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TIMSS has been released.
View a quick chart here: Average mathematics scores of fourth- and eighth-grade students, by country: 2007
Singapore moves to #2 at fourth grade and #3 at eighth grade in Mathematics. The U. S. improves. (Hello reform math?)
Singapore stays #1 for Science.
When looking at the trends in average mathematics scores of fourth grade students from 1995 to 2007, the U.S. score increases by 11 and Singapore by 9 . At the eighth grade, the U.S. improves by 16 and Singapore drops by 16.
Big jump by England too!
More analysis later.
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1 comment:
Regardless of whether you consider it significant or not, at least scores moved in the right direction. However, the cynic in me has to wonder if it's the inevitable effect of an increased focus on math in general.
I believe that the mere fact that a large number of people are focusing on math will tend to nudge the scores even if the focus isn't efficient or effective. The fact that we're focusing on it all may be the catalyst of change. To be significant, the change must be sustainable and the factors for success must be able to be replicated in many diverse school environments.
Because I'm extremely cautious, I'd also wonder if it's not unlike the factory that changes the type of lighting it uses, sees a boost in productivity following the change, and then attributes it to the new bulbs when if fact, it's only a temporary effect of the change itself. The new lighting creates a new environment that results in a temporary boost in productivity because there's a "buzz", and "excitement" about the change itself. Productivity eventually declines to the original level, however, when the the newness of the lighting wears off.
Let's hope we can pinpoint what went right and build on that instead of assuming that we're on the right track. It's really to soon to tell.
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