Contexts of Learning Mathematics and Science

<p>This book is the result of research from over fifteen countries, asking which background and environmental factors influence achievement in mathematics and science. This research is based on data from the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), which was conducted under the auspices of the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) in 1995 and 1998.</p><p>In many countries researchers have started secondary analysis of the data in search for relationships between contextual factors and achievement. In these analyses two different approaches can be distinguished, which can be characterised by the metaphors of ‘fishing’ and ‘hunting’. In the ‘fishing’ approach, researchers begin with an open mind, considering all possible context variables as potentially influential. Applying analysis techniques such as regression analysis, Lisrel, PLS, HLM, and MLN, they then identify important factors within their countries or across a number of countries. In the ‘hunting’ approach, researchers hypothesise certain context variables and trace the effect of these variables on mathematics and/or science achievement. </p> <p><strong>Part 1:Introduction to TIMSS and to the Book </strong>1. Lessons from Cross-National Research on Context and Achievement: Hunting and Fishing in the TIMSS Landscape 2. TIMSS: Purpose and Design 3. Using Indicators of Educational Contexts in TIMSS 4. Inconsistent Student Responses to Questions Related to their Mathematics Lessons 5. Raising Achievement Levels in Mathematics and Science Internationally: What Really Matters. <strong>Part 2: Background Variables and Achievement: Single Country Studies </strong>6. The Effects of Student, Class, and School Characteristics on TIMSS 1999 Mathematics Achievement in Flanders 7. Factors Related to Mathematics Achievement in Chile 8. Modeling Mathematics Achievement in Cyprus 9. Student and School Factors Affecting Finnish Mathematics Achievement: Results from TIMSS 1999 Data 10. The Role of Students' Characteristics and Family Background in Iranian Students' Mathematics Achievement 11. Multi-Level Factors Affecting the Performance of South African Pupils in Mathematics 12. Factors Affecting Korean Students' Achievement in TIMSS 1999 <strong>Part 3: Background Variables and Achievement: Multiple Country Studies </strong>13. Exploring Influential Factors on Mathematics Achievement in Grade 8 in the Netherlands, Belgium, Flanders and Germany: Results of Secondary Analysis on TIMSS 1995 Data 14. Participation and Achievement in Science: An Examination of Gender Differences in Canada, the USA and Norway 15. Predictors of Student Achievement in TIMSS 1999 and Philippine Results <strong>Part 4: Curriculum Related Variables and Achievement </strong>16. Exploring the Change in Bulgarian Eighth Grade Mathematics Performance from TIMSS 1995 to TIMSS 1999 17. Curriculum Coherence: Does the Logic Underlying the Organization of Subject Matter? 18. Curricular Effects in Patterns of Student Responses to TIMSS Science Items 19. Towards a Science Achievement Framework: The Case of TIMSS-R Study 20. Background to Japanese Students’ Achievement in Science and Mathematics <strong>Part 5: Teaching Aspects/Classroom Processes, School Management Variables and Achievement</strong> 21. Linking TIMSS to Research on Learning and Instruction:<br>A Re-Analysis of the German TIMSS and TIMSS Video Data 22. Where to Look for Student Sorting and Class-Size Effects: Identification and Quest for Causes Based on International Evidence 23. Grouping in Science and Mathematics Classrooms in Israel 24. Factors Associated with Cross-National Variation in Mathematics and Science Achievement Based on TIMSS 1999 Data</p>