THE BACKGROUND OF PISA RESEARCH AND A SOCIAL PEDAGOGICAL APPROACH
THE BACKGROUND OF PISA RESEARCH AND A SOCIAL PEDAGOGICAL APPROACH

Summary/Abstract: : In the 2022 PISA assessment, Estonia ranked fourth worldwide (after Japan, Singapore, and South Korea) and first in Europe. However, despite these high academic results, students in Estonia are not happy: only 25% of basic school students are satisfied with their institution (Roomets, 2023). According to the PISA study, Estonia’s decline in wellbeing ratings is among the largest – nearly 20% – and the country also reports higher rates of bullying among 15-year-olds than the OECD average (Valk, Soo, & Beilmann, 2023).The central question of this article addresses a paradox: How do unhappy students achieve such good academic results? Are they unhappy because of academic pressure, and/or do they view education merely as a ticket to a better future rather than a value in itself? Could the explanation lie in the value system, traditions, or in the hope of achieving greater competence in life?The situation is even more complex because teachers in Estonia are also generally dissatisfied, particularly with their salaries – teachers across the country went on strike in January 2024. The empirical basis of this article relies on secondary data analysis: the author examines PISA reports and national research on wellbeing in general education conducted by the Ministry of Education and Science of Estonia. Social pedagogy is considered as one possible approach to addressing (or preventing) student unhappiness.

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