Problem Solving in the PISA and TIMSS 2003 Assessments. Technical Report. NCES 2007-049

In 2003, the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) and Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) included a special focus on problem-solving. This report reviews the problem-solving aspects of each study in order to compare and contrast the nature of problem solving in each assessment. The report's authors develop and use a definition for problem solving to identify items in the two assessments that address students' problem-solving capabilities. Items that were identified as problem-solving items in the TIMSS and PISA mathematics, science, and Cross-Disciplinary problem-solving assessments were analyzed in terms of six types of item characteristics: (1) content coverage; (2) cognitive processes; (3) problem-solving attributes; (4) item formats; (5) computational aspects; and (6) translation of representations. Appended are: (1) Examples of Problem-Solving and Exercise Items; (2) Item Format Examples; (3) Examples of Problem-Solving Attributes in Items; (4) Examples of Items Requiring Translations of Representations (TIMSS); (5) Scientific Inquiry Item Examples; and (6) Technical Notes. (Contains 18 tables, 2 exhibits, and 5 footnotes.)