Snapshots issue 20: Effort in PISA: Insights from recent data

This issue of Snapshots explores how student effort may vary depending on the perceived stakes of the assessment. We revisit the self-reported levels of effort that students invested in the PISA test and compare them with the effort they indicated they would have made if the results counted towards their school marks. Australia’s results are compared with 21 of the 81 comparison countries and economies that participated in PISA 2022,1 providing a context for understanding Australia’s position in the global education landscape. We then examine effort in PISA among different demographic groups within Australia, which can influence how students approach the PISA test. Understanding these differences is important for identifying specific areas where efforts can be focused to support particular groups of students, ensuring that all are equally motivated to perform their best.