Goals
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To establish that curriculum matters
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To explore what TIMSS tells us about mathematics and science curriculums around the world
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To understand what makes curriculum focused and coherent
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To identify issues for further reflection and dialogue and possible actions to improve the mathematics and science curriculums in participants’ own schools, districts, or higher education institutions
U.S. Population 2
Mathematics and Science Performance Compared to International Average
Better than Average |
Worse than Average |
— Earth Science |
— Geometry |
— Life Science |
— Measurement |
— Environmental Issues and the Nature of Science |
— Proportionality |
From: Pursuing Excellence: A Study of U.S. Eighth-Grade Mathematics and Science Achievement in International Context
Tracking
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Japan offers a single curriculum for all students through the end of 9th grade.
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Germany sorts students into one of three types of schools at the end of 4th grade through examinations, ability grouping, and teacher recommendations.
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U.S. utilizes within-class grouping and individualization of instruction in elementary schools. In 8th grade, 80% of schools track students in mathematics and 17% in science. The tracking into different mathematics and science classes continues in the high schools.
From: Pursuing Excellence: A Study of U.S. Eighth-Grade Mathematics and Science Achievement in International Context
Number of Topics in Mathematics Textbooks
The gray bars extend from the 25th percentile to the 75th percentile for the number of topics among countries studied in the TIMSS curriculum analysis. The black line within each gray bar indicates the median number of topics for each population. German textbook data were not available for Populations 1 and 3.
From: A Splintered Vision: An Investigation of U.S. Science and Mathematics Education
Number of Topics in Science Textbooks
The gray bars extend from the 25th percentile to the 75th percentile for the number of topics among countries studied in the TIMSS curriculum analysis. The black line within each gray bar indicates the median number of topics for each population. German textbook data were not available for Populations 1 and 3.
From: A Splintered Vision: An Investigation of U.S. Science and Mathematics Education
Attention Given to Science Topics in Population 1
The five topics emphasized most in Population 1 science textbooks: On average, the five most emphasized topics accounted for just over 25% of U.S. science textbooks, compared to 70–75% internationally and for Japan.
From: A Splintered Vision: An Investigation of U.S. Science and Mathematics Education
Attention Given to Science Topics in Population 2
The five topics emphasized most in Population 2 science textbooks: In Population 2 U.S. science books, about 50% of the content was accounted for by the five most emphasized topics, compared to an international average of about 60%. U.S. single area textbooks in physical science, life science, or earth science were highly focused, with the five most emphasized topics accounting for more of the books together than was true internationally.
From: A Splintered Vision: An Investigation of U.S. Science and Mathematics Education
Time and Tracking
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Time to study mathematics and science is not the problem.
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U.S. tracks students through ability grouping starting in elementary school.
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Because of the different patterns for tracking students in both high- and low-performing countries, it is not possible to make a connection between tracking and performance.
Reflection on Time and Tracking
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How much time do students spend on mathematics and science in your schools?
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Are there different expectations for mathematics and science learning for different groups of students? If so, are they justified? What are these based on? How early in a student’s study of mathematics and science do these expectations appear?
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How does your school measure the extent to which students are meeting expectations for mathematics and science learning? How can expectations be increased? What is the anticipated outcome of increased expectations?
Implications for Action on Time and Tracking
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Document and compare the expectations that teachers, students, and parents have for the learning of mathematics and science for different groups of students, such as boys, compared to girls.
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Measure differences in opportunity to learn (time and participation in elective courses) in your schools and in your district.
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Others:
Focus
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Repetition and review and large numbers of topics may contribute to lack of focus in the U.S.
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The curriculum to which students are exposed is considered to be one important factor associated with what students learn.
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Other countries teach fewer content areas in any given year than does the U.S. U.S. textbooks cover more mathematics and science topic areas than textbooks in other nations. The typical U.S. 8th-grade mathematics textbook covers 35 topics, while the typical Japanese 8th-grade textbook covers 7.
Coherence
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“In a coherent curriculum, new or more complex ideas and skills build on previous learning, applications are used to reinforce prior learning, and extensive repetition is avoided.” Global Perspectives for Local Action
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Eighth-grade mathematics and science curricula in the U.S. provide more repetitive and less challenging material than in other countries.
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The organization of topics in textbooks suggests that topics are not well connected; e.g., U.S. texts have more topics more widely scattered across class sessions.
Reflection on Focus and Coherence
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How many mathematics and science topics are covered each year in your schools?
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What connections among topics exist within the curriculum? How are those connections made explicit to students from year to year, from topic to topic, from lesson to lesson, and within a single lesson? Should connections be made more explicit, and if so, how?
Implications for Action
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Increase the coherence of the curriculum by pointing out the connections among topics.
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Develop a curriculum framework based on the NCTM Standards and the National Science Education Standards that identifies where and how fundamental concepts and ideas are developed K–12.
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Assess the quality of the curriculum. How rigorous is it? To what extent does it encourage students to study topics in depth? How closely does it align with the content in the NSES and NCTM Standards?
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Others: