Nordic Lessons: What We Learn About Educational Achievement From an Analysis of PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) Scores

• In Event: 41.083 - Roundtable Session 15
  In Roundtable Session: 41.083-9 - Understanding the Causes and Consequences of Educational Achievement Gaps

Abstract

International praise for Nordic educational systems has significantly increased recently as a result of Finland’s performance on PISA. Conventional wisdom suggests that Nordic countries perform similarly to Finland due to similar education systems, but an empirical analysis suggests otherwise. Because Nordic countries are generally grouped together by scholars and media alike, we compare these five countries to other countries and to each other in order to understand what factors influence their diverse scores. Our empirical analysis suggests that Nordic countries do not all perform as well as conventional wisdom suggests, and do in fact perform quite differently from each other on overall scores, achievement gaps, and other PISA outcomes.

Authors

• Mikaela J. Dufur, Brigham Young University

• Kristie J. Rowley, Brigham Young University

• Jonathan Jarvis

• Florencia Silveira, Brigham Young University

• Bethany Wood, Brigham Young University

• Shelby M McNeill, Brigham Young University