What Is TIMSS?
-
Third International Mathematics and Science Study
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Largest and most comprehensive study of math/science education ever conducted
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Involved more than 1/2 million students in Population 1 (9-year-olds); Population 2 (13-year-olds); and Population 3 (final year of secondary school)
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Spanned 41 countries
Why should we care about TIMSS?
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Recognize the importance of math/science education to the economy and quality of life
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Learn about alternative ways of dealing with educational challenges
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Gain insights into teaching and learning internationally
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Reexamine conventional practices
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Consider new possibilities for U.S. education
TIMSS Achievement Results
Population 1—Science
Nations with Average Scores |
|||||
Significantly Higher than the U.S. |
Not Significantly Different than the U.S. |
Significantly Lower than the U.S. |
|||
Nations |
Average |
Nations |
Average |
Nations |
Average |
Korea |
597 |
Japan |
574 |
England |
551 |
|
|
United States |
565 |
Canada |
549 |
|
|
Austria |
565 |
Singapore |
547 |
|
|
Australia |
562 |
Slovenia |
546 |
|
|
Netherlands |
557 |
Ireland |
539 |
|
|
Czech Republic |
557 |
Scotland |
536 |
|
|
|
|
Hong Kong |
533 |
|
|
|
|
Hungary |
532 |
|
|
|
|
New Zealand |
531 |
|
|
|
|
Norway |
530 |
|
|
|
|
Latvia (LSS) |
512 |
|
|
|
|
Israel |
505 |
|
|
|
|
Iceland |
505 |
|
|
|
|
Greece |
497 |
|
|
|
|
Portugal |
480 |
|
|
|
|
Cyprus |
475 |
|
|
|
|
Thailand |
473 |
|
|
|
|
Iran, Islamic Republic |
416 |
|
|
|
|
Kuwait |
401 |
From: Pursuing Excellence: A Study of U.S. Fourth-Grade Mathematics and Science Achievement in International Context |
|
International Average=524 |
TIMSS Achievement Results
Population 1—Mathematics
Nations with Average Scores |
|||||
Significantly Higher than the U.S. |
Not Significantly Different than the U.S. |
Significantly Lower than the U.S. |
|||
Nations |
Average |
Nations |
Average |
Nations |
Average |
Singapore |
625 |
Slovenia |
552 |
Latvia (LSS) |
525 |
Korea |
611 |
Ireland |
550 |
Scotland |
520 |
Japan |
597 |
Hungary |
548 |
England |
513 |
Hong Kong |
587 |
Australia |
546 |
Cyprus |
502 |
Netherlands |
577 |
United States |
545 |
Norway |
502 |
Czech Republic |
567 |
Canada |
532 |
New Zealand |
499 |
Austria |
559 |
Israel |
531 |
Greece |
492 |
|
|
|
|
Thailand |
490 |
|
|
|
|
Portugal |
475 |
|
|
|
|
Iceland |
474 |
|
|
|
|
Iran, Islamic Republic |
429 |
|
|
|
|
Kuwait |
400 |
|
International Average=529 |
||||
From: Pursuing Excellence: A Study of U.S. Fourth-Grade Mathematics and Science Achievement in International Context |
|
|
TIMSS Achievement Results
Population 2—Science
Nations with Average Scores |
|||||
Significantly Higher than the U.S. |
Not Significantly Different than the U.S. |
Significantly Lower than the U.S. |
|||
Nations |
Average |
Nations |
Average |
Nations |
Average |
Singapore |
607 |
England |
552 |
Spain |
517 |
Czech Republic |
574 |
Belgium-Flemish |
550 |
France |
498 |
Japan |
571 |
Australia |
545 |
Greece |
497 |
Korea |
565 |
Slovak Republic |
544 |
Iceland |
494 |
Bulgaria |
565 |
Russian Federation |
538 |
Romania |
486 |
Netherlands |
560 |
Ireland |
538 |
Latvia (LSS) |
485 |
Slovenia |
560 |
Sweden |
535 |
Portugal |
480 |
Austria |
558 |
United States |
534 |
Denmark |
478 |
Hungary |
554 |
Germany |
531 |
Lithuania |
476 |
|
|
Canada |
531 |
Belgium-French |
471 |
|
|
Norway |
527 |
Iran, Islamic Republic |
470 |
|
|
New Zealand |
525 |
Cyprus |
463 |
|
|
Thailand |
525 |
Kuwait |
430 |
|
|
Israel |
524 |
Colombia |
411 |
|
|
Hong Kong |
522 |
South Africa |
326 |
|
|
Switzerland |
522 |
|
|
|
|
Scotland |
517 |
International Average=516 |
|
From: Pursuing Excellence: A Study of U.S. Eighth-Grade Mathematics and Science Achievement in International Context |
TIMSS Achievement Results
Population 2—Mathematics
Nations with Average Scores |
|||||
Significantly Higher than the U.S. |
Not Significantly Different than the U.S. |
Significantly Lower than the U.S. |
|||
Nations |
Average |
Nations |
Average |
Nations |
Average |
Singapore |
643 |
Thailand |
522 |
Lithuania |
477 |
Korea |
607 |
Israel |
522 |
Cyprus |
474 |
Japan |
605 |
Germany |
509 |
Portugal |
454 |
Hong Kong |
588 |
New Zealand |
508 |
Iran, Islamic Republic |
428 |
Belgium-Flemish |
565 |
England |
506 |
Kuwait |
392 |
Czech Republic |
564 |
Norway |
503 |
Colombia |
385 |
Slovak Republic |
547 |
Denmark |
502 |
South Africa |
354 |
Switzerland |
545 |
United States |
500 |
|
|
Netherlands |
541 |
Scotland |
498 |
International Average=513 |
|
Slovenia |
541 |
Latvia (LSS) |
493 |
|
|
Bulgaria |
540 |
Spain |
487 |
|
|
Austria |
539 |
Iceland |
487 |
|
|
France |
538 |
Greece |
484 |
|
|
Hungary |
537 |
Romania |
482 |
|
|
Russian Federation |
535 |
|
|
|
|
Australia |
530 |
|
|
|
|
Ireland |
527 |
|
|
|
|
Canada |
527 |
|
|
|
|
Belgium-French |
526 |
|
|
|
|
Sweden |
519 |
|
|
|
|
From: Pursuing Excellence: A Study of U.S. Eighth-Grade Mathematics and Science Achievement in International Context |
TIMSS Achievement Results
Population 3—Science: General Knowledge
Nations with Average Scores |
|||||
Significantly Higher than the U.S. |
Not Significantly Different than the U.S. |
Significantly Lower than the U.S. |
|||
Nations |
Average |
Nations |
Average |
Nations |
Average |
Sweden |
559 |
Germany |
497 |
Cyprus |
448 |
Netherlands |
558 |
France |
487 |
South Africa |
349 |
Iceland |
549 |
Czech Republic |
487 |
|
|
Norway |
544 |
Russian Federation |
481 |
International Average=500 |
|
Canada |
532 |
United States |
480 |
|
|
New Zealand |
529 |
Italy |
475 |
|
|
Australia |
527 |
Hungary |
471 |
|
|
Switzerland |
523 |
Lithuania |
461 |
|
|
Austria |
520 |
|
|
|
|
Slovenia |
517 |
|
|
|
|
Denmark |
509 |
|
|
|
|
From: Pursuing Excellence: A Study of U.S. Twelfth-Grade Mathematics and Science Achievement in International Context |
TIMSS Achievement Results
Population 3—Mathematics: General Knowledge
Nations with Average Scores |
|||||
Significantly Higher than the U.S. |
Not Significantly Different than the U.S. |
Significantly Lower than the U.S. |
|||
Nations |
Average |
Nations |
Average |
Nations |
Average |
Netherlands |
560 |
Italy |
476 |
Cyprus |
446 |
Sweden |
552 |
Russian Federation |
471 |
South Africa |
356 |
Denmark |
547 |
Lithuania |
469 |
|
|
Switzerland |
540 |
Czech Republic |
466 |
International Average=500 |
|
Iceland |
534 |
United States |
461 |
|
|
Norway |
528 |
|
|
|
|
France |
523 |
|
|
|
|
New Zealand |
522 |
|
|
|
|
Australia |
522 |
|
|
|
|
Canada |
519 |
|
|
|
|
Austria |
518 |
|
|
|
|
Slovenia |
512 |
|
|
|
|
Germany |
495 |
|
|
|
|
Hungary |
483 |
|
|
|
|
From: Pursuing Excellence: A Study of U.S. Twelfth-Grade Mathematics and Science Achievement in International Context |
TIMSS Achievement Results
Population 3—Advanced Mathematics
Nations with Average Scores |
|||||
Significantly Higher than the U.S. |
Not Significantly Different than the U.S. |
Significantly Lower than the U.S. |
|||
Nations |
Average |
Nations |
Average |
Nations |
Average |
France |
557 |
Italy |
474 |
None |
|
Russian Federation |
542 |
Czech Republic |
469 |
|
|
Switzerland |
533 |
Germany |
465 |
International Average=501 |
|
Australia |
525 |
United States |
442 |
|
|
Denmark |
522 |
Austria |
436 |
|
|
Cyprus |
518 |
|
|
|
|
Lithuania |
516 |
|
|
|
|
Greece |
513 |
|
|
|
|
Sweden |
512 |
|
|
|
|
Canada |
509 |
|
|
|
|
Slovenia |
475 |
|
|
|
|
From: Pursuing Excellence: A Study of U.S. Twelfth-Grade Mathematics and Science Achievement in International Context |
TIMSS Achievement Results
Population 3—Physics
Nations with Average Scores |
|||||
Significantly Higher than the U.S. |
Not Significantly Different than the U.S. |
Significantly Lower than the U.S. |
|||
Nations |
Average |
Nations |
Average |
Nations |
Average |
Norway |
581 |
Austria |
435 |
None |
|
Sweden |
573 |
United States |
423 |
|
|
Russian Federation |
545 |
|
|
International Average=501 |
|
Denmark |
534 |
|
|
|
|
Slovenia |
523 |
|
|
|
|
Germany |
522 |
|
|
|
|
Australia |
518 |
|
|
|
|
Cyprus |
494 |
|
|
|
|
Latvia |
488 |
|
|
|
|
Switzerland |
488 |
|
|
|
|
Greece |
486 |
|
|
|
|
Canada |
485 |
|
|
|
|
France |
466 |
|
|
|
|
Czech Republic |
451 |
|
|
|
|
From: Pursuing Excellence: A Study of U.S. Twelfth-Grade Mathematics and Science Achievement in International Context |
Performance of U.S. 8th-Graders in Mathematics Compared to the International Average
About Average |
Worse than Average |
— Algebra |
— Geometry |
— Data Representation, Analysis, and Probability |
— Measurement — Proportionality |
— Fractions and |
Number Sense |
One of 33 nations with no gender differences |
From: Pursuing Excellence: A Study of U.S. Eighth-Grade Mathematics and Science Achievement in International Context
Performance of U.S. 8th-Graders in Science Compared to the International Average
Better than Average |
Worse than Average |
— Environmental Issues and the Nature of Science |
— None |
— Life Science |
|
— Earth Science |
|
One of 11 nations with no gender differences |
From: Pursuing Excellence: A Study of U.S. Eighth-Grade Mathematics and Science Achievement in International Context
Summary: Achievement
-
The U.S. starts strong but falls further and further behind as the years of schooling progress.
-
By high school, the U.S. is at or near the bottom.
-
Top U.S. students in Population 1 are above the international average in science but slightly below in mathematics.
-
Top U.S. students in Population 2 are above the international average in science but below in mathematics.
Issues Related to Curriculum
(continued)
-
Structure of curriculum:
-
Focus—attention given to single content topics, either within a single class session or across class sessions; and
-
Coherence—“connectedness” of math/science ideas and skills presented to students over time.
-
From: Global Perspectives for Local Action
Overview of Videotape Study
-
First of its kind
-
Nationally representative sample of Population 2 mathematics classrooms in Germany, Japan, and the U.S.
-
Purposes
-
To describe teaching practices in each nation
-
To look at teaching with a fresh perspective
-
To encourage reflection
-
From: Global Perspectives for Local Action
Summary: School Support Systems
-
Japanese teachers have more opportunities to discuss teaching.
-
Beginning teachers in Japan have a structured induction plan.
-
Japanese students watch as much TV as U.S. students but do better in school.
-
Attitudes of U.S. students toward math/science are similar to the international average; they are positive and decline from the 4th grade to the 8th grade.
“Educational systems tend to overcorrect for what is seen as a problem and end up with a different situation that may be just as unsatisfactory. We seek in this report to help decision-makers balance the pendulum swings so as to make more likely steady progress toward a better education in science and mathematics for all our students and for our nation.”
From: Global Perspectives for Local Action