Page 291 - Štremfel, Urška, ed., 2016. Student (Under)achievement: Perspectives, Approaches, Challenges. Ljubljana: Pedagoški inštitut. Digital Library, Documenta 11.
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tudent (Under)achievement 291
as a Challenge in Development
of Educational Policies
and Practices
Urška Štremfel
This scientific monograph presents various perspectives, approaches and
challenges in relation to student (under)achievement. The European bench-
mark formed the primary basis for this, in accordance with which ‘by 2020, the
share of 15-year-old ‘low achievers’ in the basic skills (i.e. reading, maths and
science literacy) in PISA should be under 15%.’ Reports of the European Com-
mission about the progress of member states reveal that Slovenia fails to reach
this European benchmark in the fields of reading and maths literacy. The share
of Slovenian students who failed to achieve the basic levels of reading and
mathematical literacy in PISA 2012 were 21.2% and 20.1% respectively (Europe-
an Commission, 2013).
International reports (OECD, EU) indicate that countries endeavour to im-
prove their achievements, on the PISA international comparative achievement
scale, in a number of different and unique ways. The PISA scale is considered
the benchmark among the contemporary standards of academic achievement
of individuals, the success rate and effectiveness of educational systems and
even the economic competitiveness of modern societies.
During the course of the project Raising Awareness and Opportunities of
Lifelong Learning for Low Achievers, as part of which this scientific monograph
was created, the authors also attempted to develop various different and
unique approaches that could - based on scientific analyses, data from inter-
national comparative assessment studies and other research in the field of ed-
ucation - contribute to fostering student achievement, yet have so far been in-
adequately developed, or even disregarded, within the Slovenian educational
space. The focus in doing so was mostly on various non-cognitive factors and
aspects of student achievement. The main aim was to develop various rele-
as a Challenge in Development
of Educational Policies
and Practices
Urška Štremfel
This scientific monograph presents various perspectives, approaches and
challenges in relation to student (under)achievement. The European bench-
mark formed the primary basis for this, in accordance with which ‘by 2020, the
share of 15-year-old ‘low achievers’ in the basic skills (i.e. reading, maths and
science literacy) in PISA should be under 15%.’ Reports of the European Com-
mission about the progress of member states reveal that Slovenia fails to reach
this European benchmark in the fields of reading and maths literacy. The share
of Slovenian students who failed to achieve the basic levels of reading and
mathematical literacy in PISA 2012 were 21.2% and 20.1% respectively (Europe-
an Commission, 2013).
International reports (OECD, EU) indicate that countries endeavour to im-
prove their achievements, on the PISA international comparative achievement
scale, in a number of different and unique ways. The PISA scale is considered
the benchmark among the contemporary standards of academic achievement
of individuals, the success rate and effectiveness of educational systems and
even the economic competitiveness of modern societies.
During the course of the project Raising Awareness and Opportunities of
Lifelong Learning for Low Achievers, as part of which this scientific monograph
was created, the authors also attempted to develop various different and
unique approaches that could - based on scientific analyses, data from inter-
national comparative assessment studies and other research in the field of ed-
ucation - contribute to fostering student achievement, yet have so far been in-
adequately developed, or even disregarded, within the Slovenian educational
space. The focus in doing so was mostly on various non-cognitive factors and
aspects of student achievement. The main aim was to develop various rele-
