The Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS)
yesterday released the results of the international comparison of
mathematics and science achievement for seventh- and eighth grade
students. U.S. students are not first in the world, but are in the
middle of the countries studied in science and in the bottom third in
mathematics achievement at the eighth grade.
The most important findings of the TIMSS study have to do with the
factors that relate to achievement. Two key findings include:
1. Students in the U.S. have as much time available to learn science
and math. Students in the U.S. spend as much time or more time than
students in other countries studying science and mathematics in the
classroom. Students in the U.S. are given as much or more homework and
watch no more TV.
2. The use of the time in the classroom makes the difference. The U.S.
curriculum in mathematics and science covers far more topics per year
than other countries. Other countries cover 5-10 topics per year while
in the U.S. it is as many as 30 topics per year. Teachers in other
countries focus on a topic and stay with it until students develop a
depth of understanding. Classrooms in the U.S. are interrupted by
non-academic activities far more often than other countries.
These two findings are just the surface of what you can learn from
these landmark studies. I suggest that you obtain copies of the
reports and study them with your teachers.
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I recommend that you post key issues, information, or questions from
the TIMSS study on this LSC Listserv. We could then build a discussion
around these issues. Two important questions to discuss are:
1. How well do the new science and mathematics curricula used in the
LSC schools measure-up against the criteria used in the TIMSS study?
2. How well does the instruction in LSC schools measure-up using the
variables included in the TIMSS study?
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WHERE TO GET THE TIMSS REPORTS:
The U.S. Education Department's National Center for Education
Statistics released a report of initial findings of TIMSS for the
United States entitled:
Pursuing Excellence: A Study of U.S. Eighth-Grade Mathematics
and Science Teaching, Learning, Curriculum, and Achievement
in International Context
Pursuing Excellence can be downloaded from the WWW at
[www.ed.gov/NCES/timss]. Printed copies are available while they last
from the National Library of Education at 1-800-424-1616. The report
also will be available from the U.S. Government Printing Office.
Two reports of the international comparisons are available for
downloading from the WWW at [http://wwwcsteep.bc.edu/timss] or through
order at $30.00 each from:
TIMSS International Study Center
CSTEEP, Campion Hall 323
Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA 02167
Phone: (617) 552-4521
Title of Reports:
Mathematics Achievement in the Middle School Years (#02-5)
Science Achievement in the Middle School Years (#03-3)
The report of results for the U.S. of the curriculum study is entitled
"A Splintered Vision: An Investigation of U.S. Science and Mathematics
Education." This report will be available from Kluwer Academic
Publishers in a few months. An executive summary is available from:
Dr. William H. Schimdt
U.S. National Research Coordinator
TIMSS Curriculum Analysis Project
Michigan State University
College of Education
457 Erickson Hall
East Lansing, MI 48824
email: bschmidt@pilot.msu.edu
WWW: http://ustimss.msu.edu/ (order form found on this web page)
-Jim Ellis
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