students’ uptake of learning strategies. Yet only about half of students in OECD countries enjoy learning new things at school, and even fewer report that they enjoy challenging schoolwork. The desire to do well in class and other instrumental motivations are more common. About a third of students in OECD countries disagree with the statement that some people are just not good at mathematics, despite their best efforts.
Gender stereotypes persist and not all students require the same type of support
Girls consistently report more critical thinking (perspective taking) strategies than boys, particularly in considering multiple viewpoints before taking a position. Girls are also more intrinsically motivated to learn in most countries and economies. However, boys are more likely than girls to report a growth mindset in mathematics, suggesting persistent gender stereotypes in mathematics learning. Socio-economically advantaged students consistently report more use of key learning strategies than their disadvantaged peers. They are also more intrinsically motivated to learn and have positive attitudes.
Schools play an essential role in cultivating self-directed learners
Low performers* in mathematics are often less confident in performing self-directed learning tasks, such as planning when to do schoolwork or finding learning resources on their own. For both tasks, skilled perfomers (students scoring at Level 3* or above in mathematics) report greater confidence in all countries and economies participating in PISA 2022. However, important challenges remain for all students in terms of motivation to do schoolwork independently. Higher performing students not only report better digital learning practices, but are also more cautious about sharing unverified information on social networks.
Parents can really make a difference by simply interacting often with their children
Interactions between students and parents in everyday activities, such as eating main meals together or spending time talking together, are vital. PISA data show that students who have these ordinary everyday interactions with their parents are more likely to be proactive in their mathematics learning than those who do not. These relationships hold even after accounting for the socio-economic profile of students and schools. While school- or learning-related conversations are also important, parental involvement does not have to be content-oriented to support students' relationship with learning.
An asterisk (*) by the name of a country or economy means that caution is required when interpreting estimates because one or more PISA sampling standards were not met (see PISA Reader’s Guide for more information).