This OECD policy brief examines the growing challenges that rising global temperatures pose to education systems, spcifically focusing on how extreme heat affects students' health, cognitive performance, and overall learning outcomes.
The report highlights that by 2050, a significantly higher number of students in OECD countries will be exposed to extreme heat during school days, which directly undermines academic achievement and well-being. To mitigate these risks, the document outlines various adaptation strategies currently being implemented or considered by different nations, such as modifying school calendars and timetables, investing in sustainable cooling infrastructure, and redesigning outdoor school environments.
It also emphasizes the importance of balancing these interventions, noting that while infrastructure upgrades are effective but costly, administrative changes like adjusting schedules must be carefully managed to prevent a loss of total instruction time.
The OECD Digital Education Outlook 2026, Exploring Effective Uses of Generative AI in Education," is a flagship report published by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
It serves as a comprehensive guide for policymakers and educators on how to integrate Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) into education systems without compromising the quality of learning. Its central argument is that while AI can improve task performance (e.g., writing a better essay), it does not automatically lead to better learning.
The OECD warns of "metacognitive laziness," where students offload cognitive tasks to AI. Studies cited in the report show that while students using AI produce higher-quality work, their performance often drops or reverses during exams when the AI is removed.
A major focus is on ensuring that AI augments rather than replaces teachers. In 2024, approximately 37% of lower secondary teachers were already using AI, and the report emphasizes that involving teachers in the "co-design" of these tools is essential for success.
Beyond the classroom, the 2026 Outlook explores how AI can streamline school administration, curriculum alignment, and educational research.
This resource is significant because it is the first major OECD publication to provide a "state-of-the-art" overview of GenAI since the technology became widely accessible. It establishes design principles to ensure that digital transformation in schools supports human growth, critical thinking, and equity, rather than just technical efficiency.
The publication “Teaching relationship skills: Evidence from classrooms to inform policy” by the OECD is a short policy brief that explains why relationship skills are essential in education and how teachers actually use them in the classroom.
In simple terms, the report focuses on skills such as communication, empathy, cooperation, and conflict resolution, which are considered fundamental for creating a positive learning environment. These abilities help students engage more in learning, improve relationships between classmates, and allow teachers to spend more time teaching instead of managing behaviour.
The study is based on data from Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) 2024, one of the largest international surveys of teachers. It uses real-life classroom scenarios to analyse how teachers respond to situations involving student relationships—for example, conflicts or positive interactions—and what strategies they say they would use.
One of the key ideas is that teaching these relationship skills is not always easy. Many teachers feel less confident supporting students’ social and emotional development compared to teaching academic content, which suggests that more training and support are needed in this area.
The report also shows that teachers’ approaches can vary depending on factors such as their experience, training, or even gender. For instance, some teachers are more likely to use comprehensive strategies that include listening to students, working with colleagues, and directly addressing problems, while others may rely on simpler or more limited approaches.
The OECD Survey on Social and Emotional Skills is an international survey that identifies and assesses the conditions and practices that foster or hinder the development of social and emotional skills for 10- and 15-year-old students.
This survey can be important for educators for several key reasons.
First, it recognises that academic achievement alone does not fully capture student success. Research consistently shows that skills like resilience, curiosity, teamwork and emotional stability strongly influence academic performance, wellbeing, and future employability. By measuring these competences systematically, SSES broadens the understanding of what it means to provide quality education.
Second, the survey provides reliable, comparable international data. Education systems often focus on cognitive outcomes (e.g., literacy or mathematics), but SSES gives policymakers and schools evidence about students’ socio-emotional development. This helps identify strengths and gaps across different contexts, socio-economic backgrounds, and genders, enabling more equitable and targeted interventions.
Third, SSES supports whole-child education. Schools increasingly recognise that emotional wellbeing, sense of belonging and positive relationships are essential for learning. By highlighting these dimensions, the survey encourages educational policies and school practices that promote safe environments, mental health awareness, and inclusive classroom cultures.
Fourth, it informs teaching practices. Understanding students’ social and emotional profiles can guide teachers in designing activities that foster collaboration, self-regulation and motivation. It also supports the integration of Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) into curricula rather than treating it as an optional add-on.
Finally, SSES contributes to long-term social outcomes. Social and emotional skills are linked not only to academic success, but also to civic engagement, healthy relationships and labour market participation. By investing in these skills early, education systems help prepare students for life beyond school.
Education at a Glance 2025 is an annual report published by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) that provides a comprehensive and comparative overview of education systems around the world. The publication is based on extensive statistical data and analyses that cover a wide range of topics, including the structure and funding of education, participation and attainment levels, learning outcomes, and links between education and labour-market results.
The 2025 edition places a special focus on tertiary education (higher and post-secondary education). It examines graduation rates, differences in labour-market outcomes by field of study, completion rates, and the skills of adults with higher education qualifications. It also incorporates results from the 2023 Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC) to connect adults’ actual skills with educational and employment indicators.
Education at a Glance is widely regarded as a key reference source for education data. It enables governments, policymakers, researchers and the general public to compare education systems across countries, identify common challenges—such as inequalities in access or completion—and support the development of more effective and equitable education policies.
The OECD’s Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) is the largest global study that listens directly to teachers and school leaders. In 2024, more than 280,000 educators from 55 education systems opened a window into their daily reality: how they teach, how they learn, and what today’s classrooms truly look like.
This new edition, TALIS 2024 Results, offers insights that matter deeply to teachers. It explores how educators are beginning to use artificial intelligence in their practice, what motivates them to choose teaching in the first place, and whether they see themselves continuing in the profession.
For policymakers, TALIS provides evidence to shape decisions. But for teachers, it provides something just as important: a clearer understanding of the profession they share with colleagues around the world—its challenges, its evolution, and its future.
The AILit Framework for primary and secondary education is a forward-thinking initiative launched by the European Commission (EC) in collaboration with the OECD, and backed by Code.org and renowned global experts.
Designed to equip teachers and students for the digital age, the framework is part of the PISA 2029 innovation programme and plays a key role in supporting the EU’s mission to deliver high-quality, inclusive digital education. It offers practical guidance for integrating AI and digital literacy into your teaching, helping learners build critical skills while promoting equity and inclusion in the classroom.
Whether you're looking to update your teaching methods or explore new educational tools, the AILit Framework is a valuable resource for staying ahead in a rapidly evolving digital world.
