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| This article was originally published as the Introduction and Summary of the Statistical Analysis Report of the same name. The sample survey data are from the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). | |||
Introduction
The 2003 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) is the third comparison of mathematics and science achievement carried out since 1995 by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA), an international organization of national research institutions and governmental research agencies. TIMSS can be used to track changes in achievement over time. Moreover, TIMSS is closely linked to the curricula of the participating countries, providing an indication of the degree to which students have learned concepts in mathematics and science they have encountered in school. In 2003, some 46 countries participated in TIMSS, at either the fourth- or eighth-grade level, or both. This summary highlights initial findings on the performance of U.S. fourth- and eighth grade students relative to their peers in other countries on the TIMSS assessment. The summary is based on the findings presented in two reports published by the IEA:
This summary report describes the mathematics and science performance of fourth- and eighth-graders in participating countries over time. For a number of the participating countries, changes in mathematics and science achievement can be documented over 8 years, from 1995 to 2003. For others, changes can be documented over a shorter period of time, 4 years (from 1999 to 2003). Table A shows the countries that participated in TIMSS 2003, and their participation in earlier TIMSS data collections.* The fourth-grade assessment was offered in 1995 and 2003, while the eighth-grade assessment was offered in 1995, 1999, and 2003. Average student performance in the United States is compared to that of students in other countries that participated in each assessment:
In addition to the assessments, students, their teachers, and principals were asked to complete questionnaires related to their school and learning experiences. At fourth grade, the assessment took approximately 72 minutes to complete. At eighth grade, the assessment took approximately 90 minutes. Detailed information on data collection, sampling, response rates, test development and design, weighting, and scaling is included in appendix A of the full report. Example items from the fourth- and eighth-grade assessments are included in appendix B of the full report. Comparisons made in this report have been tested for statistical significance at the .05 level. Differences between averages or percentages that are statistically significant are discussed using comparative terms such as "higher" and "lower." Differences that are not statistically significant are either not discussed or referred to as "no measurable differences found" or "not statistically significant." In this latter case, failure to find a statistically significant difference should not be interpreted to mean that the estimates are the same or similar; rather, failure to find a difference may also be due to measurement or sampling error. Information on the technical aspects of the study can be found in appendix A of the full report, as well as in the TIMSS 2003 Technical Report (Martin, Mullis, and Chrostowski 2004). Detailed tables with estimates and standard errors for all analyses included in this report are provided in appendix C of the full report. A list of TIMSS publications and resources published by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and the IEA is provided in appendix E of the full report.
![]() 2Only the Flemish education system in Belgium participated in TIMSS in 2003. 3England collected data at grade 8 in 1995, 1999, and 2003, but due to problems with meeting the minimum sampling requirements for 2003, its eighth-grade data are not shown in this report. 4Hong Kong is a Special Administrative Region (SAR) of the People's Republic of China. 5Because of changes in the population tested, 1995 data for Israel and Italy, and 1999 data for Morocco are not shown. 6Only Latvian-speaking schools were included in 1995 and 1999. For trend analyses, only Latvian-speaking schools are included in the estimates. 7Because within-classroom sampling was not accounted for, 1995 data are not shown for South Africa. NOTE: Countries that participated in 1995 and 1999 but did not participate in 2003 are not shown. Only countries that completed the necessary steps for their data to appear in the reports from the International Study Center are listed. In addition to the countries listed above, four separate jurisdictions participated in TIMSS 2003: the provinces of Ontario and Quebec in Canada; the Basque region of Spain; and the state of Indiana. Information on these four jurisdictions can be found in the international TIMSS 2003 reports. The Syrian Arab Republic participated in TIMSS 2003 at the eighth-grade level, but due to sampling difficulties, it is not shown in this report. Yemen participated in TIMSS 2003 at the fourth-grade level, but because it did not comply with the minimum sample requirements, it is not shown in this report. Countries could participate at either grade level. Countries were required to sample students in the upper of the two grades that contained the largest number of 9-year-olds and 13-year-olds, respectively. In the United States and most countries, this corresponds to grade 4 and grade 8. See table A1 in appendix A of the full report for details. SOURCE: International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA), Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), 1995, 1999, and 2003. (Originally published as table 1 on pp. 1-2 of the complete report from which this article is excerpted.) Summary
Looking across the results in mathematics and science, the following points can be made:
![]() 2Hong Kong is a Special Administrative Region (SAR) of the People's Republic of China. 3Designated LSS because only Latvian-speaking schools were included in 1995. For this analysis, only Latvian-speaking schools are included in the 2003 average. 4In 1995, Maori-speaking students did not participate. Estimates in this table are computed for students taught in English only, which represents between 98-99 percent of the student population in both years. NOTE: Countries are ordered based on the average score. Parentheses indicate countries that did not meet international sampling or other guidelines in 1995. All countries met international sampling and other guidelines in 2003, except as noted. See NCES (1997) for details regarding 1995 data. The tests for significance take into account the standard error for the reported difference. Thus, a small difference between the United States and one country may be significant while a large difference between the United States and another country may not be significant. Countries were required to sample students in the upper of the two grades that contained the most number of 9-year-olds. In the United States and most countries, this corresponds to grade 4. See table A1 in appendix A of the full report for details. SOURCE: International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA),Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), 1995 and 2003. (Originally published as table 6 on p. 8 of the complete report from which this article is excerpted.)
![]() 2Hong Kong is a Special Administrative Region (SAR) of the People's Republic of China. 3Designated LSS because only Latvian-speaking schools were included in 1995. For this analysis, only Latvian-speaking schools are included in the 2003 average. 4In 1995, Maori-speaking students did not participate. Estimates in this table are computed for students taught in English only, which represents between 98-99 percent of the student population in both years. NOTE: Countries are ordered based on the average score. Parentheses indicate countries that did not meet international sampling or other guidelines in 1995. All countries met international sampling and other guidelines in 2003, except as noted. See NCES (1997) for details for 1995 data. The tests for significance take into account the standard error for the reported difference. Thus, a small difference between the United States and one country may be significant while a large difference between the United States and another country may not be significant. Countries were required to sample students in the upper of the two grades that contained the most number of 9-year-olds. In the United States and most countries, this corresponds to grade 4. See table A1 in appendix A of the full report for details. SOURCE: International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA), Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), 1995 and 2003. (Originally published as table 12 on p. 18 of the complete report from which this article is excerpted.) References
Martin, M.O., Mullis, I.V.S., and Chrostowski, S.J. (Eds.). (2004). TIMSS 2003 Technical Report: Findings From IEA's Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study at the Eighth and Fourth Grades. Chestnut Hill, MA: Boston College. Martin, M.O., Mullis, I.V.S., Gonzalez, E.J., and Chrostowski, S.J. (2004). TIMSS 2003 International Science Report: Findings From IEA's Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study at the Eighth and Fourth Grades. Chestnut Hill, MA: Boston College. Mullis, I.V.S., Martin, M.O., Gonzalez, E.J., and Chrostowski, S.J. (2004). TIMSS 2003 International Mathematics Report: Findings From IEA's Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study at the Eighth and Fourth Grades. Chestnut Hill, MA: Boston College. National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education. (1997). Pursuing Excellence: A Study of U.S. Fourth-Grade Mathematics and Science Achievement in International Context (NCES 97-255). Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.
Footnotes *Table A7 in appendix A of the full report groups the participating countries by continent and membership in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), an intergovernmental organization of 30 industrialized countries that serves as a forum for members to cooperate in research and policy development on social and economic topics of common interest.
![]() 2Met international guidelines for participation rates in 2003 only after replacement schools were included. 3Designated LSS because only Latvian-speaking schools were included in 1995. For this analysis, only Latvian-speaking schools are included in the 2003 average. 4National desired population does not cover all of the international desired population. NOTE: Countries are ordered by average score. Parentheses indicate countries that did not meet international sampling or other guidelines in 1995 or 2003. See appendix A of the full report for details regarding 2003 data. See NCES (1997) for details regarding 1995 data. The tests for significance take into account the standard error for the reported difference. Thus, a small difference between the United States and one country may be significant while a large difference between the United States and another country may not be significant. Countries were required to sample students in the upper of the two grades that contained the largest number of 13-year-olds. In the United States and most countries, this corresponds to grade 8. See table A1 in appendix A of the full report for details. SOURCE: International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA), Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), 1995 and 2003. (Originally published as table 7 on p. 9 of the complete report from which this article is excerpted.)
![]() 2Met international guidelines for participation rates in 2003 only after replacement schools were included. 3National desired population does not cover all of the international desired population. 4Designated LSS because only Latvian-speaking schools were included in 1995. For this analysis, only Latvian-speaking schools are included in the 2003 average. NOTE: Countries are ordered by average score. Parentheses indicate countries that did not meet international sampling or other guidelines in 1995 or 2003. See appendix A of the full report for details regarding 2003 data. See NCES (1997) for details regarding 1995 data. The tests for significance take into account the standard error for the reported difference. Thus, a small difference between the United States and one country may be significant while a large difference between the United States and another country may not be significant. Countries were required to sample students in the upper of the two grades that contained the largest number of 13-year-olds. In the United States and most countries, this corresponds to grade 8. See table A1 in appendix A of the full report for details. SOURCE: International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA), Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), 1995 and 2003. (Originally published as table 13 on p. 19 of the complete report from which this article is excerpted.)
![]() NOTE: Reporting standards not met for Asian category in 1995 and American Indian or Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander for both years. Racial categories exclude Hispanic origin. Other races/ethnicities are included in U.S. totals shown throughout the report. Analyses by poverty level are limited to students in public schools only. The tests for significance take into account the standard error for the reported difference. Thus, a small difference between averages for one student group may be significant while a large difference for another student group may not be significant. The United States met international guidelines for participation rates in 2003 only after replacement schools were included. See appendix A of the full report for more information. SOURCE: International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA), Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), 1995 and 2003. (Originally published as figure 1 on p. 11 of the complete report from which this article is excerpted.)
![]() NOTE: Reporting standards not met for Asian category in 1995 and American Indian or Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander for both years. Racial categories exclude Hispanic origin. Other races/ethnicities are included in U.S. totals shown throughout the report. Analyses by poverty level are limited to students in public schools only. The tests for significance take into account the standard error for the reported difference. Thus, a small difference between averages for one student group may be significant while a large difference for another student group may not be significant. The United States met international guidelines for participation rates in 2003 only after replacement schools were included. See appendix A of the full report for more information. SOURCE: International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA), Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), 1995 and 2003. (Originally published as figure 3 on p. 21 of the complete report from which this article is excerpted.)
![]() NOTE: Reporting standards not met for Asian category in 1995 or 1999. Reporting standards not met for American Indian or Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander in 1995, 1999, and 2003. Racial categories exclude Hispanic origin. Other races/ethnicities are included in U.S. totals shown throughout the report. Analyses by poverty level are limited to students in public schools only. The tests for significance take into account the standard error for the reported difference. Thus, a small difference between averages for one student group may be significant while a large difference for another student group may not be significant. The United States met international guidelines for participation rate in 2003 only after replacement schools were included. See appendix A of the full report for more information. SOURCE: International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA), Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), 1995 and 2003. (Originally published as figure 2 on p. 13 of the complete report from which this article is excerpted.) Figure D. Average science scale scores of U.S. eighth-grade students, by sex, race/ethnicity, and poverty level: 1995, 1999, and 2003
NOTE: Reporting standards not met for Asian category in 1995 or 1999. Reporting standards not met for American Indian or Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander in 1995, 1999, and 2003. Racial categories exclude Hispanic origin. Other races/ethnicities are included in U.S. totals shown throughout the report. Analyses by poverty level are limited to students in public schools only. The tests for significance take into account the standard error for the reported difference. Thus, a small difference between averages for one student group may be significant while a large difference for another student group may not be significant. The United States met international guidelines for participation rates in 2003 only after replacement schools were included. See appendix A of the full report for more information.
SOURCE: International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA), Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), 1995 and 2003. (Originally published as figure 4 on p. 23 of the complete report from which this article is excerpted.)
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