Popov D.S. Why do Indexes Work wrong? Socioeconomic Parameters in International Studies of Education in Russia

Текст статьи.

Abstract

Several core background variables and indexes (socio-economic status and social capital), widely used in international educational assessments, show rather small or no correlation with the measured literacy and competency levels in Russia. In this article we address this problem drawing on the data of the Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) and the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). The results allow us to make a well-grounded assumption that the selected indicators do not adequately measure and represent corresponding constructs in Russian context. We argue that this issue is rooted in the country’s historical development of last decades.