The ultimate aim of this research was to explore the contribution of teacher preparedness or readiness (in terms of their academic background, confidence in teaching science and career satisfaction) towards the achievement in science among Malaysian and Singaporean eighth-graders. The TIMSS 2011 international assessment of student achievement at…

This article examines various aspects of school physical characteristics relating to problem behavior among students. We hypothesize that an attractive physical environment will be associated with less truancy, cigarette, alcohol, and marijuana use, whereas a negative physical environment will be associated with higher levels of these behaviors.…

Ensuring a safe learning environment for students is a major responsibility of educators and policymakers around the world. Based on the secondary analyses of the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) data collected from 33 countries in 1999, the study found that 8th graders who witnessed their friends' violence…

This study examined two hypotheses related to same-gender grouping of eighth grade science classes in a public middle school setting. The hypotheses were (a) male and female students enrolled in same-gender science classes demonstrate more positive science academic achievement than their peers enrolled in mixed-gender classes, and (b) same-gender…

Whilst school violence is a major public concern and a focus of educational reforms both in the USA and South Korea, few studies have comparatively examined the rates of school violence and school factors associated with them. Analysing nationally-representative data from eighth graders, their mathematics teachers and principals in 150 South…

The Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) shows U.S. 4th graders scoring above the international average in both math and science, 8th graders slipping in both subjects, and 12th graders scoring at or near the bottom. Research indicates high expectations, a focused curriculum, better-prepared teachers, and balanced instruction…

A longstanding issue in American education is the gap in academic achievement between majority and minority students. The goal of this study is to accumulate and evaluate evidence on the relationship between state education policies and changes in the Black-White achievement gap, while addressing some of the methodological issues that have led to…

Compares models of the classroom dynamics for a traditional laboratory setting and a problem-solving-centered environment, both at the eighth grade science level. Descriptive data indicate no differences in the models, whereas path analyses suggest that, in the problem-solving model, student behaviors significantly correlate to lesson structure,…

The paper summarizes a National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) report, "Reading, Science and Mathematic Trends: A Closer Look," in which achievement trends are compared in several subjects for 4th, 8th, and 11th grade black students, white students, low achievers, and high achievers. Findings indicate that while overall…

Proposes a model for school psychology services in the Soviet Union. Investigates positive and negative images of teachers and students held by 90 seventh and eighth grade students and 18 teachers. Finds an authoritarian type of complementarity, revealing that teachers' images of students often match their expectations. Recommends fostering more…