Research shows that motivation is a critical precursor to students' science achievement. However, research on the topic yields ambiguous results in different cultural contexts. While the positive association between motivation and science achievement has been evidenced universally, the relatively predictive effect and strength of different…

Unfavorable test-taking behaviors, such as speededness and disengagement, have long been a validity concern for large-scale low-stakes assessments. Understanding the presence and extent of such behaviors is important for ensuring the validity of inferences based on test scores. This study examined test-taking behaviors using item response time…

This study aimed to examine the trends in grants for STEM/STEAM education in Japan as well as Japanese students' perception of science learning and future careers. The grants were addressed through analysis of chronological trends, while student perceptions were reviewed through student questionnaires on Trends in International Mathematics and…

Using expert reviews and item response theory (IRT), this study evaluated the language- and culture-related construct-irrelevant variance and reliability of the 2019 TIMSS sense of school belonging scale (SSBS) for grades 4 and 8. The five items of the SSBS, which were identical for both grades, were reviewed for the language- and culture-related…

This brief examines Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) science achievement of the 20% highest and the 20% lowest performing fourth and eighth graders in 11 countries. To do so, the authors compare achievement distributions across countries, using measures of relative equality within countries. Such an examination…

The International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement's (IEA) mission is to enhance knowledge about education systems worldwide, and to provide high-quality data that will support education reform and lead to better teaching and learning in schools. In pursuit of this aim, it conducts, and reports on, major studies of student…

Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) data reveal that setting high standards for the overall mathematics curriculum and ensuring teachers adhere to these standards may not necessarily lead to better learning outcomes for students. There are significant gaps between the intended and implemented grade 8 mathematics curricula…

Women's underrepresentation in mathematics-related careers continues to concern policymakers, economists, and educators. This study addressed the issue by examining data from two international databases, namely IEA's "Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study 2015," and the World Economic Forum's "Global Gender Gap…

The International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement's (IEA) mission is to enhance knowledge about education systems worldwide and to provide high-quality data that will support education reform and lead to better teaching and learning in schools. In pursuit of this aim, it conducts and reports on major studies of student…

Principals (policy makers) have debated the progress in U.S. student performance for a half century or more. Informing these conversations, survey agents have administered seven million psychometrically linked tests in math and reading in 160 waves to national probability samples of selected cohorts born between 1954 and 2007. This study is the…

Homework is a common instructional practice that is used to motivate students, develop students' studying skills and habits, inform parents about student learning, and increase student achievement. Homework provides an opportunity for students to revisit daily topics, and improve students' understanding of math concepts and problem-solving skills,…

The article provides a report on the comparison of Opportunities to Learn algebra and eighth grade students' algebra achievement in three countries: Botswana, Singapore and the United States. The study used student and teacher data from the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (2011 and 2015). By using a multilevel regression…

This study provides the results of a latent class analysis (LCA) using data from the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study -- 2011 (TIMSS-2011) with a focus on the 8th grade mathematics section. The study presents the analysis of item data with Mplus 7.31 to determine if results obtained yielded distinct latent subgroups. The data…

The International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement's (IEA) mission is to enhance knowledge about education systems worldwide, and to provide high-quality data that will support education reform and lead to better teaching and learning in schools. In pursuit of this aim, it conducts, and reports on, major studies of student…

This study analyzed geometry problems in four middle-grade mathematics textbook series from Taiwan, Singapore, Finland, and the United States, while exploring the expectations for students' learning experiences with these problems. An analytical framework developed for mathematics textbook problem analysis had three dimensions: representation…