A decade of PISA: student perceived instructional quality and mathematics achievement across European countries

Abstract This study examines the relationship between instructional quality and mathematics achievement, taking into account socioeconomic status. Data from ten European countries participating in PISA 2012 and 2022 were analysed using the framework of the Dynamic Modelling of Educational Effectiveness. In PISA 2012, instructional quality was defined by student-oriented instruction, classroom management, teacher support, disciplinary climate, and cognitive activation. The finding indicated that teacher support, disciplinary climate, and cognitive activation positively predict student achievement, but dimensions of student-oriented instruction and classroom management were negatively related in several countries. Instructional quality was captured by four dimensions in PISA 2022, namely, teacher support, disciplinary climate, cognitive activation in mathematics of encouraging mathematical thinking and of fostering reasoning. Teacher support and disciplinary climate had a positive effect on achievement, but two aspects of cognitive activation had opposite effects on achievement. SES also had significant indirect effects on achievement through various instructional quality dimensions. Across two PISA cycles, teacher support, disciplinary climate, and cognitive activation consistently benefited low-SES students, while classroom management and student-oriented instruction tended to harm their performance. These results underscore the role of instructional quality in promoting equity for disadvantaged students. Trend data from these two cycles of PISA, give an indication of specific instructional strategies that do consistently contribute to student achievement. Implications and findings are discussed in relation to the policy and practice context in different education systems.