5th January 2016

The OECD has highlighted its new measure of team working – which may produce different results when this year’s Pisa tests are published in December 2016.

The TES said that the changes should be noted by governments around the world.

Under the new test, 15-year-olds who took part in Pisa last year were given computer-based tasks in which they worked through a “chat” function with computer-generated virtual collaborators to solve a problem.

Rather than focusing on the correct solution, the measurement focuses primarily on the way a pupil engages with others.

“It’s the first time countries are going to have the evidence and it’s going to be interesting and important,” said Andreas Schleicher, Director of the Directorate of Education and Skills, at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

“In our economy and in our society, social skills play an ever-increasing role and we know very little about how the school system is preparing students for them,” Mr Schleicher added.