Literacy, Numeracy, and Problem Solving in Technology-Rich Environments Among U.S. Adults: Results From the Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies 2012

• In Event: A Fresh Look at Adult Skills in the United States and Around the World: Key Findings From the Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies 2012 and Their Implications

Abstract

In the global economy, a labor force with strong cognitive and workplace skills is the linchpin of success. PIAAC 2012 is a brand-new international comparative assessment which measures key literacy, numeracy, and problem-solving skills necessary to effectively participate in society and the labor force. The purpose of this presentation is to provide a general overview of PIAAC 2012 and what it measures, as well as to explain key findings related to U.S. performance on the assessment.

The presentation will begin with an overview of the assessment domains, theoretical framework and sample design of PIAAC 2012. This overview will describe what is measured by the direct assessment and what information is contained in the background questionnaire, as well as explain how the data was collected in the United States.

The presentation will then shift to a broad overview of the distribution of skills proficiencies in the United States as they compare to other nations. This overview will explain which countries performed significantly lower or significantly higher than the United States in the three domains of PIAAC: literacy, numeracy, and problem solving in technology-rich environments.

While country level performance is an important indicator of how the U.S. stands in comparison with its peers, PIAAC data can also provide a much richer picture of the knowledge and skills of subgroups within a nation’s labor force. This presentation aims to provide a deeper look at the distribution of literacy and numeracy skills among the U.S. population by highlighting the outcomes of sub-groups that have historically seen unequal educational outcomes. The variables used to identify sub-groups will be gender, race/ethnicity, age, employment status, country of birth, and education level.

The research questions this presentation will answer include:

• Are there gender differences in the numeracy and literacy skills of American adults?
• What patterns in skill proficiencies exist along gender lines internationally?
• What is the relationship between race/ethnicity and literacy skills in the United States?
• How do young adults compare to older adults on measures of numeracy and literacy within the United States and internationally?
• What is the relationship between literacy and numeracy skills and employment in the United States and internationally?
• What literacy and numeracy skill gaps exist between the employed and the unemployed?
• Are there differences in numeracy and literacy skills between native and non-native populations in the United States and internationally?
• How closely linked is educational attainment and demonstrated skill level on the PIAAC direct assessment, both within the United States and across countries?
• What is the relationship between informal or workplace training and skills proficiencies?

This presentation will serve as a broad introduction to the PIAAC data that will assist the audience in understanding other presentations in this symposium. The PIAAC overview will be of interest to anyone who is unfamiliar with the assessment and would like more background information on what it specifically measures.

Authors

• Tim Werwath, American Institutes for Research

• Eugene H. Owen, National Center for Education Statistics

• Stephen J. Provasnik, National Center for Education Statistics