Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study

The Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) affects the field of curriculum studies by enabling a global conversation about mathematics and science curriculum, what is taught, and how it is taught. TIMSS is an ongoing study providing internationally comparable data on student mathematics and science achievement.

Knowledge of TIMSS is widespread among mathematics and science communities; however, fewer people are aware of the First International Mathematics Study (FIMS), First International Science Study (FISS), Second International Mathematics Study (SIMS), and Second International Science Study (SISS). In 1967, FIMS collected data on 13-year-olds and students in the final year of secondary school from 10 countries. Between 1966 and 1973, FISS collected data on 10-year-olds from 16 countries and on 14-year-olds and students in their final year of secondary school from 18 countries. From 1977 to 1981, SIMS collected data on a similar population as the FIMS across 20 countries. In 1983 and 1984, SISS collected data on a similar population as the FISS across 24 countries.

TIMSS data has been collected in 1995, 1999, 2003, and 2007 across 78 countries. In mathematics, [Page 904]two companion studies accompanied the 1995 TIMSS involving Japan, Germany, and the United States. The first companion study's purpose was a detailed context for the mathematics results from the achievement study. Therefore, researchers developed ethnographic case studies in communities within the three countries. The second companion study's purpose was to capture mathematics instruction on videotape from classrooms involved in TIMSS. The first study emphasized that cultural context around learning mattered and simply because one country had higher test scores did not mean that another country should (or even could) adopt the other country's teaching practices. However, the second study did show that teaching styles between the United States and Japan vary widely. In 1999, a similar video study was conducted in science involving Australia, Czech Republic, Japan, Netherlands, and the United States.

TIMSS uses curriculum as its major organizing tool. Three curriculum components inform the TIMSS design: (1) the intended curriculum, (2) the implemented curriculum, and (3) the achieved (attained) curriculum. The intended curriculum is the mathematics and science curriculum that society believes students should learn. The implemented curriculum consists of what is actually taught, who is actually teaching it, and how it is actually being taught. The achieved curriculum is what the students have learned as well as their attitudes toward mathematics and science. Findings from SIMS showed that teachers did not always implement the intended curriculum. Therefore, TIMSS studied the intended curricula more deliberately.

TIMSS affected the field of curriculum studies by expanding the conversation about what is taught and how it is taught internationally. Overall results showed mathematic achievement in the United States was comparable with that of other countries at the 4th grade. At the 8th-grade level, the United States fell slightly behind, and in the final year of secondary school, the United States fell even further. An important curricular note is that by the close of secondary schools, internationally, curricula vary so broadly that an international comparison is more difficult. Another important component of the TIMSS is its inclusion of science curricula. As a curriculum currently marginalized in the United States because it is not tested, the TIMSS reminds the world that science is foundational and should be a part of the international curricular conversation.

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