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International Comparison

International Comparison

Comparison of the proficiency in key information processing skills among adults

CSO statistical publication, , 11am

The objective of this chapter is to provide an overview of the information-processing skills of adults aged between 16 and 65 years old assessed in the PIAAC survey, across participating countries and economic territories. It compares average proficiency across countries, as well as how these skills are distributed.

Across OECD countries that participated in PIAAC 2023, the average score achieved by adults aged 16-65 was 260 points in literacy, 263 points in numeracy, and 251 points in adaptive problem solving, on scales ranging from 0 to 500 points. In Ireland adults aged 16-65 achieved an average score of 263 in literacy, 260 in numeracy and 249 adaptive problem solving. The difference to the OECD mean score was statistically significant in all three domains in Ireland. Adults in Finland achieved the highest scores in literacy (296 points), numeracy (294 points), and adaptive problem solving (276 points, the same score achieved by adults in Japan).

Large portions of the adult population scored at Level 1 and below on the proficiency scales: 26% in literacy, 25% in numeracy, and 29% in adaptive problem solving, on average across OECD countries. In Ireland, the proportion of adults aged 16-65 that scored in the two lowest levels of proficiency was 21% in literacy, 25% in numeracy, and 28% in adaptive problem solving. Adults aged 16-24 had the highest proficiency across all domains and adults aged 55-65 displayed the lowest.

Literacy mean scores

In Ireland, adults aged 16-65 achieved an average literacy proficiency of 263 points compared with the OECD average of 260 points and this was a statistically significant difference. This mean score places Ireland 13th out of 31 participating countries on literacy proficiency, and at the same level as Czechia and New Zealand.

Adults in Finland scored, on average, significantly higher (296 points) than the average of adults from all other participating countries and economies. Adults in Japan (289 points), Sweden (284 points), and Norway (281 points) also achieved high scores, above 280 on average. Adults from nine more countries performed significantly above the OECD average, ranging from Ireland’s 263 points to the Netherlands’ 279 points. In contrast, adults in 15 countries scored significantly below the OECD average, with scores ranging from 255 points in France to 218 points in Chile. See Figure 3.1 & Table 3.1.

Mean Score
Finland296
Japan289
Sweden284
Norway281
Netherlands279
Estonia276
Flemish Region (Belgium)275
Denmark273
England (UK)272
Canada271
Germany266
Switzerland266
IRELAND263
Czechia260
New Zealand260
OECD average260
United States258
France255
Singapore255
Austria254
Slovak Republic254
Croatia254
Korea (the Republic of) South Korea249
Hungary248
Latvia248
Spain247
Italy245
Israel244
Lithuania238
Poland236
Portugal235
Chile218
Table 3.1 Literacy mean score of adults by country, 2023

Numeracy mean scores

In Ireland, adults aged 16-65 achieved an average numeracy proficiency of 260 points which was statistically below the OECD average of 263 points. This mean score places Ireland 18th out of 31 participating countries on numeracy proficiency, and on a par with the Slovak Republic and France. Adults in Finland scored significantly higher (294 points) than adults from all other participating countries. In five other countries, average scores exceeded 280 points: Japan (291 points), Sweden, and Norway (both 285 points), the Netherlands (284 points), and Estonia (281). Nine more countries scored, on average, significantly above the OECD average, ranging from 279 points in the Flemish Region (Belgium) to Austria’s 267 points. Fourteen countries scored statistically significantly below the OECD average ranging from 260 points in Ireland to 214 points in Chile. See Figure 3.2 & Table 3.2.

Mean Score
Finland294
Japan291
Norway285
Sweden285
Netherlands284
Estonia281
Denmark279
Flemish Region (Belgium)279
Switzerland276
Singapore274
Germany273
Canada271
England (UK)268
Austria267
Czechia267
Latvia263
OECD average263
Slovak Republic261
IRELAND260
France257
New Zealand256
Hungary254
Croatia254
Korea (the Republic of) South Korea253
Spain250
United States249
Israel246
Lithuania246
Italy244
Poland239
Portugal238
Chile214
Table 3.2 Numeracy mean score of adults by country, 2023

Adaptive problem solving mean scores

In Ireland, adults aged 16-65 achieved an average adaptive problem solving proficiency mean score of 249 points close to the OECD average of 251 points, this difference was not statistically significant. This mean score places Ireland 17th out of 31 participating countries on adaptive problem solving proficiency and in a group of countries including Czechia, France, New Zealand, the Slovak Republic, and the United States. Adults in Finland and Japan scored significantly higher, at 276 points on average. Sweden (273 points) and Norway (271 points) also achieved high scores, above 270 points. Another nine countries and economies scored above the OECD average, ranging from the Netherlands (average of 265 points) to Austria (average of 253 points). Average scores in Singapore (252 points), Czechia (250 points), Ireland and New Zealand (each 249 points) were not statistically different from the OECD average. In contrast, 14 countries scored below the OECD average, ranging from 248 points in France to 218 points in Chile. See Figure 3.3 & Table 3.3.

Mean Score
Finland276
Japan276
Sweden273
Norway271
Netherlands265
Denmark264
Estonia263
Flemish Region (Belgium)262
Germany261
Canada259
England (UK)259
Switzerland257
Austria253
Singapore252
OECD average251
Czechia250
IRELAND249
New Zealand249
France248
Slovak Republic247
United States247
Latvia244
Hungary241
Spain241
Korea (the Republic of) South Korea238
Israel236
Croatia235
Portugal233
Italy231
Lithuania230
Poland226
Chile218
Table 3.3 Adaptive Problem Solving (APS) mean score of adults by country, 2023

How adults are distributed across proficiency level

To facilitate the interpretation of results from PIAAC 2023, the literacy, numeracy, and adaptive problem solving scales can be divided into proficiency levels. Literacy and numeracy each have proficiency below Level 1 and Levels 1 to 5, while adaptive problem solving does not have a Level 5. Detailed descriptions of the scales and the descriptions at each level are available in the background notes. The assessment tasks have varying levels of difficulty, and this difficulty can be expressed on the same scale used to measure the proficiency of respondents. Grouping adults in proficiency levels allows for describing what adults at these levels can do, based on the characteristics of those assessment tasks that are at that level of difficulty.

Literacy Distribution

 

Literacy
LevelRange of Scale Scores
Below Level 1       Less than 176 
Level 1 176-225 
Level 2 226-275 
Level 3 276-325 
Level 4 326-375 
Level 5 376-500 

 

Level Scale Score Task Descriptions

Level 1 – 176 to 225 points

Adults at Level 1 are able to access a single piece of information in relatively short texts. They can understand the meaning of sentences or short texts, as well as the organization of a list or multiple sections within a single page.

In Ireland, 21% of adults aged 16-65 scored at Level 1 or below in literacy which was less than the 26% of adults on average across participating OECD countries, and this was statistically significant. Chile is the country with the highest share (53%) of low-performing adults (i.e., those who scored at Level 1 or below), while Japan is the country where this share is lowest (10%). Regarding the two highest proficiency levels for literacy, 9% of Irish adults scored at Level 4 or Level 5 lower than the OECD average of 12% and this was statistically significant. Finland is the country where the share of adults scoring at Levels 4 and 5 was highest (at 35%), while Chile had the lowest share at 2%. See Figure 3.4 & Table 3.4.

X-axis labelLevel 5Level 4Level 3Level 2Level 1Below Level 1
Japan321422474
Sweden218432584
IRELAND183238165
Slovak Republic032944195
Canada1133730136
Estonia2163526156
Finland629361766
Netherlands2174025106
Norway218412486
England (UK)1133732126
Czechia193234187
Denmark1144027107
Flemish Region (Belgium)2163826117
Lithuania021843298
Spain042440238
Croatia172837198
Germany1133528139
Hungary062636239
Korea (the Republic of) South Korea052737229
Latvia062535249
Switzerland1133628139
OECD average1113131179
France1831321810
Italy0524352510
New Zealand11231311510
Austria1930321811
Poland0318402712
United States11231291612
Singapore11030301712
Israel0725322214
Portugal0420342715
Chile0214302825
Table 3.4 Literacy proficiency levels of adults by country, 2023

Numeracy Distribution

 

Numeracy
LevelRange of Scale Scores
Below Level 1       Less than 176 
Level 1 176-225 
Level 2 226-275 
Level 3 276-325 
Level 4 326-375 
Level 5 376-500 

                                         

Level Scale Score Task Descriptions

Level 1 – 176 to 225 points

Adults at Level 1 demonstrate number sense involving whole numbers, decimals, and common fractions and percentages. They can access, act on, and use mathematical information located in slightly more complex representations set in authentic contexts where the mathematical content is explicit and uses informal mathematical terminology with little text and minimal distracting information. Adults can devise simple strategies using one or two steps for determining the solution.

In terms of the distribution of numeracy, Ireland is comparable to the OECD average, with one in four adults (25%) between 16 and 65 years old demonstrating skills at Level 1 or lower. The share of low-performing adults (Level 1 or below) is highest in Chile (56%) and lowest in Japan (10%). Regarding the two highest proficiency levels, on average, 9% of adults in Ireland scored at Level 4, and 1% scored at Level 5 compared to the OECD average of 12% at Level 4 and 2% at Level 5 and these were statistically significant differences. See Figure 3.5 & Table 3.5.

X-axis labelLevel 5Level 4Level 3Level 2Level 1Below Level 1
Japan321412473
Sweden320402684
Estonia3183727124
Norway220392594
Slovak Republic073239175
Finland526372075
Canada2133430156
Netherlands4203624106
Czechia2123233156
Latvia1103034176
Flemish Region (Belgium)3193625116
IRELAND192936187
Denmark2193725107
England (UK)2143331147
Lithuania042142257
Switzerland3183525127
Austria2133230158
Croatia062938198
Korea (the Republic of) South Korea062838208
Germany2163526128
Singapore3193224139
OECD average2123131169
Spain062638229
Hungary182735209
France11030301710
New Zealand11029321711
Italy0623352411
Poland0421372612
Israel1724342113
United States21026281915
Portugal1622322316
Chile0214292927
Table 3.5 Numeracy proficiency levels of adults by country, 2023

Adaptive Problem Solving Distribution

                           

Adaptive Problem Solving
LevelRange of Scale Scores
Below Level 1       Less than 176 
Level 1 176-225 
Level 2 226-275 
Level 3 276-325 
Level 4 326-500

 

Level Scale Score Task Descriptions

Level 1 – 176 to 225 points

Adults at this level are able to understand simple problems, develop and implement solutions to solve them. Problems contain a limited number of elements and little to no irrelevant information. Solutions at this level are simple and consist of a limited number of steps. Problems are embedded in a context that includes one or two sources of information and presents a single, explicitly defined goal.

In adaptive problem solving, 6% of adults aged 16-65 in Ireland scored at below Level 1 compared to the OECD average of 8% and this was statistically significant. Chile is the country with the highest share of low-performing adults, an average of 56% while Japan is the country with the lowest share, an average of 11%. At the highest proficiency level in APS, 3% of adults in Ireland scored at Level 4 lower than the OECD average of 5% and this was statistically significant. Finland, on average, has the highest share of adults scoring at Level 4 (13%). See Figure 3.6 & Table 3.6.

X-axis labelLevel 4Level 3Level 2Level 1Below level 1
Sweden94235113
Japan10453493
Slovak Republic12053233
Estonia73536174
Norway94135114
Finland13442995
Canada63339175
Netherlands83736136
IRELAND32445236
Czechia42642236
England (UK)63440156
Flemish Region (Belgium)83536156
Austria52939207
Germany83535157
Latvia32240277
Denmark93734137
Korea (the Republic of) South Korea11745308
OECD average52738228
Lithuania11143388
Spain21944278
Hungary32040298
Switzerland73435169
Singapore62936219
France42739219
Italy114403610
Croatia116442811
United States626352111
New Zealand727361811
Portugal216413012
Poland111393612
Israel320372713
Chile111333521
Table 3.6 Adaptive Problem Solving (APS) proficiency levels of adults by country, 2023