Evaluation of literacy skills of adults in Turkey according to the results of PIAAC 2015

Abstract

In this study, it is aimed to determine the variables that predict the literacy skills according to the PIAAC 2015 results, to reveal the relationship between literacy skills and the other variables, and to assess the education which is given to the adults in the context of the outputs of Turkish National Education System (TNES). The research is designed in a survey model and an analytical method. The sampling of the study is consisted of randomly selected stratified 5199 households. Arithmetic mean, standard deviation, t - test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), correlation analysis and CHAID analysis were used in the analysis of the data. In the study, it was revealed that the quality problems in education and the existence of the problem of literacy skill development continues in TNES. In addition, it is manifested that literacy scores of adults have significant differences according to gender, age and educational level. There are significant relationship on positive direction and middle level between literacy skills with education level; lower level with education level of parents and number of books; on negative direction and middle level with computer using, and on negative direction and lower level with age group. Educational level is found as the most powerful predictor variable. Secondary and tertiary predictive variables related to educational level were found to be diploma qualification, computer use, number of books at home, current job status and language variables used. It has also been implicitly revealed that there is a long way to be taken regarding the education to become an information society. It is expected to give clues to the policymakers and researchers in education about the appearance of the TNES outputs.