Assessing the Link Between National Culture Dimensions and Student Achievement in PISA 2018

• In Event: International Education Across the Years

Abstract

Using data from PISA 2018 and the cultural dimensions of Monumentalism-Flexibility and Collectivism-Individualism from Minkov et al. (2018), this paper studies the link between national culture and student achievement in mathematics, reading, and science. Data from 321325 students, 12255 schools, and 41 countries was analyzed with a series of multilevel regression models. Students in monumentalist countries tend to achieve significantly lower results in mathematics (d = -0.39) and science (d = -0.31) than students in more flexible societies. No significant link was found for reading (d = -0.14). Our models explain at least 87% of the total variation in country achievement, highlighting the importance of studying cultural differences to understand the broader context in which learning takes place.

Authors

• Ana María Mejía-Rodríguez, University of Cyprus

• Leonidas Kyriakides, University of Cyprus