What is the Platform for Innovative Learning Assessments (PILA) and who does it involve?

PILA comprises a user-facing website and a data collection platform with learning and assessment content and tools, which requires a PILA account. PILA is a non- profit initiative that is managed by the PISA Research and Innovation team at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) int the Directorate for Education and Skills and Know Learning, a US-based  non-governmental organisation.

How does PILA ensure the protection of my personal data?

PILA uses a zero-knowledge security system to protect your personal data. This system is designed so that only your teacher can match you to your data. Your teacher can only do this when they are signed into their PILA account.

What personal data does PILA collect, and for what purposes?

For the purposes of providing information to you and your teacher on what you know and can do, PILA collects your clicks, information about your screen and device and all saved versions of your answers and solutions. No one, besides you, your teacher and the PILA developers (for troubleshooting purposes), will have access to these data.

• PILA is not intended to be used for formal evaluation purposes that can have a direct impact, whether positive or negative, on your final grade.
• PILA recommends that you do not include any personally-identifying information, whether relating to you or another person, on the different spaces of the Platform where you may provide content.

For the purposes of conducting educational and learning science research, we (including approved researchers) may collect and access personal data from both you and your teachers if you consent to participating in a research study. What data and for what purposes will be detailed in a data protection notice specific to the study.

In order to ensure the effective functioning and security of the PILA website and to better understand visitor behavioural patterns, as you browse the PILA website, we automatically collect:

• Log information such as the pages you visit and the time/date of your visit, as well as your internet prototcol (IP) address.
• Device and software information such as your browser specifications and operating system.

This information is collected through the use of various technologies, including cookies which are small text files stored in your browser.

Where are PILA data stored and for how long?

PILA is hosted externally to the OECD by Know Learning, and thus your personal data will be processed by Google Analytics and Google Cloud Platform, which are both based in the United States.

Teacher and student data resulting from uses other than research studies will be automatically deleted every year.

The PILA website is hosted in the United States by a company called Vercel. The PILA website allows Google Analytics to access the data generated by your activity and store it using cookies. This data is processed in a way that does not directly identify you. We store data about your activity on the PILA website for two years, after which time it is deleted.

What rights do you have related to your personal data on PILA?

Under the OECD Personal Data Processing Rules, you (or your parent/guardian) have rights to access, amend or remove any information that has been provided. To exercise these rights you would need to contact your teacher, who is the only person who can identify you data in the PILA platform due to zero-knowledge security system. 

If you (or your parent/guardian) have further queries or complaints related to the processing of your personal data, please contact the OECD’s Data Protection Officer (dpo@oecd.org). If you (or your parent/guardian) need further assistance in resolving claims related to personal data protection you can contact the OECD’s Data Protection Commissioner (dpc@oecd.org).