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International Large-Scale Assessments (ILSAs): What Have They Done for Education?

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Title: International Large-Scale Assessments (ILSAs): What Have They Done for Education?
Language: English
Authors: Camilla Addey (ORCID 0000-0001-8431-5568), Sam Sellar (ORCID 0000-0002-2840-5021), David Rutkowski (ORCID 0000-0003-0430-9163), Radhika Gorur (ORCID 0000-0002-4528-0793), Florian Waldow (ORCID 0000-0003-2676-8424), Keita Takayama (ORCID 0000-0002-9888-0047), Sotiria Grek (ORCID 0000-0001-5452-7762)
Source: Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education. 2025 46(6):703-716.
Availability: Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 14
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Opinion Papers
Education Level: Secondary Education
Elementary Secondary Education
Descriptors: International Assessment, Elementary Secondary Education, Mathematics Achievement, Achievement Tests, Mathematics Tests, Foreign Countries, Science Achievement, Science Tests, Secondary School Students, Computer Assisted Testing, Politics of Education, Evaluation Methods, Measurement, Comparative Education
Assessment and Survey Identifiers: Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study, Program for International Student Assessment
DOI: 10.1080/01596306.2025.2578289
ISSN: 0159-6306
1469-3739
Abstract: For over two centuries, education scholars and policy communities have sought to measure and compare education. However, it is only in recent decades that comparative measurements of learning began rising to prominence above all other educational data. Comparative learning measures are now so established that gathering comparative learning data has become an educational purpose in itself. This Commentary Paper provides a timely critical reflection on the impact of International Large-Scale Assessments (ILSAs) 30 years on from a key moment in their emergence. The first part of the paper offers a brief history of the rise of ILSAs and overview of ILSA research. The second part presents reflections from scholars who have made a significant contribution in this field -- Rutkowski, Waldow, Gorur, Takayama, and Grek. They discuss what ILSAs have done for education, whilst reflecting on how ILSAs have created absences in the educational debate, and where attention might be productively re-directed in future scholarship.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1500909
Database: ERIC
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Camilla+Addey%22">Camilla Addey</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8431-5568">0000-0001-8431-5568</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sam+Sellar%22">Sam Sellar</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2840-5021">0000-0002-2840-5021</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22David+Rutkowski%22">David Rutkowski</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0430-9163">0000-0003-0430-9163</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Radhika+Gorur%22">Radhika Gorur</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4528-0793">0000-0002-4528-0793</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Florian+Waldow%22">Florian Waldow</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2676-8424">0000-0003-2676-8424</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Keita+Takayama%22">Keita Takayama</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9888-0047">0000-0002-9888-0047</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sotiria+Grek%22">Sotiria Grek</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5452-7762">0000-0001-5452-7762</externalLink>)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Discourse%3A+Studies+in+the+Cultural+Politics+of+Education%22"><i>Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education</i></searchLink>. 2025 46(6):703-716.
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  Data: Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
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  Data: 2025
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22International+Assessment%22">International Assessment</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Elementary+Secondary+Education%22">Elementary Secondary Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mathematics+Achievement%22">Mathematics Achievement</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Achievement+Tests%22">Achievement Tests</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mathematics+Tests%22">Mathematics Tests</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Science+Achievement%22">Science Achievement</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Science+Tests%22">Science Tests</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Secondary+School+Students%22">Secondary School Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Computer+Assisted+Testing%22">Computer Assisted Testing</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Politics+of+Education%22">Politics of Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Evaluation+Methods%22">Evaluation Methods</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Measurement%22">Measurement</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Comparative+Education%22">Comparative Education</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.1080/01596306.2025.2578289
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  Data: 0159-6306<br />1469-3739
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  Data: For over two centuries, education scholars and policy communities have sought to measure and compare education. However, it is only in recent decades that comparative measurements of learning began rising to prominence above all other educational data. Comparative learning measures are now so established that gathering comparative learning data has become an educational purpose in itself. This Commentary Paper provides a timely critical reflection on the impact of International Large-Scale Assessments (ILSAs) 30 years on from a key moment in their emergence. The first part of the paper offers a brief history of the rise of ILSAs and overview of ILSA research. The second part presents reflections from scholars who have made a significant contribution in this field -- Rutkowski, Waldow, Gorur, Takayama, and Grek. They discuss what ILSAs have done for education, whilst reflecting on how ILSAs have created absences in the educational debate, and where attention might be productively re-directed in future scholarship.
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  Data: 2026
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        Value: 10.1080/01596306.2025.2578289
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      – Text: English
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        PageCount: 14
        StartPage: 703
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: International Assessment
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Elementary Secondary Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Mathematics Achievement
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      – SubjectFull: Secondary School Students
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      – SubjectFull: Computer Assisted Testing
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      – SubjectFull: Comparative Education
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