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Assessment projects

National Education Monitoring Project (NEMP)

New Zealand's National Education Monitoring Project commenced in 1993, with the task of assessing and reporting on the achievement of New Zealand primary school children in all areas of the school curriculum. Children are assessed at two class levels: Year 4 (halfway through primary education) and Year 8 (at the end of primary education). The main goal of national monitoring is to provide detailed information about what children can do so that patterns of performance can be recognised, successes celebrated, and desirable changes to educational practices and resources identified and implemented.

Different curriculum areas and skills are assessed each year, over a four year cycle:

1995    Science; Visual Arts; Graphs, tables and maps;
1996    Music; Aspects of Technology; Reading and speaking;
1997    Mathematics; Social Studies; Information Skills;
1998    Listening and viewing; Health and Physical Education; Writing;

1999    Science; Visual Arts; Graphs, tables and maps;
2000    Music; Aspects of Technology; Reading and speaking;
2001    Mathematics; Social Studies; Information Skills;
2002    Listening and viewing; Health and Physical Education; Writing;

2003    Science; Visual Arts; Graphs, tables and maps;
2004    Music; Aspects of Technology; Reading and speaking;
2005    Mathematics; Social Studies; Information Skills;
2006    Listening and viewing; Health and Physical Education; Writing;

2007    Science; Visual Arts; Graphs, tables and maps;
2008    Music; Aspects of Technology; Reading and speaking;
2009    Mathematics; Social Studies; Information Skills;
2010    Listening and viewing; Health and Physical Education; Writing.

Further information about NEMP (Otago University)

Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS)

The International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) undertake comparative educational research on an international scale. Within each country an organisation is responsible for the conduct of any IEA research project in which it and the national authorities agree to participate. In New Zealand this organisation is the Ministry of Education (MoE).

New Zealand agreed to take part in the study – Third international Mathematics and Science Study. One of the important features of TIMSS was the collection of information on the nature of teaching and learning at both international and national levels.

The main data collection for TIMSS occurred in October 1994 on students enrolled in standard 2 (Year 4) and standard 3 (Year 5) [this was known as population 1], and with students enrolled in form 2 (Year 8) and form 3 (Year 9) [this was known as population 2]. In 1998 TIMSS was repeated, known as TIMSS-R with Year 8 and 9 students. In 2002 there was further TIMSS data collection with both populations of students, and again in 2006.

TIMSS website (Boston College, IEA)
Released 2006/2007 TIMSS assessment items
Ministry of Education TIMSS information website

Programme for International Student Achievement (PISA)

In 2000, New Zealand was one of 32 countries that took part in an international study known as the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). This study was commissioned by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and its aims were to measure how well young adults, at age 15 are prepared to meet the challenges of today's knowledge societies. The study assessed knowledge and skill in three key areas: reading literacy, mathematical literacy, and scientific literacy.

PISA 2000 surveyed reading literacy, mathematical literacy, and scientific literacy, with a primary focus on reading literacy. PISA has been administered every three years, and in 2003 the primary focus was on mathematical literacy (including problem solving), and in 2006, scientific literacy.

PISA website (OECD)

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