TIMSS

Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) looks at trends in international science and mathematics. It has been administered by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) at Boston college in the United States. 

TIMSS is designed to facilitate evidenced based improvements to science and mathematics educational policies, for participating countries. It enables this by providing standard tests to cohorts of students at grade four, and then four years later, at grade 8. When countries participate in multiple cycles of this testing, trends will emerge that can be aligned to national shifts in education policy. Such are the international and standardised natures of the study, it is very easy to compare and contrast participating countries on different lines of enquiry. 

A key component of TIMMS the breadth of study. It does not only measure student outcomes (test results/student ability); it also examines the context of student outcomes, by collecting data on curricular and resource factors that can impact teaching and learning processes. In addition to student data, this further contextual data is gathered using teacher, school, curriculum questionnaires filled out by students, teachers, researchers and school administrators. 

The data presentation methods are varied for greater user-friendliness. This includes an infographic dashboardavailable in English, French, Arabic, German & Spanish, displaying key findings of the International Release; a ‘Highlights’ paper’ with a broader range of key findings; and a broad range of papers with in depth reporting on details methodologies and results.

It would not be necessary to replicate TIMMS on a national level as it has an open application process and welcomes more participating countries. The current consist is over 70 countries, 24 of 27 EU member states, and 11 additional European (Non-EU) countries.