So why did the federal government quietly decide last year to drop out of an international study that would compare U.S. high-school students who take advanced science and math courses with their international counterparts?The study, called TIMSS (Trends in Mathematics and Science Study) Advanced 2008, measures how high-school seniors are doing in algebra, geometry, calculus and physics with students taking similar subjects around the globe. In the past, the American results have been shockingly poor. In the last survey, taken in 1995, students from only two countries—Cyprus and South Africa—scored lower than U.S. school kids.
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Mark S. Schneider, the commissioner for the Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics, says the decision was made after a number of other countries—Australia, Germany and Finland—also decided not to participate. That left Armenia, Iran, Italy, Lebanon, the Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Slovenia and Sweden in the study. “We looked at the countries who are participating, our scarce resources and our overextended staff,” says Schneider, “and we decided to give it a pass.”
The test, which would have been administered to about 4,000 high-school seniors, would have cost the federal government between $3 million and $10 million, Ewing says. The National Science Foundation, which is independent but funded by the government, declined to fund the exam as well.
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Advocates for the study are looking for private funders to step in and pay for the test. Patsy Wang-Iverson, who works for the Gabriella and Paul Rosenbaum Foundation in Stockton, N.J., a nonprofit organization that supports math advancement, has been approaching other foundations for money to sponsor the two-and-half-hour test. “We need this money in the next month so that Educational Testing Services [which administers it] can begin the crucial work needed to get the test off the ground.”
My guess is we haven't pulled out of the "regular" TIMSS, which tests 4th & 8th graders. The number of countries taking part in the 12th grade test has always been smaller. I have a memory that Singapore isn't part of it because Singapore doesn't have a 12th grade.
(If radical galoisien or Cassy or someone else who knows the Singapore system can chime in here, that would be great. I'll post corrections, obviously.)
As for me, if Patsy Wang-Iversen thinks we should be part of the 12th grade TIMSS, then I think we should be part of the 12th grade TIMSS. I'll taking my cues from her.
When I first read about the TIMSS pullout, I was disturbed because I thought it was the grades 4 & 8 test (which it is not). There is no doubt in my mind about how important it is to participate in the "regular" TIMSS (grades 4 and 8) but I have to admit I never knew there was a top student/grade 12 test. Has anyone here ever studied that test or its results?
ReplyDeleteA longer, more in-depth article on the pullout is on Edweek, published online on 7/26/07, entitled "U.S. Poised to Sit Out TIMSS Test
ReplyDeletePhysics, advanced math gauged in global study." By Debra Viadero. I'd post a link, but it's amazingly long and you need to register at the site to get 2 free articles a week.
The part of the study that the US can't afford right now is not the actual test. I believe all selected students have taken the 2007 test and results will be available next year.
From the article:
"The study, in which nine countries have so far agreed to participate, will test students taking physics and upper-level math classes, such as calculus, at the end of their secondary school years. It comes as national leaders in the United States are promoting improved math and science education as critical to protecting the nation’s economic edge."
Singapore's 12th grade is a part of Junior College or polytechnic.
Singapore's 12th grade is usually part of the pre-tertiary stage, basically. There's also ITE (vocational), International Baccalaurate and various other streams. However, JC is still arguably is part of secondary education. It's the "mainstream" choice, besides polytechnic (which is arguably tertiary).
ReplyDeleteBesides, not even all American students take calculus at the end of their high school career ... some only go as far as Algebra II, the bare minimum. How was that supposed to be factored in?
For Singapore, we have so many split curricula by 12th grade (many different types of schools and routes to education) that perhaps it would have been overly complex.
Has anyone here ever studied that test or its results?
ReplyDeleteYes, but I've GOT to get my chapter sent in TONIGHT, so I can't rustle up the link. (Remind me if I don't do it soon.)
What was particularly intersting about it was that they compared the top kids in the U.S. to the top kids elsewhere.
As I recall, U.S. kids who took A.P. calculus were on par with the top kids in the rest of the world.
I also have a statistic about where our top kids rank against the top kids elsewhere....but will have to find it.
The AFT has a very nice PowerPoint online that talks about the comparison. Easy to Google..
U.S. Says No to Next Global Test of Advanced Math, Science Students
ReplyDeletehttp://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/summary/317/5846/1851