global perspectives for local action

GLOBAL PERSPECTIVESfor

LOCAL ACTION:Using TIMSS to Improve U.S.

Mathematics and Science Education

Professional Development Guide

A joint project ofthe Committee on Science Education K–12

andthe Mathematical Sciences Education Board

Continuing to Learn from TIMSS CommitteeCenter for Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Education

National Research Council

NATIONAL ACADEMY PRESSWashington, D.C.

Recommended citation: National Research Council. 1999. Global Perspectives for Local Action:Using TIMSS to Improve U.S. Mathematics and Science Education — Professional DevelopmentGuide. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press.

NOTICE: The project that is the subject of this report was approved by the Governing Board of theNational Research Council, whose members are drawn from the councils of the National Academyof Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine. The members ofthe committee responsible for the report were chosen for their special competences and with regardfor appropriate balance.

The National Research Council (NRC) is the operating arm of the National Academies Complex,which includes the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and theInstitute of Medicine. The National Research Council was organized in 1916 by the NationalAcademy of Sciences to associate the broad community of science and technology with theAcademy’s purposes of furthering knowledge and providing impartial advice to the federal govern-ment. Functioning in accordance with general policies determined by the Academy, the Councilhas become the principal operating agency of both the National Academy of Sciences and theNational Academy of Engineering in providing services to the government, the public, and thescientific and engineering communities. The Council is administered jointly by both Academiesand the Institute of Medicine. Dr. Bruce M. Alberts, president of the National Academy of Sci-ences, and Dr. William Wulf, president of the National Academy of Engineering, are chairman andvice-chairman, respectively, of the National Research Council.

The Center for Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Education was established in 1995 to pro-vide coordination of all the National Research Council’s education activities and reform efforts forstudents at all levels, specifically those in kindergarten through twelfth grade, undergraduate insti-tutions, school-to-work programs, and continuing education. The center reports directly to theGoverning Board of the National Research Council.

This study was conducted by the Continuing to Learn from TIMSS Committee through a grant fromthe U.S. Department of Education (grant number R215U970015) to the National Academy of Sci-ences/National Research Council.

Any opinions, findings, or recommendations expressed in this report are those of the members ofthe committee and do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Department of Education.

International Standard Book Number 0-309-06780-4

Copies of this report are available from

National Academy Press2101 Constitution Ave., N.W.Washington, D.C. 20055Call 800-624-6242 or 202-334-3313 (in the Washington metropolitan area).

This report is also available online at <http://www.nap.edu>.

Copyright 1999 by the National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.Printed in the United States of America.

iii

COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE EDUCATION K–12

Jane Butler Kahle (Chair), Miami University, Oxford, OHJ. Myron Atkin, Stanford University, Stanford, CACaryl Edward Buchwald, Carleton College, Northfield, MNGeorge Bugliarello, Polytechnic University, Brooklyn, NYBeatriz Chu Clewell, The Urban Institute, Washington, DCWilliam E. Dugger, Technology for All Americans, Blacksburg, VANorman Hackerman, The Robert A. Welch Foundation, Houston, TXLeroy Hood, University of Washington, Seattle, WAWilliam Linder-Scholer, SciMathMN, Roseville, MNMaria Alicia Lopez Freeman, Center for Teacher Leadership in Language and

Status, California Science Project, Monterey Park, CAJohn A. Moore, University of California, Riverside, CADarlene Norfleet, Flynn Park Elementary School, University City, MOCarolyn Ray, Urban Systemic Initiative, Cleveland, OHCary Sneider, Boston Museum of Science, Boston, MARachel Wood, Delaware State Department of Public Instruction, Dover, DERobert Yinger, School of Education, Baylor University, Waco, TX

iv

MATHEMATICAL SCIENCES EDUCATION BOARD

Hyman Bass (Chair), Columbia University, New York, NYJere Confrey (Vice-Chair), University of Texas, Austin, TXRichard A. Askey, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WISherry Baca, Prescott Unified School District, Prescott, AZDeborah Loewenberg Ball, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MIBenjamin Blackhawk, St. Paul Academy and Summit School, St. Paul, MNRichelle Blair, Lakeland Community College, Kirtland, OHPatricia Campbell, University of Maryland, College Park, MDIngrid Daubechies, Princeton University, Princeton, NJKaren Economopoulos, TERC, Cambridge, MASusan Eyestone, National Parents Teachers Association (PTA), Minneapolis, MNLee Jenkins, Enterprise School District, Redding, CAGlenda T. Lappan, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MIMiriam Masullo, T.J. Watson Research Center, IBM Corporation, Yorktown

Heights, NYDavid Moore, Purdue University, West Lafayette, INMari Muri, Connecticut Department of Education, Hartford, CTRichard Normington, TQM Services Group, Sacramento, CAMark Saul, Bronxville Public Schools, Bronxville, NYRichard Schoen, Stanford University, Stanford, CAEdward A. Silver, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PAWilliam Tate, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WIJerry Uhl, University of Illinois, Urbana, ILSusan S. Wood, J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College, Richmond, VA

v

CONTINUING TO LEARN FROM TIMSS COMMITTEE

Melvin D. George (Chair), University of Missouri, Columbia, MOJohn R. Brackett, Lake Shore Public Schools, St. Clair Shores, MIJames Hiebert, University of Delaware, Newark, DEMark L. Kaufman, Eisenhower Regional Alliance for Mathematics and Science

Education Reform, TERC, Cambridge, MAWilliam Linder-Scholer, SciMathMN, Roseville, MNMary M. Lindquist, Columbus State University, Columbus, GAMichael E. Martinez, University of California, Irvine, CALynn W. Paine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MIDeborah Patonai Phillips, St. Vincent–St. Mary High School, Akron, OHSenta A. Raizen, National Center for Improving Science Education, Washington,

DCThomas H. Saterfiel, American College Testing, Inc., Iowa City, IAThomasena Woods, Newport News Public Schools, Newport News, VA

Staff

Harold Pratt, Project Director (1998-1999)Karen Hollweg, Project Director (1999)Susan Mundry, Consultant WriterNancy Love, Consultant WriterKathleen (Kit) Johnston, Consultant EditorAlfred Young, Administrative AssistantDiane S. Mann, Financial Officer

vii

This report was reviewed in draft form by individuals chosen for their diverseperspectives and technical expertise, in accordance with procedures approved bythe National Research Council’s Report Review Committee. The purpose of thisindependent review is to provide candid and critical comments that will assist theinstitution in making the published report as sound as possible and to ensure thatthe report meets institutional standards for objectivity, evidence, and responsive-ness to the study charge. The review comments and draft manuscript remain con-fidential to protect the integrity of the deliberative process. We thank the follow-ing individuals for their participation in the review of this report:

Nancy Bunt, Regional (Southwest Pennsylvania) Math/Science Collaborative,Pittsburgh, PA

Jerry Cummins, National Council of Supervisors of Mathematics, WesternSprings, IL

Deborah Gibbens, Sunapee Elementary School, Sunapee, NHHenry Heikkinen, University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, COBill McDonald, Montgomery County Public Schools, Poolesville, MDBrian Toth, Chartiers Valley Middle School, Washington, PAPatsy Wang-Iverson, Mid-Atlantic Eisenhower Consortium, Philadelphia, PALinda Wilson, Wisconsin Center for Education Research, University of Wisconsin-

Madison, Madison, WI

While the individuals listed above provided many constructive comments andsuggestions, responsibility for the final content of this report rests solely with theauthoring committee and the National Research Council.

Reviewers

ix

Contents

Preface xi

Introduction 1

Module 1: Framing the Dialogue 7Overview 7Slides 17Handouts 121

Module 2: Exploring Curriculum, Instruction,and School Support Systems 145

Overview 145Module 2A: What Does TIMSS Say about Curriculum? 147

Slides 155Handouts 227

Module 2B: What Does TIMSS Say about Instructional Practices? 239Slides 245Handouts 309

Module 2C: What Does TIMSS Say about School Support Systems? 321Slides 327Handouts 381

Module 3: Global Perspectives for Local Action Planning 391Overview 391Part A: The Inquiry and Action-Planning Process 392Part B: Template Sets 409

Resources 441

xi

This professional development guide is a companion piece to the National Re-search Council’s report, Global Perspectives for Local Action: Using TIMSS* toImprove U.S. Mathematics and Science Education (NRC, 1999a). The guide, de-rived in part from the report and most usefully accompanied by it, is designedprimarily for workshops for groups of education decision-makers—workshops thatwill support long-range planning efforts to improve K–12 student performance inmathematics and science.

Both the report and the guide were produced at the request of the U.S. Depart-ment of Education by the National Research Council’s Center for Science, Math-ematics, and Engineering Education (CSMEE). Within CSMEE, the MathematicalSciences Education Board and the Committee on Science Education K–12 actedtogether to form the Continuing to Learn from TIMSS Committee. The charge tothis committee was to help make the findings of TIMSS relevant and useful toleaders in K–12 mathematics and science education and to promote continued pub-lic discussion of the many components of TIMSS. The report and the guide are theresults of the committee’s work, culminating in a convocation held in November of1999 at the National Academy of Sciences to introduce the report and the guideand to begin the process of ensuring their use at local levels.

Facilitators of workshops will be able to use this guide with a broad range ofstakeholders, including teachers, parents, administrators, school board members,policy makers, curriculum developers, textbook publishers, teacher educators, andfaculty in institutions of higher education. Teaching is a complex activity. Manystakeholders have questions about what to teach and how to teach, such as whenteachers ask, “Are we teaching too many topics?” Administrators ask, “Shouldthere be additional assessments of student performance?” Policy makers ask,“Should we raise standards for teacher preparation and enhancement, particularlyin mathematics and science?” Parents ask, “Are my children getting the educationthey will need to lead successful lives?” The TIMSS data can offer one avenue for

Preface

* The Third International Mathematics and Science Study.

xii PREFACE

investigating these issues. However, no single data set and no set of professionaldevelopment activities can hope to give definitive answers to every question ofteaching and learning. The guide and the material in the report, which grow out ofthe rich array of TIMSS information, will help these stakeholders plan further in-vestigation of these complex questions at the local level that can then lead to in-formed decision-making.

The report and the guide are not intended to prescribe but, rather, to expand therange of options considered in making decisions about making changes in ourschools. Accordingly, the committee members and staff worked to ensure that theguide in particular is flexible enough to meet a variety of needs and, therefore,useful to facilitators in a variety of workshops of different lengths, foci, andintensity.

On behalf of the study committee, I want to acknowledge with deep apprecia-tion the work of the principal writers of this professional development guide—consultants Susan Mundry and Nancy Love—and consulting editor Kathleen (Kit)Johnston. We also thank project directors Harold Pratt and Karen Hollweg and theother dedicated staff of CSMEE who helped us produce the report, and we expressgratitude to the representatives of the U.S. Department of Education who workedclosely with us on a complex project with a short timeline. All of us hope that thereport, the professional development guide, and the convocation will indeed helpeducation leaders strengthen mathematics and science education for all students inthe United States in the years to come.

Melvin D. George, ChairContinuing to Learn from TIMSS Committee

INTRODUCTION 1

TIMSS AND THE NRC REPORT

The Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) is a richsource of information that can be used by a broad range of stakeholders to promotediscussions and actions to improve K–12 mathematics and science teaching andlearning. To support educators, administrators, parents, and others interested ineducation in using TIMSS materials, the National Research Council (NRC) hasprepared a report, Global Perspectives for Local Action: Using TIMSS to ImproveU.S. Mathematics and Science Education (see “Resources”). This report will helpeducators, administrators, parents and others interested in education to understandwhat can be learned from TIMSS findings, and it will encourage them to use theinformation to make improvements in mathematics and science education. Pro-vided in the report are insights into mathematics and science achievement, curricu-lum, instruction, and school support systems, such as professional development, inthe United States and around the world.

PURPOSE OF THE NRC PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT GUIDE

To make TIMSS information more accessible and useful to educators and thepublic, the NRC prepared this professional development guide to accompany itsreport. This guide provides directions and support materials for leading workshopsand planning sessions for teachers, educational administrators, higher educationfaculty, and the interested public. Through the workshops or planning sessionsparticipants will be able

• To explore key themes and findings from the report;• To ask questions about their current practices; and• To consider alternatives for action at the local level.

Introduction

2 GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES FOR LOCAL ACTION: PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT GUIDE

AUDIENCES FOR THE GUIDE

The audiences for this guide are professional developers, facilitators, highereducation faculty, school administrators, and others who lead workshops and/orplanning sessions aimed at reflecting on and improving mathematics and scienceeducation.

TIMSS does not provide quick solutions for or easy answers to the complexproblems of educational improvement. Rather, it offers the benefit of an interna-tional perspective from which to view educational practices. It is important, there-fore, that the facilitators for the workshops and/or planning sessions described inthis guide have strong backgrounds in the TIMSS study and findings and that theyread and become thoroughly familiar with the NRC report.1 This will enable thefacilitators to explain findings and avoid misinterpretations of data or suggestionsthat U.S. achievement would improve if only the U.S. would emulate practicesused in countries where students scored higher in the TIMSS achievement tests inmathematics and science. Many good resources summarize TIMSS, and these willhelp facilitators to prepare for their role. Facilitators should review the resourcesprovided in the “Resources” section at the end of this report prior to conductingsessions based on this guide.

DESCRIPTION

The professional development guide includes

• Modules (Modules 1, 2—composed of three separate workshops—and 3)tailored for different audiences, purposes, lengths of time, and/or levels ofengagement;

• Notes to facilitators;• Overhead transparency masters, as well as masters of handouts for the work-

shop modules;• References to relevant TIMSS and other resources; and• Vignettes and lessons from educators who have used TIMSS to make educa-

tional improvements in their local schools.

Of the three modules in this guide, “Module 1: Framing the Dialogue,” is de-signed primarily as an information session for administrators, legislative and stateeducation staff, local school board members, and the interested public. It is de-signed as a 2–2.5 hour overview with the following objectives:

1 Facilitators will want to keep in mind that the groups of students studied in TIMSS were designated as“populations” that do not necessarily match traditional grade levels in the U.S. In TIMSS, Population 1 wasmostly 9-year-olds (grades 3 and 4 in the U.S.); Population 2, 13-year-olds (grades 7 and 8 in the U.S.); andPopulation 3, students in their final year of secondary school regardless of age (grade 12 in the U.S.).

INTRODUCTION 3

• To develop participants’ understanding of the value of using TIMSS as acatalyst for improvement of mathematics and science education; and

• To actively engage participants with the themes and findings of the NRC’sTIMSS report and the implications.

“Module 2: Exploring Curriculum, Instruction, and School Support Systems”contains three 2–2.5 hour workshops, designed to provide more in-depth informa-tion on the TIMSS findings in the three topics of curriculum, instruction, and schoolsupport systems. Module 2 is primarily for school/district staff and higher educa-tion staff interested in exploring the implications of the TIMSS findings for theirown practice. School board members also would benefit from extensive engage-ment with Module 2. It has the following objective:

• To engage teachers, administrators, and higher education faculty in explor-ing the key messages of the NRC report and to identify issues for furtherreflection and implications for action.

“Module 3: Global Perspectives for Local Action Planning” is an action-planning guide for audiences who wish to go deeper and use the report to informtheir own reflection, inquiry, and/or decision making about curriculum, instruc-tion, and support systems in schools, in school districts, or in higher educationsettings. Module 3 is intended as a guide for school- or higher education institu-tion-based teams that have already participated in Modules 1 and 2. This thirdmodule will help these teams explore the TIMSS findings further and to study theirown settings and practices to identify problems and plan improvements. Theobjective of the materials in Module 3 is

• To motivate and guide participants to use the NRC report and other data andinformation within existing school improvement efforts for the purposes of— reflecting on practice;— engaging in ongoing inquiry;— collecting data;— exploring alternative practices; and/or— making decisions about curriculum, instruction, and/or school support

systems and alternative actions.

DESIGNING WORKSHOPS AND PLANNING SESSIONS

There are several ways that you—as the facilitator—may want to put togetherthe modules in this guide to meet the needs of your particular audience. The guideis designed to be flexible so that you can choose the best module(s) and activitiesfor a particular audience. It is essential, therefore, that you know the needs andexpectations of your various audiences and communicate with them ahead of timeto find out how best to meet their needs. Module 1 is a stand-alone session that


introduces TIMSS to people with limited time, such as administrators, legislativestaff, parents, and other members of the interested public. Module 1 can also beused as an introduction to Modules 2 and 3 for those who have the time and moti-vation to go more in depth with the TIMSS findings (typically, school and highereducation staff and members of action-planning and school improvement groups).The stated goals of each module are briefly stated in this introductory section andagain at the beginning of each module, later in the guide. Review these goals withyour audience in mind, then choose the modules and activities most appropriate foryour group. The chart on pg. 5 suggests how you can use the materials in Modules1, 2, and 3 to design different workshops and/or planning sessions with differentpurposes and time available.

The learning activities in each module are put together in ways that vary thetype of activity to ensure active engagement and time for reflection and applica-tion. If you modify this design or the activities of the modules, be sure to strike abalance between activities that explain or provide information to participants andactivities that engage participants in talking with one another and generating mean-ing and insights that they can apply to their own situations.

INTRODUCTION 5

Suggested ModuleTime or Workshop/

Purpose Available Planning Session

Create awareness among the 2–2.5 hours Module 1interested public and administratorsof how U.S. students, instruction,curriculum, and schools compareto those in other countries.

Explore one aspect of U.S. 4–5 hours Module 1 andschooling in some depth Module 2A or 2B or 2C(curriculum, instruction, or schoolsupport systems) to understandhow it compares with those inother countries and generateimplications for action.

Explore all aspects of U.S. 8.5–9 hours Module 1 andschooling investigated by TIMSS Module 2A, 2B, and 2Cin some depth and generateimplications for action.

Use the TIMSS findings to plan 20 hours Module 1 andimprovements in one aspect of Module 2A or 2B or 2CU.S. schooling and to generate and Module 3plans for local action (by schools,school districts, or highereducation groups).

Use TIMSS findings to plan 40+ hours Module 1,improvements in all aspects of Module 2A, 2B, and 2C,schooling investigated by TIMSS and Module 3and plan local actions with schooldistrict or higher education groups.

Convene a local action-planning 40+ hours Module 1 andgroup to collect data and Module 3 orrecommend local improvements. Modules 2A, 2B, and 2C

and Module 3

7

OVERVIEW

Module 1 is a 2 to 2.5 hour introduction to TIMSS and to the NRC report,Global Perspectives for Local Action: Using TIMSS to Improve U.S. Mathematicsand Science Education. The module’s purpose is to engage participants with thekey findings of the report and to help them recognize the value of TIMSS as acatalyst for improvement. Although this module will conclude with a considerationof action that can be taken, it is necessary to complete Module 2 and spend consid-erable time on Module 3 before an action plan can be completed and improvementefforts begun.

Module 1 is designed to be used either as a self-contained unit or as the intro-ductory material to Modules 2 and 3. As a self-contained unit, Module 1 has as itstarget audience school and higher education administrators, state education staff,legislators and legislative aides, parents, and the interested public. As an introduc-tion to more in-depth, follow-up sessions, Module 1’s target audience is school anddistrict administrators and teachers and higher education administrators and faculty.

GOALS

• To provide an overview of the key messages and findings of the GlobalPerspectives for Local Action: Using TIMSS to Improve U.S. and Mathematicsand Science Education report and the implications for different audiences.

• To highlight the value of using TIMSS as a catalyst for mathematics andscience education improvement.

ACTIVITIES

1.1 Overview of Goals and Agenda (5 minutes)1.2 Corners (15 minutes)

Module 1:Framing the Dialogue


1.3 Brief Overview of What TIMSS Is and of the Global Perspectives for LocalAction Report (10 minutes)

1.4 What Does TIMSS Say about Student Achievement? (30 minutes)1.5 A Walk Across the Data: Curriculum, Instruction, and School Support

Systems (75 minutes)1.6 Implications and Next Steps (15 minutes)

Time: 2 to 2.5 hours. (If you have less time, particularly for audiences that arefamiliar with TIMSS, consider eliminating or shortening Activity 1.4 by quicklysummarizing achievement results. This will cut 20–30 minutes. As an alternativeor to shorten further, consider eliminating the video viewing activity embedded inActivity 1.5.)

SET UP AND MATERIALS

Room Arrangement and Equipment

• Tables for groups of four• A room with plenty of wall space for posting newsprint• Overhead projector and screen• Video projection unit with screen or large monitor• Newsprint and markers• Paper for note-taking and pens/pencils, plus newsprint or transparencies and

markers for recorders/reporters

Order in Advance

• TIMSS Videotape: “Eighth-Grade Mathematics Lessons: United States,Japan, and Germany” (from the TIMSS “toolkit”). (Check with your schooldistrict’s science or math coordinator or local university’s school of educa-tion to borrow their Resource Kit or kit or contact the Superintendent ofDocuments, P.O. Box 371954, Pittsburgh, PA 15250-7954; Phone: (202) 512-1800; FAX: (202) 512-2250; URL: http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/sale/prf/prf.html; e-mail: [email protected]. When ordering, ask for Attaining Ex-cellence: A TIMSS Resource Kit, GPO # 065-000-01013-5.)

• Copies of the Global Perspectives for Local Action: Using TIMSS to Im-prove U.S. Mathematics and Science Education report for each participant.(The report is available from the National Academy Press, 2101 ConstitutionAve., NW, Lockbox 285, Washington, D.C. 20055; Phone: (800) 624-6242[toll free] or (202) 334-3313 [in the Washington Metropolitan area].)

MODULE 1: FRAMING THE DIALOGUE 9

Make in Advance

• Overhead transparencies from masters for Module 1 in this guide (Note thatthe masters are labeled Slide 1-1, Slide 1-2, and so on…)2

• Copies of handouts for this module (see pgs. 121-144) (one set for eachparticipant) (Distribute these early in the session for the participants to use intaking notes.)

• Copies of Slides 1-11 through 1-23 (one set for each participant)• Three pieces of newsprint, one labeled “Curriculum,” another labeled “In-

struction,” and a third labeled “Professional Development and Use of Time.”• Four poster-sized representations of data on Slides 1-20, 1-31, 1-41, and

1-47 copied on four pieces of colored paper, laminated if possible, and postedaround the room (These also can be written on newsprint and posted.)

FACILITATOR NOTES

Activity 1.1Overview of Goals and Agenda

(5 minutes)

• Welcome participants and provide them with copies of all of the handoutsfor this module. Note in particular that the last handout explains the studentpopulations tested and studied in TIMSS. Using Slide 1-1, tell participantsthat the NRC report, Global Perspectives for Local Action, addresses find-ings in the four areas highlighted on the slide. However, be sure to point outthat there are many other factors that influence achievement beyond curricu-lum, instruction, and school support systems. Remind participants thatTIMSS data provides an international perspective through which we can ana-lyze the factors of curriculum, instruction, and school support. This sessionwill help to frame a beginning dialogue around some of the major issuesraised in each of these areas.

• With Slides 1-2 and 1-3, review the goals and agenda.• Transition participants to the next segment by telling them they are about to

go deeper inside the TIMSS findings and to reflect more on their implica-tions for each of the audiences represented.

Activity 1.2Corners

(15 minutes)

• Tell participants that the next activity is designed to engage them in themajor areas of the report.

2 The source of data cited on masters is noted on the bottom of each master by title. For complete citations,see the “Resources” section of this guide.


• Note the three posters placed on walls close to three corners of the roomlabeled “Curriculum,” “Instruction,” and “Professional Development andUse of Time” (one of the school support systems addressed in the NRCreport). Briefly define each of these terms as they are used in the report.Ask participants to think about which factor they believe has the greatestinfluence on student learning and why. Allow 30 seconds or so for partici-pants to think and make a decision about their choice.

• Using Slide 1-4, explain the “Corners” directions to participants, one step ata time. First, ask participants physically to move to the corner labeled withthe term or factor they chose. Before they move, tell them that they are tofind two to three other people in their corner to talk to about why they madethat choice. After participants move, monitor the groups to make sure thatthey are speaking in small groups and that everyone has a chance to speak.(If the groups do not divide evenly, don’t be concerned. This only reflectsthe importance, or lack thereof, that they attribute to the three factors.) Allow7–8 minutes for discussion. Then point out the factors participants consid-ered more and less important (as indicated by their choices) and ask for oneor two spokespeople from each group to summarize key points from theirdiscussion. Ask participants to return to their seats.

• Transition by thanking the groups for their participation. Acknowledge thatchoosing any single factor as the main influence on student learning is im-possible and that student learning is very complex and influenced by all ofthese factors. TIMSS does not provide us with magic bullets or simple causallinks but, rather, with the opportunity to consider the complex interplay ofthe many factors that influence student achievement. Contrary to what onemight think from reading the headlines, TIMSS goes far beyond an interna-tional comparison of student achievement in mathematics and science.Through case studies, surveys, and detailed studies of curriculum, TIMSSprovides us with rich insights into the factors surrounding student achieve-ment. The NRC report invites us to think about these factors anew with thebenefit of an international perspective. In this session, we will briefly ex-plore what TIMSS says about curriculum, instruction, and school supportsystems, but first it is important that we all become grounded in what TIMSSand the NRC report are.

Activity 1.3Brief Overview of What TIMSS Is and the

Global Perspectives for Local Action:Using TIMSS to Improve U.S. Mathematics and Science Education Report

(10 minutes)

• Use Slides 1-5 through 1-9 to provide an overview of TIMSS and the NRCreport. If participants want more information, direct them to Chapter 2 ofthe report. For your own preparation, read Chapters 1 and 2.


• Transition by saying that we are now going to explore the NRC report’sperspective on the TIMSS student achievement findings.

Activity 1.4What Does TIMSS Say about Student Achievement?

(30 minutes)

• In preparation for this and the next activity, you will have created newsprint-sized posters of the selected achievement, curriculum, instruction, and schoolsupport systems findings that are illustrated by Slides 1-20, 1-31, 1-40, and1-47, and you will have placed them around the room, ideally on the samewall. (Use the organizational configuration used in Slide 1-1.) You willhave covered up these posters with additional pieces of blank newsprint untilyou are ready to present them.

• Provide participants with a little background on the achievement results. Youmay want to say something like the following: “In order to use TIMSS tohelp guide decision-making at the national, state, and local levels, we firstneed to understand the results. The data you are about to look at summarizeseveral findings—the mathematics and science results for the fourth- andeighth-grade populations studied (Populations 1 and 2) and for the twelfth-grade population (Population 3). In Population 3, TIMSS tested students’general scientific and mathematical knowledge and knowledge of physics,and advanced mathematics for students who took those courses.” (Use Slide1-10 for background as you talk.)

• Give participants copies of Slides 1-11 through 1-23 and ask them to discussthe slides in groups of four. Or, if you prefer and are pressed for time, givea brief lecture on the same slides. After participants have seen the data, askthem in groups of four to discuss the questions on Slide 1-24. (Show Slide 1-24.) Encourage participants to focus on observations rather than explana-tions or interpretations of the data.3

• In the whole group, discuss the small groups’ observations. Uncover thelarge poster illustrating achievement results (the poster made from Slide 1-20) and record key points from the small groups on the newsprint underneaththe poster.

3 Participants may ask why some achievement results seem out of order, such as on Slide 1-14, whereSweden, with a score of 519, is grouped with the nations that are significantly higher than the U.S., and the firstscore in the next column is 522 (for Thailand). This is not an error. Although the country average for Swedenmay appear to be out of place, statistically, its placement is correct. (On a more detailed level, note that eachscore is an estimate of how the entire country would perform based on a small sample of students actuallytested. Statistically, it is possible to calculate the amount of error in the estimate and also to determine the“level (%) of confidence” that the reported score has within a given interval. For the data in Slide 1-14, thereis a 95% confidence level that the score for Sweden is between 516 and 522. For the U.S., there is a 95%confidence level that the score is between 495 and 505. Since the two intervals do not overlap, there is a 95%confidence level that the scores of the two countries are different, with one being significantly higher than theother.)


• Summarize achievement findings, using Slide 1-25.4, 5

(Note: The summary slides used in each workshop module list some mainpoints but are not exhaustive. Additional conclusions can often be found inthe NRC TIMSS report based on the larger array of data found there andfrom conclusions that were reported in TIMSS-issued documents listed inthe “Resources” section at the end of the guide.)

• Transition participants to the next segment by saying that we are now goingto look at other aspects of the educational system that TIMSS examined inorder to understand better these results within a larger context. The messagehere is that “there is no single lever for improving achievement; we are aboutto begin an exploration of the many complex and interconnected factors thatinfluence student learning.”

(Note: Several states, including Minnesota and Colorado, and some U.S.school districts, including those in the First in the World Consortium, havetheir own local TIMSS achievement data. Find out if local TIMSS data areavailable where you are conducting this session. If so, consider engagingparticipants with their local data.6 )

Activity 1.5A Walk Across the Data: Curriculum, Instruction, and School Support

Systems(75 minutes)

• The purpose of this activity is to introduce participants briefly to the high-lights of the NRC report on using TIMSS for local action and to help themsee the interconnectedness of the TIMSS data. You can tell participants thatthe authors of the NRC report are particularly concerned that educationalinstitutions and policy makers not jump to conclusions based on bits andpieces of TIMSS. To use TIMSS effectively, educators and policy makersneed to consider the whole picture that TIMSS paints about mathematics andscience teaching and learning.

4 Participants may notice the frequent references to the U.S., Japan, and Germany studies and analysis.There is no official TIMSS explanation for the choice of countries that were involved in specific studies, suchas the TIMSS Video Study. (This particular study was funded primarily by the U.S., so U.S. researchersselected the countries to be involved.) At the time of the study, Japan and Germany were our leading economiccompetitors.

5 Similar statements about the top 10% of Population 3 students cannot be made because the results were notformulated this way. With the exception of U.S. AP Calculus students, top U.S. students do poorly on interna-tional comparisons in both math and science.

6 TIMSS-R (TIMSS-Repeat) achievement tests (and contextual data gathering methodologies) were offeredto school systems around the world. In the year 2001, those results will be made available. If possible, obtainrelevant local data.


Overview of Curriculum Data

• Use Slide 1-26 to signal the shift in focus to a significant part of the TIMSSstudy—curriculum.

• Briefly, provide some background on the TIMSS curriculum study usingSlides 1-27, 1-28, and 1-29. Mention that this part of the presentation willemphasize the TIMSS findings on curriculum focus. (For more informationabout other findings, refer participants to Chapter 4 of the NRC report. Mod-ule 2A will also take participants more deeply into Chapter 4 of the NRCreport.)

• Use Slide 1-30 to show data about curriculum focus.• Unveil the curriculum poster, an enlarged version of Slide 1-31.• Using Slide 1-32, ask participants to discuss in groups of four the sense they

make of these data, questions the data provoke, and the connections betweenthe curriculum data and the achievement data. What questions do the cur-riculum findings raise about the achievement findings? Record responses onblank newsprint that you post under the curriculum poster.

• Summarize this overview of curriculum data by showing Slide 1-33.• Transition to instruction, another factor that relates closely to curriculum and

to student achievement.

Overview of Instruction Data

• Use Slide 1-34 to illustrate the shift in focus now to the instruction part of theTIMSS study.

• Tell participants that one of the unique aspects of TIMSS is the video studyof mathematics instruction in the U.S., Germany, and Japan, which providesvaluable insights into instruction in these three countries. The data for thestudy were collected by videotaping one class period for each of 81 ran-domly selected teachers in the U.S., 100 in Germany, and 50 in Japan. Thevideo researchers noted far more differences between countries than withincountries, indicating that teaching techniques and patterns are similar withineach country and different between countries. The purpose of examiningdifferent teaching styles is to provide examples of different alternatives andto encourage educators to consider these alternatives. Use Slides 1-35, 1-36,and 1-37 to provide an overview of the video study.

• Let participants know that they are about to have the opportunity to glimpsea U.S. and a Japanese mathematics classroom and see firsthand the kind ofdata collected through the video study. Set up the group for viewing thevideo by reviewing the questions on Slide 1-38, asking participants to focuson how the different teachers introduce the lessons, engage the students, andteach the content in each of the examples on the video segments. Thequestions are: How does the teacher introduce the concept? What is the dif-ference between how the students are engaged in the U.S. classroom and the


Japanese classroom? How challenging is the mathematics content supportedby the lessons? (5 minutes)

• Before viewing the tape, ask participants to think about a typical U.S. eighth-grade mathematics classroom and to jot down the characteristics of teachingand learning that come to mind.

• Show Parts 1–3 of the U.S. Geometry lesson. Allow a few minutes forparticipants to take notes. (7.5 minutes)

• Show Parts 1–3 of the Japanese Geometry lesson. Again, allow a few min-utes for notes. (7.5 minutes)

• Ask participants to work at tables in groups of three to four and to reporttheir observations (what they saw or heard) to one another. Ask for volun-teers to be prepared to report out to the large group by recording responseson chart paper or on a blank transparency. Note that the most significantstandard in the NCTM Standards is the recommendation that mathematicsbe learned through problem solving. Ask, “What aspects of teaching did yousee in the videos that follow such recommendations?” Help the groups byteasing out examples, such as that the Japanese teacher provides instructionsto stop and think and to work in a group. And the U.S. teacher is doing call-and-response. (20 minutes)(Possible extension: If time permits, you can expand Module 1 by showingand discussing all of the U.S. and Japan lessons on the tape. You also caninvite participants to obtain and view the rest of the videos themselves orwith colleagues. If your participants will be participating in a Module 2Bworkshop, they will view the videos in more depth at that time.)

• Let participants know they will now have the opportunity to look briefly atwhat TIMSS researchers found from analyzing the teaching videos. For thepurposes of this overview, the focus will be on the findings related to thestructure of lessons. (Module 2B will take participants more deeply into theother instruction items in the NRC report.) Introduce two pieces of datafrom the video study: “Average Grade Level of Content in the VideotapedLessons by International Standards” (lessons that engage students in concep-tual thinking about mathematics), and “Lesson Structure—Percentages ofMath Tasks that Students Decide How to Solve Rather than Using a Teacher-Prescribed Method” (Slides 1-39 and 1-40).

• Unveil the instruction poster, an enlarged version of Slide 1-41.• Ask participants in groups of four to consider the instruction data now. What

meaning do they make of the data? What questions do they raise? What newlight do the instruction findings shed on the curriculum and achievementfindings? (Slide 1-42.) Record participants’ responses on newsprint underthe instruction poster.

• Summarize with Slide 1-43.• Make a transition to the fourth and final piece of the puzzle, school support

systems. Use Slide 1-44.


Overview of School Support Systems Findings

• Using Slide 1-45, introduce participants to the study of school support sys-tems. Let them know that data about support systems was collected in thecase studies of educational systems in Japan, Germany, and the U.S. andquestionnaires completed by teachers, administrators, and students in manyof the TIMSS countries. The results allow us to put other TIMSS findings inthe context of school cultures and other influences on teaching and learningboth inside and outside of the classroom. Let them know about the areasaddressed by the NRC report. Use Slide 1-46. For the purposes of this pre-sentation, tell participants that the emphasis will be on the findings on teacherlearning. (For more information on other support system findings, partici-pants can read Chapter 5 of the NRC report and/or participate in Module 2C.)

• Unveil the poster on “Time to Collaborate” (Slide 1-47) that illustrates thedecline in U.S. teacher time to collaborate from fourth grade to eighth grade.

• Summarize other points from the NRC report’s chapter on school supportsystems, using Slide 1-48.

• Ask participants to connect these findings to their own settings and to otherTIMSS findings with the prompts on Slide 1-49. Record the responses onblank newsprint and post them under the “Time to Collaborate” poster.

Activity 1.6Implications and Next Steps

(15 minutes)

• Transition to implications with Slide 1-50. “We have now taken a verysuperficial look at all of the pieces of the TIMSS puzzle. The most importantquestions are, ‘What are the implications for us?’ and ‘Where we are goingnext?’ ”

• Ask participants to form role-alike groups (e.g. policy-makers, state educa-tion staff, parents, administrators). Summarize by saying that we have ex-plored the “what” and the “so what” of the NRC report. You would now likethem to reflect on the “now what?” What are implications for furtherreflection and next steps for their role-alike group? As a catalyst for theirdiscussion, direct participants to consider the “Actions” each audience cantake, starting with the Module 1 handouts entitled “Actions to Improve Math-ematics and Science Education” (see pgs. 139–143). Ask each group toassign a recorder and a spokesperson and to come up with 2–3 high-priorityactions they wish to take. (10 minutes)

• Ask for a spokesperson to report out for each group. (5 minutes)• If you are offering additional workshops for these participants, provide them

with a brief overview of Modules 2 and 3 using the descriptions in themodules’ introductions (general introductions to Module 2 and Module 3 are


given on pgs. 145 and 391, respectively. Refer participants to the “Resources”section of this guide and suggest that these resources will help them learnmore about TIMSS.

• Wrap up with a quote from the NRC report on Slide 1-51.

17

Module 1:Framing the Dialogue

Slides

Glo

bal P

ersp

ecti

ves

for

Loc

al A

ctio

n:F

ram

ing

the

Dia

logu

e

1-1

Scho

ol S

uppo

rtSy

stem

s

Ach

ieve

men

t

Cur

ricu

lum

Inst

ruct

ion

Goa

ls

1-2

•To

pro

vide

an

over

view

of

find

ings

of

the

Glo

bal P

ersp

ecti

ves

for

Loc

al A

ctio

n: U

sing

TIM

SS to

Im

prov

e U

.S. M

athe

mat

ics

and

Scie

nce

Edu

cati

on r

epor

t and

its

impl

icat

ions

for

dif

fere

ntau

dien

ces;

and

•To

hig

hlig

ht th

e va

lue

of u

sing

TIM

SS a

s a

cata

lyst

for

re

flec

tion

and

impr

ovem

ent.

Age

nda

1-3

•W

hat I

s T

IMSS

, and

Wha

t Is

the

NR

C R

epor

t?

•W

hat A

re th

e K

ey F

indi

ngs

of th

e R

epor

t?

•H

ow D

o th

e D

iffe

rent

Pie

ces

of T

IMSS

Int

erco

nnec

t?

•W

hat A

re th

e Im

plic

atio

ns f

or F

urth

er R

efle

ctio

n an

d A

ctio

n?

Cor

ners

Act

ivit

y

1-4

•M

ove

to th

e co

rner

of

your

cho

ice.

•D

iscu

ss y

our

choi

ce w

ith 2

–3 o

ther

s in

you

r co

rner

.

•Sp

okes

peop

le f

rom

eac

h co

rner

sha

re w

ith w

hole

gro

up.

Wha

t Is

TIM

SS?

1-5

•T

hird

Int

erna

tiona

l Mat

hem

atic

s an

d Sc

ienc

e St

udy

•L

arge

st a

nd m

ost c

ompr

ehen

sive

stu

dy o

f m

ath/

scie

nce

educ

atio

n ev

er c

ondu

cted

•In

volv

ed m

ore

than

1/2

mill

ion

stud

ents

in P

opul

atio

n 1

(9-y

ear-

olds

); P

opul

atio

n 2

(13-

year

-old

s); a

nd P

opul

atio

n 3

(fin

al y

ear

of s

econ

dary

sch

ool)

•Sp

anne

d 41

cou

ntri

es

Wha

t D

id T

IMSS

Stu

dy?

1-6

•A

chie

vem

ent i

n m

athe

mat

ics

and

scie

nce

•C

urri

culu

m p

ract

ices

•In

stru

ctio

nal p

ract

ices

•In

flue

nces

on

teac

hers

and

stu

dent

s in

side

and

out

side

the

clas

sroo

m

Why

sho

uld

we

care

abo

ut T

IMSS

?

1-7

•R

ecog

nize

the

impo

rtan

ce o

f m

ath/

scie

nce

educ

atio

n to

the

econ

omy

and

qual

ity o

f lif

e

•L

earn

abo

ut a

ltern

ativ

e w

ays

of d

ealin

g w

ith e

duca

tiona

l ch

alle

nges

•G

ain

insi

ghts

into

teac

hing

and

lear

ning

inte

rnat

iona

lly

•R

eexa

min

e co

nven

tiona

l pra

ctic

es

•C

onsi

der

new

pos

sibi

litie

s fo

r U

.S. e

duca

tion

Why

ano

ther

rep

ort

on T

IMSS

?

1-8

The

NR

C r

epor

t

•Ta

kes

a co

mpr

ehen

sive

app

roac

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ddre

sses

a r

ange

of

stak

ehol

ders

;

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form

s ra

ther

than

pre

scri

bes;

and

•R

aise

s qu

estio

ns f

or lo

cal i

nves

tigat

ion

and

chan

ges.

Wha

t’s

in t

he N

RC

Rep

ort?

1-9

•Su

mm

ary

of th

e T

IMSS

fin

ding

s

•D

escr

iptio

n of

TIM

SS

•W

hat T

IMSS

say

s ab

out c

urri

culu

m

•W

hat T

IMSS

say

s ab

out i

nstr

uctio

n

•W

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say

s ab

out s

choo

l sup

port

sys

tem

s

•A

nsw

ers

to f

requ

ently

ask

ed q

uest

ions

Wha

t D

oes

TIM

SS S

ayab

out

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ent A

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ent?

1-10

Scho

ol S

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Ach

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men

t

Cur

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Inst

ruct

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TIM

SS A

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Ave

rage

Sco

res

1-16

Sign

ific

antl

y H

ighe

r th

an t

he U

.S.

Nat

ions

Ave

rage

Net

herl

ands

560

Swed

en55

2D

enm

ark

547

Switz

erla

nd54

0Ic

elan

d53

4N

orw

ay52

8Fr

ance

523

New

Zea

land

522

Aus

tral

ia52

2C

anad

a51

9A

ustr

ia51

8Sl

oven

ia51

2G

erm

any

495

Hun

gary

483

From

: Pur

suin

g E

xcel

lenc

e: A

Stu

dy o

f U.S

. Tw

elft

h-G

rade

Mat

hem

atic

s an

d Sc

ienc

e A

chie

vem

ent i

n In

tern

atio

nal C

onte

xt

Not

Sig

nifi

cant

ly D

iffe

rent

tha

n th

e U

.S.

Nat

ions

Ave

rage

Ital

y47

6R

ussi

an F

eder

atio

n47

1L

ithua

nia

469

Cze

ch R

epub

lic46

6U

nite

d St

ates

461

Sign

ific

antl

y L

ower

tha

n th

e U

.S.

Nat

ions

Ave

rage

Cyp

rus

446

Sout

h A

fric

a35

6

Inte

rnat

iona

l Ave

rage

= 5

00

TIM

SS A

chie

vem

ent

Res

ults

Pop

ulat

ion

3—A

dvan

ced

Mat

hem

atic

sN

atio

ns w

ith

Ave

rage

Sco

res

1-17

Sign

ific

antl

y H

ighe

r th

an t

he U

.S.

Nat

ions

Ave

rage

Fran

ce55

7R

ussi

an F

eder

atio

n54

2Sw

itzer

land

533

Aus

tral

ia52

5D

enm

ark

522

Cyp

rus

518

Lith

uani

a51

6G

reec

e51

3Sw

eden

512

Can

ada

509

Slov

enia

475

From

: Pur

suin

g E

xcel

lenc

e: A

Stu

dy o

f U.S

. Tw

elft

h-G

rade

Mat

hem

atic

s an

d Sc

ienc

e A

chie

vem

ent i

n In

tern

atio

nal C

onte

xt

Not

Sig

nifi

cant

ly D

iffe

rent

tha

n th

e U

.S.

Nat

ions

Ave

rage

Ital

y47

4C

zech

Rep

ublic

469

Ger

man

y46

5U

nite

d St

ates

442

Aus

tria

436

Sign

ific

antl

y L

ower

tha

n th

e U

.S.

Nat

ions

Ave

rage

Non

e

Inte

rnat

iona

l Ave

rage

= 5

01

TIM

SS A

chie

vem

ent

Res

ults

Pop

ulat

ion

3—P

hysi

csN

atio

ns w

ith

Ave

rage

Sco

res

1-18

Sign

ific

antl

y H

ighe

r th

an t

he U

.S.

Nat

ions

Ave

rage

Nor

way

581

Swed

en57

3R

ussi

an F

eder

atio

n54

5D

enm

ark

534

Slov

enia

523

Ger

man

y52

2A

ustr

alia

518

Cyp

rus

494

Lat

via

488

Switz

erla

nd48

8G

reec

e48

6C

anad

a48

5Fr

ance

466

Cze

ch R

epub

lic45

1

From

: Pur

suin

g E

xcel

lenc

e: A

Stu

dy o

f U.S

. Tw

elft

h-G

rade

Mat

hem

atic

s an

d Sc

ienc

e A

chie

vem

ent i

n In

tern

atio

nal C

onte

xt

Not

Sig

nifi

cant

ly D

iffe

rent

tha

n th

e U

.S.

Nat

ions

Ave

rage

Aus

tria

435

Uni

ted

Stat

es42

3

Sign

ific

antl

y L

ower

tha

n th

e U

.S.

Nat

ions

Ave

rage

Non

e

Inte

rnat

iona

l Ave

rage

= 5

01

How

Do

Our

Bes

t F

ourt

h-G

rade

rsSt

ack

Up?

Perc

enta

ge o

f F

ourt

h-G

rade

rs (

Popu

latio

n 1)

in th

e W

orld

’s T

op 1

0%

1-19

From

: Pur

suin

g E

xcel

lenc

e: A

Stu

dy o

f U.S

. Fou

rth-

Gra

de M

athe

mat

ics

and

Scie

nce

Ach

ieve

men

t in

Inte

rnat

iona

l Con

text

Uni

ted

Stat

es

Sing

apor

e

Japa

n

0%10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

100%

Scie

nce

Mat

hem

atic

s

9

39

2316

1111

How

Do

Our

Bes

t E

ight

h-G

rade

rsSt

ack

Up?

Perc

enta

ge o

f E

ight

h-G

rade

rs (

Popu

latio

n 2)

in th

e W

orld

’s T

op 1

0%

1-20

From

: Pur

suin

g E

xcel

lenc

e: A

Stu

dy o

f U.S

. Eig

hth-

Gra

de M

athe

mat

ics

and

Scie

nce

Ach

ieve

men

t in

Inte

rnat

iona

l Con

text

0%10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

100%

Uni

ted

Stat

es

Sing

apor

e

Japa

n

Scie

nce

Mat

hem

atic

s

5

45

32

13

31

18

Perf

orm

ance

of U

.S. 8

th-G

rade

rs in

Mat

hem

atic

sC

ompa

red

to t

he I

nter

nati

onal

Ave

rage

1-21

Abo

ut A

vera

ge

—A

lgeb

ra

—D

ata

Rep

rese

ntat

ion,

Ana

lysi

s, a

nd P

roba

bilit

y

—Fr

actio

ns a

ndN

umbe

r Se

nse

Wor

se t

han

Ave

rage

—G

eom

etry

—M

easu

rem

ent

—Pr

opor

tiona

lity

From

: Pur

suin

g E

xcel

lenc

e: A

Stu

dy o

f U.S

. Eig

hth-

Gra

de M

athe

mat

ics

and

Scie

nce

Ach

ieve

men

t in

Inte

rnat

iona

l Con

text

One

of

33 n

atio

ns w

ith n

o ge

nder

dif

fere

nces

Per

form

ance

of

U.S

. 8th

-Gra

ders

in S

cien

ceC

ompa

red

to t

he I

nter

nati

onal

Ave

rage

1-22

Bet

ter

than

Ave

rage

—E

nvir

onm

enta

l Iss

ues

and

the

Nat

ure

of S

cien

ce

—L

ife

Scie

nce

—E

arth

Sci

ence

Wor

se t

han

Ave

rage

—N

one

From

: Pur

suin

g E

xcel

lenc

e: A

Stu

dy o

f U.S

. Eig

hth-

Gra

de M

athe

mat

ics

and

Scie

nce

Ach

ieve

men

t in

Inte

rnat

iona

l Con

text

One

of

11 n

atio

ns w

ith n

o ge

nder

dif

fere

nces

Sum

mar

y: U

.S. T

IMSS

Res

ults

1-23

From

: P

ursu

ing

Exc

elle

nce:

A S

tudy

of F

ourt

h-G

rade

Mat

hem

atic

s an

d Sc

ienc

e A

chie

vem

ent;

Pur

suin

g E

xcel

lenc

e: A

Stu

dy o

f Eig

hth-

Gra

de M

athe

mat

ics

and

Scie

nce

Ach

ieve

men

t; a

nd P

ursu

ing

Exc

elle

nce:

A S

tudy

of T

wel

fth-

Gra

de M

athe

mat

ics

and

Scie

nce

Ach

ieve

men

t

430

460

490

520

550

580

Scie

nce

Inte

rnat

iona

lA

vera

geSc

ienc

e

Inte

rnat

iona

lA

vera

geM

athe

mat

ics

Mat

hem

atic

s

Popu

latio

n 3

Popu

latio

n 2

Popu

latio

n 1

Achievement Results

565

545

534

500

500

500

513

480*

461*

* G

ener

al K

now

lege

524

529 51

6

Exp

lori

ng T

IMSS

Ach

ieve

men

t D

ata

1-24

•W

hat i

mpo

rtan

t poi

nts

seem

to b

e em

ergi

ng?

•W

hat p

atte

rns

or tr

ends

see

m to

be

emer

ging

?

•W

hat s

trik

es y

ou a

s su

rpri

sing

or

unex

pect

ed?

•W

hat q

uest

ions

do

thes

e da

ta r

aise

?

Sum

mar

y: A

chie

vem

ent

1-25

•T

he U

.S. s

tart

s st

rong

but

fal

ls f

urth

er a

nd f

urth

er b

ehin

d as

the

year

s of

sch

oolin

g pr

ogre

ss.

•B

y hi

gh s

choo

l, th

e U

.S. i

s at

or

near

the

botto

m.

•To

p U

.S. s

tude

nts

in P

opul

atio

n 1

are

abov

e th

e in

tern

atio

nal

aver

age

in s

cien

ce b

ut s

light

ly b

elow

in m

athe

mat

ics.

•To

p U

.S. s

tude

nts

in P

opul

atio

n 2

are

abov

e th

e in

tern

atio

nal

aver

age

in s

cien

ce b

ut b

elow

in m

athe

mat

ics.

Wha

t D

oes

TIM

SS S

ayab

out

Cur

ricu

lum

?

1-26

Scho

ol S

uppo

rtSy

stem

s

Ach

ieve

men

t

Cur

ricu

lum

Inst

ruct

ion

Wha

t do

es T

IMSS

mea

n by

cur

ricu

lum

?

1-27

•C

onte

nt in

tend

ed a

nd ta

ught

•O

rgan

izat

ion

of c

onte

nt

Issu

es R

elat

ed t

o C

urri

culu

m

1-28

•T

ime,

trac

king

, and

exp

ecta

tions

:

—T

ime

spen

t stu

dyin

g m

ath/

scie

nce;

—D

iffe

rent

exp

osur

e to

con

tent

and

ski

lls; a

nd

—E

xpec

tatio

ns f

or s

tude

nts.

From

: Glo

bal P

ersp

ecti

ves

for

Loc

al A

ctio

n

Issu

es R

elat

ed t

o C

urri

culu

m(c

onti

nued

)

1-29

•St

ruct

ure

of c

urri

culu

m:

—Fo

cus—

atte

ntio

n gi

ven

to s

ingl

e co

nten

t top

ics,

eith

erw

ithin

a s

ingl

e cl

ass

sess

ion

or a

cros

s cl

ass

sess

ions

; and

—C

oher

ence

—“c

onne

cted

ness

” of

mat

h/sc

ienc

e id

eas

and

skill

s pr

esen

ted

to s

tude

nts

over

tim

e.

From

: Glo

bal P

ersp

ecti

ves

for

Loc

al A

ctio

n

Num

ber

of T

opic

s in

Mat

hem

atic

s Te

xtbo

oks

1-30

From

: A S

plin

tere

d Vi

sion

: A

n In

vest

igat

ion

of U

.S. S

cien

ce a

nd M

athe

mat

ics

Edu

cati

on

The

gra

y ba

rs e

xten

d fr

om th

e 25

th p

erce

ntile

to th

e 75

th p

erce

ntile

for

the

num

ber

of to

pics

am

ong

coun

trie

s st

udie

d in

the

TIM

SS c

urri

culu

m a

naly

sis.

The

bla

ck li

ne w

ithin

eac

h gr

ay b

ar

indi

cate

s th

e m

edia

n nu

mbe

r of

topi

cs f

or e

ach

popu

latio

n. G

erm

an te

xtbo

ok d

ata

wer

e no

t av

aila

ble

for

Popu

latio

ns 1

and

3.

010

1520

25

Num

ber

of t

opic

s

3035

4044

5

U.S

.G

erm

any

Japa

n

Pop

3

Pop

2

Pop

1

Num

ber

of T

opic

s in

Scie

nce

Text

book

s

1-31

From

: A S

plin

tere

d Vi

sion

: A

n In

vest

igat

ion

of U

.S. S

cien

ce a

nd M

athe

mat

ics

Edu

cati

on

05

1015

2025

3035

4045

5055

6065

7075

80

Num

ber

of t

opic

s

U.S

.G

erm

any

Japa

n

Pop

3

Pop

2

Pop

1

The

gra

y ba

rs e

xten

d fr

om th

e 25

th p

erce

ntile

to th

e 75

th p

erce

ntile

for

the

num

ber

of to

pics

am

ong

coun

trie

s st

udie

d in

the

TIM

SS c

urri

culu

m a

naly

sis.

The

bla

ck li

ne w

ithin

eac

h gr

ay b

ar

indi

cate

s th

e m

edia

n nu

mbe

r of

topi

cs f

or e

ach

popu

latio

n. G

erm

an te

xtbo

ok d

ata

wer

e no

t av

aila

ble

for

Popu

latio

ns 1

and

3.

Mak

ing

Sens

e of

the

Cur

ricu

lum

Dat

a

1-32

•W

hat m

eani

ng d

o yo

u m

ake

of th

ese

curr

icul

um d

ata?

•W

hat q

uest

ions

do

they

rai

se a

bout

U.S

. cur

ricu

lum

in s

choo

lsan

d in

hig

her

educ

atio

n?

•D

o yo

u se

e an

y co

nnec

tions

bet

wee

n th

e cu

rric

ulum

dat

a an

d th

e ac

hiev

emen

t dat

a?

•W

hat n

ext s

teps

mig

ht b

e ta

ken?

Sum

mar

y P

oint

s

1-33

•C

urri

culu

m m

atte

rs.

•U

.S. m

ath

and

scie

nce

curr

icul

a la

ck f

ocus

and

coh

eren

ce.

•U

.S. m

ath

and

scie

nce

curr

icul

a ha

ve lo

wer

exp

ecta

tions

than

mos

t hig

h-ac

hiev

ing

natio

ns.

Wha

t D

oes

TIM

SS S

ayab

out

Inst

ruct

ion?

1-34

Scho

ol S

uppo

rtSy

stem

s

Ach

ieve

men

t

Cur

ricu

lum

Inst

ruct

ion

Ove

rvie

w o

f Vid

eota

pe S

tudy

1-35

•Fi

rst o

f its

kin

d

•N

atio

nally

rep

rese

ntat

ive

sam

ple

of P

opul

atio

n 2

mat

hem

atic

scl

assr

oom

s in

Ger

man

y, J

apan

, and

the

U.S

.

•Pu

rpos

es

—To

des

crib

e te

achi

ng p

ract

ices

in e

ach

natio

n

—To

look

at t

each

ing

with

a f

resh

per

spec

tive

—To

enc

oura

ge r

efle

ctio

n

From

: Glo

bal P

ersp

ecti

ves

for

Loc

al A

ctio

n

Vid

eo S

tudy

Ana

lyze

d

1-36

•Te

ache

rs’ g

oals

for

less

ons

•T

reat

men

t of

conc

epts

and

app

licat

ions

•Pr

esen

ce o

f al

tern

ativ

e so

lutio

n m

etho

ds

•H

ow m

athe

mat

ical

pri

ncip

les,

pro

pert

ies,

and

def

initi

ons

wer

e us

ed

•W

heth

er p

roof

s w

ere

incl

uded

•W

heth

er c

once

pts

wer

e co

nnec

ted

•T

he k

inds

of

task

s as

sign

ed

The

NR

C R

epor

t L

ooks

at

1-37

•St

ruct

ure

of le

sson

s

•O

bjec

tives

•B

elie

fs

•Sc

ript

s

From

: Glo

bal P

ersp

ecti

ves

for

Loc

al A

ctio

n

Que

stio

ns fo

r V

ideo

Vie

win

g

1-38

•H

ow d

oes

the

teac

her

intr

oduc

e th

e co

ncep

t?

•W

hat i

s th

e di

ffer

ence

bet

wee

n ho

w th

e st

uden

ts a

re e

ngag

edin

the

U.S

. cla

ssro

om a

nd in

the

Japa

nese

cla

ssro

om?

•H

ow c

halle

ngin

g is

the

mat

hem

atic

s co

nten

t sup

port

ed b

y th

e le

sson

s?

Ave

rage

Gra

de L

evel

of

Con

tent

in

the

Vid

eota

ped

Les

sons

by

Int

erna

tion

al S

tand

ards

1-39

From

: The

TIM

SS V

ideo

tape

Cla

ssro

om S

tudy

01s

t2n

d3r

d4t

h5t

h6t

h7t

h8t

h9t

h10

th

Ger

man

yJa

pan

Uni

ted

Stat

es

Average Grade Level

7.4

9.1

8.7

Les

son

Stru

ctur

e—Pe

rcen

tage

s of M

ath

Task

sth

at S

tude

nts D

ecid

e H

ow to

Sol

ve R

athe

r th

an U

sing

a T

each

er-P

resc

ribe

d M

etho

d

1-40

From

: The

TIM

SS V

ideo

tape

Cla

ssro

om S

tudy

0102030405060708090100

U.S

.G

erm

any

Japa

n

Percentage of Tasks

Per

cen

tage

s of

8th

-Gra

de

Mat

hem

atic

sL

esso

ns

wit

h I

nst

ance

s of

M

ath

emat

ical

(D

edu

ctiv

e) T

hin

kin

g

1-4

1

Fro

m:

Th

e T

IMS

S V

ideo

tap

e C

lass

roo

m S

tud

y

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

10

0

U.S

.G

erm

any

Jap

an

0

20

61

Percentage of Lessons

Mak

ing

Con

nect

ions

1-42

•W

hat m

eani

ng d

o yo

u m

ake

of th

ese

teac

hing

dat

a?

•W

hat q

uest

ions

do

they

rai

se a

bout

pra

ctic

es in

sch

ools

and

in

high

er e

duca

tion?

•W

hat n

ext s

teps

mig

ht b

e ta

ken?

Sum

mar

y—St

ruct

ure

of L

esso

ns

1-43

U.S

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1-44

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1-45

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1-46

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ultu

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uden

t atti

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From

: Glo

bal P

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1-47

From

: Sci

ence

Ach

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men

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the

Mid

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8th-

grad

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s

1-48

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se te

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rs h

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port

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dis

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teac

hers

in J

apan

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s

1-49

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ions

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1-50

1-51

“Edu

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tend

to o

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”

From

: Glo

bal P

ersp

ecti

ves

for

Loc

al A

ctio

n

121

Global Perspectives for Local Action:Framing the Dialogue

1-1

School SupportSystems

Achievement

Curriculum Instruction

Goals

1-2

• To provide an overview of findings of the Global Perspectives for Local Action: Using TIMSS to Improve U.S. Mathematics and Science Education report and its implications for differentaudiences; and

• To highlight the value of using TIMSS as a catalyst for reflection and improvement.

Agenda

1-3

• What Is TIMSS, and What Is the NRC Report?

• What Are the Key Findings of the Report?

• How Do the Different Pieces of TIMSS Interconnect?

• What Are the Implications for Further Reflection and Action?

Module 1: Framing the DialogueHandouts


Corners Activity

1-4

• Move to the corner of your choice.

• Discuss your choice with 2–3 others in your corner.

• Spokespeople from each corner share with whole group.

What Is TIMSS?

1-5

• Third International Mathematics and Science Study

• Largest and most comprehensive study of math/science education ever conducted

• Involved more than 1/2 million students in Population 1 (9-year-olds); Population 2 (13-year-olds); and Population 3(final year of secondary school)

• Spanned 41 countries

What Did TIMSS Study?

1-6

• Achievement in mathematics and science

• Curriculum practices

• Instructional practices

• Influences on teachers and students inside and outsidethe classroom


Why should we care about TIMSS?

1-7

• Recognize the importance of math/science education to theeconomy and quality of life

• Learn about alternative ways of dealing with educational challenges

• Gain insights into teaching and learning internationally

• Reexamine conventional practices

• Consider new possibilities for U.S. education

Why another report on TIMSS?

1-8

The NRC report

• Takes a comprehensive approach;

• Addresses a range of stakeholders;

• Informs rather than prescribes; and

• Raises questions for local investigation and changes.

What’s in the NRC Report?

1-9

• Summary of the TIMSS findings

• Description of TIMSS

• What TIMSS says about curriculum

• What TIMSS says about instruction

• What TIMSS says about school support systems

• Answers to frequently asked questions


What Does TIMSS Sayabout Student Achievement?

1-10


Achievement


TIMSS Achievement ResultsPopulation 1—Science

Nations with Average Scores

1-11

Significantly Higher than the U.S.

Nations AverageKorea 597

From: Pursuing Excellence: A Study of U.S. Fourth-Grade Mathematics and Science Achievement in International Context

Not Significantly Different than the U.S.

Nations AverageJapan 574United States 565Austria 565Australia 562Netherlands 557Czech Republic 557

Significantly Lower than the U.S.

Nations AverageEngland 551Canada 549Singapore 547Slovenia 546Ireland 539Scotland 536Hong Kong 533Hungary 532New Zealand 531Norway 530Latvia (LSS) 512Israel 505Iceland 505Greece 497Portugal 480Cyprus 475Thailand 473Iran, Islamic Republic 416Kuwait 401

International Average = 524

TIMSS Achievement ResultsPopulation 1—Mathematics


1-12


Nations AverageSingapore 625Korea 611Japan 597Hong Kong 587Netherlands 577Czech Republic 567Austria 559



Nations AverageSlovenia 552Ireland 550Hungary 548Australia 546United States 545Canada 532Israel 531


Nations AverageLatvia (LSS) 525Scotland 520England 513Cyprus 502Norway 502New Zealand 499Greece 492Thailand 490Portugal 475Iceland 474Iran, Islamic Republic 429Kuwait 400



TIMSS Achievement ResultsPopulation 2—Science


1-13


Nations AverageSingapore 607Czech Republic 574Japan 571Korea 565Bulgaria 565Netherlands 560Slovenia 560Austria 558Hungary 554

From: Pursuing Excellence: A Study of U.S. Eighth-Grade Mathematics and Science Achievement in International Context


Nations AverageEngland 552Belgium-Flemish 550Australia 545Slovak Republic 544Russian Federation 538Ireland 538Sweden 535United States 534Germany 531Canada 531Norway 527New Zealand 525Thailand 525Israel 524Hong Kong 522Switzerland 522Scotland 517


Nations AverageSpain 517France 498Greece 497Iceland 494Romania 486Latvia (LSS) 485Portugal 480Denmark 478Lithuania 476Belgium-French 471Iran, Islamic Republic 470Cyprus 463Kuwait 430Colombia 411South Africa 326


TIMSS Achievement ResultsPopulation 2—Mathematics


1-14


Nations AverageSingapore 643Korea 607Japan 605Hong Kong 588Belgium-Flemish 565Czech Republic 564Slovak Republic 547Switzerland 545Netherlands 541Slovenia 541Bulgaria 540Austria 539France 538Hungary 537Russian Federation 535Australia 530Ireland 527Canada 527Belgium-French 526Sweden 519



Nations AverageThailand 522Israel 522Germany 509New Zealand 508England 506Norway 503Denmark 502United States 500Scotland 498Latvia (LSS) 493Spain 487Iceland 487Greece 484Romania 482


Nations AverageLithuania 477Cyprus 474Portugal 454Iran, Islamic Republic 428Kuwait 392Colombia 385South Africa 354


TIMSS Achievement ResultsPopulation 3—Science: General Knowledge


1-15


Nations AverageSweden 559Netherlands 558Iceland 549Norway 544Canada 532New Zealand 529Australia 527Switzerland 523Austria 520Slovenia 517Denmark 509

From: Pursuing Excellence: A Study of U.S. Twelfth-Grade Mathematics and Science Achievement in International Context


Nations AverageGermany 497France 487Czech Republic 487Russian Federation 481United States 480Italy 475Hungary 471Lithuania 461


Nations AverageCyprus 448South Africa 349



TIMSS Achievement ResultsPopulation 3—Mathematics: General Knowledge


1-16


Nations AverageNetherlands 560Sweden 552Denmark 547Switzerland 540Iceland 534Norway 528France 523New Zealand 522Australia 522Canada 519Austria 518Slovenia 512Germany 495Hungary 483



Nations AverageItaly 476Russian Federation 471Lithuania 469Czech Republic 466United States 461


Nations AverageCyprus 446South Africa 356


TIMSS Achievement ResultsPopulation 3—Advanced Mathematics


1-17


Nations AverageFrance 557Russian Federation 542Switzerland 533Australia 525Denmark 522Cyprus 518Lithuania 516Greece 513Sweden 512Canada 509Slovenia 475



Nations AverageItaly 474Czech Republic 469Germany 465United States 442Austria 436


Nations AverageNone


TIMSS Achievement ResultsPopulation 3—Physics


1-18


Nations AverageNorway 581Sweden 573Russian Federation 545Denmark 534Slovenia 523Germany 522Australia 518Cyprus 494Latvia 488Switzerland 488Greece 486Canada 485France 466Czech Republic 451



Nations AverageAustria 435United States 423


Nations AverageNone



How Do Our Best Fourth-GradersStack Up?

Percentage of Fourth-Graders (Population 1) in the World’s Top 10%

1-19

From: Pursuing Excellence: A Study of U.S. Fourth-Grade Mathematics and Science Achievement in International Context�United States

Singapore

Japan

0%10%20%30%40%50%

100%

ScienceMathematics��9

39

23 1611 11

How Do Our Best Eighth-GradersStack Up?

Percentage of Eighth-Graders (Population 2) in the World’s Top 10%

1-20


0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

100%

�United States

Singapore

Japan

ScienceMathematics

5

45

32

13

31

18��Performance of U.S. 8th-Graders in Mathematics

Compared to the International Average

1-21

About Average

— Algebra

— Data Representation,Analysis, and Probability

— Fractions andNumber Sense

Worse than Average

— Geometry

— Measurement

— Proportionality


One of 33 nations with no gender differences


Performance of U.S. 8th-Graders in ScienceCompared to the International Average

1-22

Better than Average

— Environmental Issuesand the Nature of Science

— Life Science

— Earth Science

Worse than Average

— None


One of 11 nations with no gender differences

Summary: U.S. TIMSS Results

1-23

From: Pursuing Excellence: A Study of Fourth-Grade Mathematics and Science Achievement; Pursuing Excellence: A Study of Eighth-Grade Mathematics and Science Achievement; and Pursuing Excellence: A Study of Twelfth-Grade Mathematics and Science Achievement

430

460

490

520

550

580

�Science

InternationalAverageScience

InternationalAverageMathematics

Mathematics

Population 3Population 2Population 1��Achievem

ent R

esul

ts

565545

534

500 500 500513

480*

461*

* General Knowlege

524 529516

Exploring TIMSS Achievement Data

1-24

• What important points seem to be emerging?

• What patterns or trends seem to be emerging?

• What strikes you as surprising or unexpected?

• What questions do these data raise?


Summary: Achievement

1-25

• The U.S. starts strong but falls further and further behind as theyears of schooling progress.

• By high school, the U.S. is at or near the bottom.

• Top U.S. students in Population 1 are above the internationalaverage in science but slightly below in mathematics.

• Top U.S. students in Population 2 are above the international average in science but below in mathematics.

What Does TIMSS Sayabout Curriculum?

1-26


Achievement


What does TIMSS mean by curriculum?

1-27

• Content intended and taught

• Organization of content


Issues Related to Curriculum

1-28

• Time, tracking, and expectations:

— Time spent studying math/science;

— Different exposure to content and skills; and

— Expectations for students.

From: Global Perspectives for Local Action

Issues Related to Curriculum(continued)

1-29

• Structure of curriculum:

— Focus—attention given to single content topics, eitherwithin a single class session or across class sessions; and

— Coherence—“connectedness” of math/science ideas andskills presented to students over time.


Number of Topics inMathematics Textbooks

1-30

From: A Splintered Vision: An Investigation of U.S. Science and Mathematics Education

The gray bars extend from the 25th percentile to the 75th percentile for the number of topics among countries studied in the TIMSS curriculum analysis. The black line within each gray bar indicates the median number of topics for each population. German textbook data were not available for Populations 1 and 3.

0 10 15 20 25

Number of topics

30 35 40 445

U.S.GermanyJapan

Pop 3

Pop 2

Pop 1


Number of Topics inScience Textbooks

1-31


0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80

Number of topics

U.S.GermanyJapan

Pop 3

Pop 2

Pop 1


Making Sense of the Curriculum Data

1-32

• What meaning do you make of these curriculum data?

• What questions do they raise about U.S. curriculum in schoolsand in higher education?

• Do you see any connections between the curriculum data and the achievement data?

• What next steps might be taken?

Summary Points

1-33

• Curriculum matters.

• U.S. math and science curricula lack focus and coherence.

• U.S. math and science curricula have lower expectations thanmost high-achieving nations.


What Does TIMSS Sayabout Instruction?

1-34


Achievement


Overview of Videotape Study

1-35

• First of its kind

• Nationally representative sample of Population 2 mathematicsclassrooms in Germany, Japan, and the U.S.

• Purposes

— To describe teaching practices in each nation

— To look at teaching with a fresh perspective

— To encourage reflection


Video Study Analyzed

1-36

• Teachers’ goals for lessons

• Treatment of concepts and applications

• Presence of alternative solution methods

• How mathematical principles, properties, and definitions were used

• Whether proofs were included

• Whether concepts were connected

• The kinds of tasks assigned


The NRC Report Looks at

1-37

• Structure of lessons

• Objectives

• Beliefs

• Scripts


Questions for Video Viewing

1-38

• How does the teacher introduce the concept?

• What is the difference between how the students are engagedin the U.S. classroom and in the Japanese classroom?

• How challenging is the mathematics content supported by the lessons?

Average Grade Level of Content in the Videotaped Lessons by International Standards

1-39

From: The TIMSS Videotape Classroom Study

01st

2nd3rd4th5th6th7th8th9th

10th

GermanyJapanUnited States�Ave

rage

Gra

de L

evel 7.4

9.1 8.7


Lesson Structure—Percentages of Math Tasksthat Students Decide How to Solve Rather than Using a Teacher-Prescribed Method

1-40


0102030405060708090

100

U.S.GermanyJapan

Perc

enta

ge o

f Ta

sks

�Percentages of 8th-Grade Mathematics

Lessons with Instances of Mathematical (Deductive) Thinking

1-41


0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

100

U.S.GermanyJapan

0

20

61

Perc

enta

ge o

f L

esso

ns

�Making Connections

1-42

• What meaning do you make of these teaching data?

• What questions do they raise about practices in schools and in higher education?



Summary—Structure of Lessons

1-43

U.S. Lessons

• Contain lower level content than in Japan or Germany;

• Demand less mathematical reasoning; and

• Emphasize teacher-prescribed methods over student-invented solutions.


What Does TIMSS Sayabout School Support Systems?

1-44


Achievement


The Meaning of School Support Systems

1-45

• Preparation and support of teachers

• Attitudes toward the profession of teaching

• Attitudes of teachers, students, and parents toward learning

• Lives of teachers and students in and out of school


The NRC Report Looks at

1-46

• Teacher’s time;

• Teacher learning;

• Cultural influences on teaching; and

• Student attitudes.


Time to Collaborate: Percent ofScience Teachers Who Meet with

Other Teachers 1, 2, or 3 Times Per Week

1-47

From: Science Achievement in the Middle School Years and Science Achievement in the Primary School Years

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

100%

8th-grade teachers4th-grade teachers

Summary:School Support Systems

1-48

• Japanese teachers have more opportunities to discuss teaching.

• Beginning teachers in Japan have a structured induction plan.

• Japanese students watch as much TV as U.S. students but do better in school.

• Attitudes of U.S. students toward math/science are similar to the international average; they are positive and decline from the 4th grade to the 8th grade.


Making Connections:School Support System Findings

1-49

• What sense do you make of these findings?

• What questions do they raise about our practices in schoolsand in higher education?


What Are Some Implicationsfor Further Action

and Reflection?

1-50

1-51

“Educational systems tend to overcorrect for what is seen as aproblem and end up with a different situation that may be just as

unsatisfactory. We seek in this report to help decision-makersbalance the pendulum swings so as to make more likelysteady progress toward a better education in science and

mathematics for all our students and for our nation.”



ACTIONS TO IMPROVE MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE EDUCATION

Actions that Teachers Can Take

Get to know the results from TIMSS.Be cautious about jumping to conclusions about one aspect of the TIMSS find-

ings—keep in mind the connections of curriculum, instruction, and school cultureto overall student achievement.

Examine equity issues in your classroom.Working with an existing school planning or improvement group, gather data

to identify areas for improvement in mathematics and science learning, curricu-lum, instruction, and culture in your own school. Here are some possibilities forimprovement:

• Focus the curriculum by prioritizing curriculum topics and eliminating thelow priorities.

• Develop a curriculum framework based on the NCTM Standards and theNational Science Education Standards that identifies where and how funda-mental concepts and ideas are developed K–12.

• Adopt new professional development strategies, such as teacher-led studygroups for examining lessons.

• Conduct textbook review and curriculum selection with TIMSS findings inmind.

• Mentor new teachers.• Engage groups of teachers in micro-teaching lessons on the same topic.• Watch and discuss the TIMSS teacher videos with colleagues, then discuss

and consider the different teaching alternatives shown.• Use data to examine, analyze, and improve instruction.



Actions that Administrators Can Take

Learn what TIMSS found about mathematics and science instruction,curriculum, and school culture.

Watch and discuss the TIMSS teaching videos with other administrators andwith teachers.

Work with existing school or district planning, accreditation, or improvementgroups to investigate your own practices related to the TIMSS findings:

• How do your own students’ performances compare with the U.S. findings?• Explore your curriculum—how focused and coherent is it?• Examine the instruction—how challenging is it?• Consider your school culture—how collegial is it?

Encourage/organize ongoing professional development in math/science.Support teachers to make improvements in learning by providing time for learn-

ing and collegial exchanges.Create a mentor program for beginning teachers in your school. Protect all

teachers’ time so they have time to learn and reflect on practice.



Actions that Higher Education Faculty Can Take

Develop a curriculum framework based on the NCTM Standards and theNational Science Education Standards that identifies where and how fundamentalconcepts and ideas are developed K–12 and apply this framework within and acrossundergraduate mathematics and science programs and the teacher education pro-gram to increase focus and coherence. Examine whether the curriculum frame-work shows evidence of tracking or grouping of kinds of knowledge and explorethe implications for prospective teachers.

Map out what kinds of mathematics and science content all teacher educationstudents learn with your program. Explore the focus of this curriculum, its coher-ence, and the ways in which coherence exists between this disciplinary content andcontent related to instruction, such as methods, curriculum, and so on.

Help teacher education students learn the value of developing curriculumframeworks and topic tracing and engage them in doing this type of activity in theschools where they are observing or interning.

Examine the methods teaching faculty are using and explore alternatives.Share the TIMSS findings with schools in your area and in the clinical settings

through which you prepare pre-service teachers and work with in-service educators.Examine the ways and places in which your teacher education students learn

about curricular tracking. Share TIMSS findings with students and brainstormways in which they could engage in similar activities.

Organize a series of faculty seminars/discussions to view TIMSS videotapes asan opportunity to begin a serious discussion about visions of teaching. Use this asan opportunity to reflect on your program’s shared visions of goals for teachinglessons, how content gets represented, and desired scripts for lessons. Considerundertaking a video study of instruction in schools in which you are engaged (as sitesfor student teaching or collaborative research) that could extend these discussions.

Organize a seminar involving those most directly engaged in supporting field-based teacher education: university supervisors, collaborating teachers, andothers. Together, explore the report’s discussions of preparation and support ofteachers (and examine parts of the TIMSS case studies) to launch a discussionabout assumptions undergirding your program about how beginning teachers learnbest. Through discussion of TIMSS findings, examine how your program enacts itsown “cultural” beliefs about teacher autonomy, the meaning of professional devel-opment, stages of teacher learning, and so on. Reflect on implications of this forwho participates in supporting beginning teacher learning, the division of laborwithin that support community (of university and school people), and the alloca-tion of time given teacher education students for learning in the field. Include theTIMSS findings in courses to help pre-service and in-service teachers explore theimplications for their current or future instruction and curriculum planning.



Actions that the Interested Public (Parents and Business andCommunity Leaders) Can Take

Be cautious of simplistic solutions to complex problems, such as studentlearning, when considering potentially useful suggestions, such as using computersand/or calculators and lengthening the school day.

Promote the use of data-driven decision making and become aware of whatdata might be locally useful and how it can be gathered and used. Ask questionssuch as, How do we know that? What is the data? Could there be another con-tributor to the problem that hasn’t been considered?

Support improvements in your local schools by efforts such as volunteering tofind resources, bringing business or workforce perspectives into the schools,appreciating that time for professional development is needed, and remaining opento new ways of teaching and learning.

Make teachers and educational administrators in your community aware of theTIMSS findings.

Encourage existing planning and school improvement groups in your commu-nity to investigate the extent to which your schools’ actions reflect the TIMSSfindings.

Fund and/or support the development and implementation of standards-basedmathematics and science programs.



Actions that State Education Department Staff Can Take

Use textbook adoption processes to analyze curriculum based on TIMSS and tomake improvements in state-approved materials.

Review state curriculum frameworks for focus and coherence. Make adjust-ments to deepen the focus on key topics.

Support local educators in developing curriculum frameworks based on theNCTM Standards and the National Science Education Standards that identifywhere and how fundamental concepts and ideas are developed K–12. Do thisproviding resources and training in framework development.

Review policies on professional development to ensure that state funds that areprovided to local sites can be used to support teacher time to collaborate, ratherthan just to support their participation in expert-led workshops.

Provide summaries of the TIMSS data to all schools in your state.Create a lending library of TIMSS videos and other, related resources.


Gro

ups

of S

tude

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ied

in T

IMSS

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Module 2:Exploring Curriculum, Instruction, and

School Support Systems

OVERVIEW

The goal of Module 2 is to take participants who have gone though Module 1deeper into one, two, or all three of the major topics in the NRC’s Global Perspec-tives for Local Action report: curriculum, instruction, and school support systems.The module consists of three sessions ranging from 1 hour and 45 minutes to 2hours and 30 minutes each. These sessions may be combined for one 6-hour and15-minute day session (as reflected in the sample on the following page) or theymay be conducted individually. It is recommended that the sessions be presented inthe 2A, 2B, 2C sequence. Within each session, participants will learn more aboutthe key findings of TIMSS and explore implications for their own work. Theprimary audiences for Module 2 are school and district administrators and teachersand higher education administrators and faculty.


Sample Schedule of Module 2: Full-day Session with 2A, 2B, and 2C

Time Activities

8:30 2A.1, 2B.1, Welcome, overview, purpose, and agenda (5 minutes)and 2C.1

8:35 2A.2 Making meaning from TIMSS data on curriculum(45 minutes)

9:20 2A.3 Implications and questions raised by the data (20 minutes)

9:40 2A.4 Curriculum focus and coherence lecture (brief) withdiscussion (20 minutes)

10:00 2A.5 Issues for further reflection and dialogue (30 minutes)

10:30 Break

10:45 2B.2 Brief overview of videotape study (5 minutes)

10:50 2B.3 Set up for video viewing (10 minutes)

11:00 2B.4 Video viewing and discussion (60 minutes)

12:00 Lunch

12:45 2B.5 Key findings (20–30 minutes)

1:15 2B.6 Issues for further reflection and dialogue (40 minutes)

1:55 2C.2 What do we mean by school support systems? (20 minutes)

2:15 2C.3 Collegiality and professional development of teachers(20 minutes)

2:35 2C.4 “The Secret of Trapezes” video (30 minutes)

3:05 2C.5 Issues for further reflection and dialogue (30 minutes)

3:35 Wrap up/evaluation (10 minutes)

147

GOALS

• To explore what TIMSS found in its study of U.S. mathematics and sciencecurricula as compared with curricula from other countries;

• To understand what makes curriculum focused and coherent;• To explore factors that contribute to the lack of focus in U.S. classrooms and

the lack of connections between curriculum, instruction, and school sup-ports; and

• To identify issues for further reflection and dialogue and possible action toimprove the mathematics and science curricula in participants’ own schools,districts, and/or higher education institutions.

ACTIVITIES

2A.1 Overview of Goals and Agenda (5 minutes)2A.2 Making Meaning from TIMSS Data on Curriculum (45 minutes)2A.3 Implications and Questions Raised by the Data (20 minutes)2A.4 Curriculum Focus and Coherence: Brief Lecture with Discussion

(20 minutes)2A.5 Issues for Further Reflection and Dialogue (30 minutes)

Time: 2 hours



• Tables for groups of four• Overhead projector and screen• Newsprint and markers

Module 2A:What Does TIMSS Say about Curriculum?


• Paper for note-taking and pens/pencil, plus newsprint or transparencies andmarkers for recorders/reporters (For Activity 2A.5 you will need markers inseven different colors.)

Order in Advance

• Copies of the Global Perspectives for Local Action: Using TIMSS to Im-prove U.S. Mathematics and Science Education report for each participant(The report is available from the National Academy Press, 2101 ConstitutionAve., NW, Lockbox 285, Washington, D.C. 20055; Phone: (800) 624-6242[toll free] or (202) 334-3313 [in the Washington Metropolitan area].)

Make in Advance

• Overhead transparencies from masters for Module 2A in this guide (Notethat the masters are labeled Slides 2A-1 through 2A-35.) (Also needed aretransparencies from the masters of Slides 1-11 through 1-18 from Module 1.)7

• Seven stations around the room with one newsprint sheet at each labeled asfollows: 1) teachers, 2) administrators, 3) higher education faculty, 4) text-book and curriculum publishers, 5) state and local policy makers, 6) design-ers of student assessments, and 7) parents (Provide two differently coloredmarkers at each station.)

• For each table of four, four different packets with five pieces of TIMSS datain each packet (using Slides 2A-8 through 2A-11; 2A-13 through 2A-20; andSlides 1-11 through 1-18 from Module 1) (In each packet, use one slide fromslides labeled 2A-8 through 2A-11 plus two slides from 2A-13 through2A-20 plus two slides from 1-11 through 1-18.)

• Copies of handouts for this module (see pgs. 227–238) (one set per partici-pant) (Also copy the Module 1 handout on TIMSS Populations 1, 2, and 3from pg. 144 if needed.)

FACILITATOR NOTES

2A.1Overview of Goals and Agenda

(5 minutes)

• Welcome participants and provide them with copies of the handouts for thismodule. Then use Slides 2A-1 and 2A-2 to review the session’s goals andagenda. (If people do not know one another have them introduce themselvesat their individual tables.)


MODULE 2A: WHAT DOES TIMSS SAY ABOUT CURRICULUM? 149

2A.2Making Meaning from TIMSS Data on Curriculum

(45 minutes)

• Let participants know that this session is designed around a report preparedby the National Research Council (NRC) on the findings of the Third Inter-national Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). Tell them this portion ofthe session focuses on Chapter 3 of the report—“What Does TIMSS Sayabout the Mathematics and Science Curriculum?” (Show Slide 2A-3.)

The chapter draws on data from the analysis of 491 curriculum guides and628 textbooks from around the world collected as part of TIMSS. It alsopresents detailed information on teachers’ curriculum practices in the U.S.,Japan, and Germany from video and case studies and surveys.

The study documented the state of U.S. mathematics and science curricula,textbooks, and teaching practices in a cross-national context. TIMSS re-searchers concluded that the lack of a single coherent vision of how to edu-cate children in the U.S. today produces unfocused curricula and textbooksthat influence teachers to implement diffuse learning goals (Schmidt,McKnight, and Raizen, 1997d).

Using Slide 2A-4, tell participants that the NRC report’s section on cur-riculum looks at the content that is intended to be taught and the organizationof that content.

• Showing Slide 2A-5, say that TIMSS provides insights into major issuessurrounding curriculum, such as “Time and Tracking.” TIMSS provides dataon the amount of time that U.S. students spend studying mathematics andscience and on expectations for courses and programs of study. (See back-ground in Chapter 3 of the NRC report.)

• TIMSS also provides data on the “Structure of the Curriculum” along twodimensions—focus and coherence (show Slide 2A-6). Focus means the at-tention given to single topics either within single class sessions or acrossclass sessions. (See background in Chapter 3.) Coherence means the con-nectedness of the mathematics and science ideas and skills presented to stu-dents within a lesson and over an extended period of time within the curricu-lum. (See background in Chapter 3.) Tell participants they will explore theseand other issues about U.S. mathematics and science curricula.

• Ask participants to jot down their predictions of the differences betweenU.S. curriculum and curriculum from other countries (Slide 2A-7). Ask themto report their predictions at their tables and ask for two to three of these tobe shared with the whole group. As participants are doing this, place fourdifferent packets of TIMSS information on achievement and curriculum ateach table of four participants. Each packet should include two sheets (cop-ies of slides) from the “TIMSS Achievement Results,” which are displayedin Module 1 of this guide—Slides 1-11 through 1-18—and three differentdata displays from the slides for this module (2A), numbers 2A-8 through


2A-11 and 2A-13 through 2A-20. Most groups will need some help inter-preting Slides 2A-14 through 2A-17. Point out that the TIMSS researcherspicked the five longest topics in the textbooks and determined what percent-age of the total book they represented. It is one measure of the degree towhich a book treats a few topics in depth.

• Tell participants that they will be spending some time making sense ofTIMSS data. They now each have a packet with several pieces of data.They should examine their data, noting any patterns, what interests or sur-prises them, and their preliminary conclusions. As each participant finisheswith one set of data, he or she should switch packets with the next person.Each person should review all four packets at the table if time allows.

2A.3Implications and Questions Raised by the Data

(20 minutes)

• Give participants a chance to examine the data, allowing enough time so thateveryone has examined at least two of the packets of TIMSS information.Then have each group discuss what the data suggest to them and any insightsgained from looking at the curriculum data. Ask them to note questions thatthe data raised for them. Ask each group to have a recorder make a list oftheir findings and questions.

• Have the groups report out their findings. List questions on a blank transpar-ency or on newsprint. Ask groups what was surprising and how their find-ings relate to their predictions. (As the groups report out, show the slides ofthe data.)

2A.4Curriculum Focus and Coherence: Brief Lecture with Discussion

(20 minutes)

• Picking up on the conclusions the groups came to from their analysis, goback to the two primary curriculum areas of the report that you pointed outearlier (Sides 2A-5 and 2A-6). Beginning with time and tracking, brieflysummarize findings the group came up with and add points that were notraised, using Slides 2A-12, 2A-17, and 2A-19. (Refer to Chapter 3 of thereport for background information.)

Points to bring out in summary, using Slide 2A-21:— Time to teach mathematics and science is not the problem.— The U.S. tracks students through ability grouping starting in elemen-

tary school.— Because of the different patterns for tracking students in both high-

and low-performing countries, it is not possible to make a connectionbetween tracking and performance.


Stop after each topic and have participants discuss in table groups howthese findings compare with their findings.

• Ask participants to reflect on practices related to time and tracking (Slide2A-22).— How much time do students spend on mathematics and science in your

schools?— Are there different expectations for mathematics and science learning

for different groups of students? If so, are they justified? What are theybased on? How early in a student’s study of mathematics and sciencedo these expectations appear?

— How does your school measure the extent to which students are meet-ing expectations for mathematics and science learning? How can ex-pectations be increased? What is the anticipated outcome of increasedexpectations?

• Ask participants to think about the implications for action on time and track-ing (Slide 2A-23). Some examples are— Document and compare the expectations that teachers, students, and

parents have for the learning of mathematics and science.— Measure differences in opportunity to learn (time and participation in

elective courses) in your schools and district.• Then turn to focus and coherence. Using Slides 2A-24 and 2A-25, remind

participants what is meant by focus. Summarize key findings about focususing Slide 2A-26.

Points to bring out about focus:— The curriculum to which students are exposed is considered to be one

important factor associated with what students learn.Data: U.S. 8th grade students performed well in environmental and life

sciences, subjects emphasized in the middle-school curriculum. (Caution par-ticipants that they must be careful not to jump to quick answers or fixes sincethe design of the TIMSS research does not allow us to reach unambiguousconclusions about the cause-and-effect relationships between different partsof the data, such as the achievement data and the curriculum data. Neverthe-less, several of the U.S. TIMSS researchers [Schmidt et al.] have reachedtheir own conclusions about the connection between the number of topics inthe curriculum and student achievement. [In Module 3 individual schoolsand systems will have the opportunity to investigate this issue in their owncontext.].)— Other countries teach fewer content areas in any given year than does

the U.S. U.S. textbooks cover more mathematics and science topicareas than textbooks in other nations. The typical U.S. 8th- grade math-ematics textbook covers 35 topics, while the typical Japanese eighth-grade (or Population 2) textbook covers 7.


Data: The Number of Topics and Topic Segments graph (on Slide 2A-18)and other data show that U.S. lessons contain more topics (with less time andemphasis given for each topic) than lessons in Germany and Japan.

• Finally, look at the issue of coherence. Using Slide 2A-27, define coherenceand summarize any of the groups’ findings around coherence.

While showing Slides 2A-27 and 2A-28, make the following points aboutcoherence:— “Coherence is a measure of the connectedness of the mathematics and

science ideas and skills presented to students over an extended periodof time.” (Global Perspectives for Local Action, 1999)

Data: Overall, the videotape study found that “of 30 lessons analyzedfrom each country, 45% of the U.S. lessons, 76% of the German lessons, and92% of the Japanese lessons fit this criterion of coherence.” (Global Per-spectives for Local Action, 1999)— Other countries appear to teach subjects with greater depth and, as stu-

dents progress through school, with greater rigor.Data: Eighth-grade mathematics and science curricula in the U.S. pro-

vided more repetitive and less challenging material than other countries.Most other nations included topics from algebra, geometry, physics, andchemistry. U.S. 8th-graders engaged in less high-level mathematical reason-ing than do students in Germany and Japan.

Data: In their final year of school, the proportion of graduating studentstaking mathematics was lower in the U.S. (66 percent) than the average in allthe countries participating in the general knowledge assessments (79 per-cent). The same was also true for science (53 percent for the U.S. and 67percent for all the TIMSS countries).

• Ask participants to reflect on their practice with respect to focus and coher-ence (Slide 2A-29).— How many mathematics and science topics are covered each year in

your schools?— What connections among topics exist within the curriculum? How are

those connections made explicit to students from year to year, over theyear, from topic to topic, from lesson to lesson, and within a singlelesson? Should the connections be made more explicit, and, if so, how?

What might be the unintended negative consequences of a more focusedand coherent curriculum?

• Ask participants to consider the implications of actions to increase focus andcoherence. Possible examples:— Explicitly point out to students the connections among curricular ideas

by making concrete statements that connect current ideas or activitieswith those in other parts of the lesson or in previous lessons.

— Engage in the development of a K–12 curriculum framework. Identifythe curriculum’s big ideas and where they are addressed.


— Assess the quality of the curriculum. How rigorous is it? To whatextent does it encourage students to study topics in depth?

2A.5Issues for Further Reflection and Dialogue

(30 minutes)

• Make the connection between focus, coherence, and quality by describingthe judgments made in TIMSS about mathematics content (Slide 2A-30).(See Chapter 3 for background.) Show Slide 2A-31. Is this the picture ofmathematics and science education we want for U.S. children?

• What can be done? Some possibilities are (Slide 2A-32):— Examine the focus of your curriculum.— Increase curriculum depth in some areas.— Look for new opportunities to link new learning to what children al-

ready know.— Check alignment of curriculum with national or state standards.

• How do we get there? (Slide 2A-33)— That involves many people—teachers, parents, administrators, textbook

publishers, higher education faculty, test developers…• Post the seven labeled sheets of newsprint on the walls around the room.

There should be one for each of the role groups that needs to be involved inmaking improvements in U.S. education—teachers, administrators, highereducation faculty, textbook and curriculum publishers, state and localpolicymakers, designers of student assessments, and parents. Pose the ques-tion, “What actions are possible?”

• In their groups of four, ask participants to walk to their first newsprint andbrainstorm a list of the actions this audience can take to improve the math-ematics and science curricula. Ask one person for each group of four to be arecorder. Give each recorder a different colored marker so they can keeptrack of their own group’s ideas.

• After 3–5 minutes, have groups move to the next newsprint, reading what isthere and adding to it. When the groups reach their last stations, ask them toread the list, add to it, and then identify one to three high priority actions forthis audience to take. Report out the priority actions by audience group and/or have the participants walk around the room reading the lists and notingideas for their own next steps. (A starting list of action implications isincluded on Slide 2A-34.)

• Wrap up (Slide 2A-35). Ask participants to write down an insight they gainedand an action they intend to take drawing on the ideas generated in the carou-sel brainstorm. Ask participants to share a few insights and ideas with thewhole group.

• Point out that although this module concluded with a consideration of action


that can be taken, Module 3 contains a process for developing an action planthat should be completed before improvement efforts can begin. Are anymembers of the group interested in moving to Module 3 after completingModules 2B and 2C?

155


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Average Number perVideotaped Lesson

1.6

1.6

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1.9

2.3

Inte

rrup

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s in

Les

sons

2A-1

9

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Tim

e an

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rack

ing

2A-2

1

•T

ime

to s

tudy

mat

hem

atic

s an

d sc

ienc

e is

not

the

prob

lem

.

•U

.S. t

rack

s st

uden

ts th

roug

h ab

ility

gro

upin

g st

artin

g in

el

emen

tary

sch

ool.

•B

ecau

se o

f th

e di

ffer

ent p

atte

rns

for

trac

king

stu

dent

s in

bot

h hi

gh-

and

low

-per

form

ing

coun

trie

s, it

is n

ot p

ossi

ble

to m

ake

a co

nnec

tion

betw

een

trac

king

and

per

form

ance

.

Ref

lect

ion

on T

ime

and

Tra

ckin

g

2A-2

2

•H

ow m

uch

time

do s

tude

nts

spen

d on

mat

hem

atic

s an

d sc

ienc

e in

you

r sc

hool

s?

•A

re th

ere

diff

eren

t exp

ecta

tions

for

mat

hem

atic

s an

d sc

ienc

ele

arni

ng f

or d

iffe

rent

gro

ups

of s

tude

nts?

If

so, a

re th

eyju

stif

ied?

Wha

t are

thes

e ba

sed

on?

How

ear

ly in

a s

tude

nt's

st

udy

of m

athe

mat

ics

and

scie

nce

do th

ese

expe

ctat

ions

app

ear?

•H

ow d

oes

your

sch

ool m

easu

re th

e ex

tent

to w

hich

stu

dent

s ar

em

eetin

g ex

pect

atio

ns f

or m

athe

mat

ics

and

scie

nce

lear

ning

? H

ow c

an e

xpec

tatio

ns b

e in

crea

sed?

Wha

t is

the

antic

ipat

edou

tcom

e of

incr

ease

d ex

pect

atio

ns?

Impl

icat

ions

for

Act

ion

onT

ime

and

Tra

ckin

g

2A-2

3

•D

ocum

ent a

nd c

ompa

re th

e ex

pect

atio

ns th

at te

ache

rs, s

tude

nts,

and

pare

nts

have

for

the

lear

ning

of

mat

hem

atic

s an

d sc

ienc

efo

r di

ffer

ent g

roup

s of

stu

dent

s, s

uch

as b

oys,

com

pare

d to

gir

ls.

•M

easu

re d

iffe

renc

es in

opp

ortu

nity

to le

arn

(tim

e an

d pa

rtic

ipat

ion

in e

lect

ive

cour

ses)

in y

our

scho

ols

and

in

your

dis

tric

t.

•O

ther

s:

Stru

ctur

e of

Cur

ricu

lum

2A-2

4

Is it

foc

used

?Is

it c

oher

ent?

Foc

us

2A-2

5

“Atte

ntio

n gi

ven

to s

ingl

e co

nten

tar

eas

eith

er w

ithin

sin

gle

clas

ses

or a

cros

s cl

ass

sess

ions

.”

Foc

us

2A-2

6

•R

epet

ition

and

rev

iew

and

larg

e nu

mbe

rs o

f to

pics

may

cont

ribu

te to

lack

of

focu

s in

the

U.S

.

•T

he c

urri

culu

m to

whi

ch s

tude

nts

are

expo

sed

is c

onsi

dere

d to

be

one

impo

rtan

t fac

tor

asso

ciat

ed w

ith w

hat s

tude

nts

lear

n.

•O

ther

cou

ntri

es te

ach

few

er c

onte

nt a

reas

in a

ny g

iven

yea

rth

an d

oes

the

U.S

. U

.S. t

extb

ooks

cov

er m

ore

mat

hem

atic

s an

dsc

ienc

e to

pic

area

s th

an te

xtbo

oks

in o

ther

nat

ions

. The

typi

cal

U.S

. 8th

-gra

de m

athe

mat

ics

text

book

cov

ers

35 to

pics

, whi

leth

e ty

pica

l Jap

anes

e 8t

h-gr

ade

text

book

cov

ers

7.

Coh

eren

ce—

The

Sm

ooth

ly D

evel

opin

g St

ory

in M

athe

mat

ics

and

Scie

nce:

2A-2

7

•C

onne

cted

ness

of

the

mat

hem

atic

s or

sci

ence

idea

s an

d sk

ills

pres

ente

d to

stu

dent

s ov

er a

n ex

tend

ed p

erio

d of

tim

e

•In

volv

es a

rtfu

lly p

ieci

ng to

geth

er s

egm

ents

, cre

atin

g te

nsio

nsan

d di

lem

mas

, and

bui

ldin

g to

war

d a

conc

lusi

on

Coh

eren

ce

2A-2

8

•“I

n a

cohe

rent

cur

ricu

lum

, new

or

mor

e co

mpl

ex id

eas

and

skill

s bu

ild o

n pr

evio

us le

arni

ng, a

pplic

atio

ns a

re u

sed

tore

info

rce

prio

r le

arni

ng, a

nd e

xten

sive

rep

etiti

on is

avo

ided

.”G

loba

l Per

spec

tive

s fo

r L

ocal

Act

ion

•E

ight

h-gr

ade

mat

hem

atic

s an

d sc

ienc

e cu

rric

ula

in th

e U

.S.

prov

ide

mor

e re

petit

ive

and

less

cha

lleng

ing

mat

eria

l tha

n in

othe

r co

untr

ies.

•T

he o

rgan

izat

ion

of to

pics

in te

xtbo

oks

sugg

ests

that

topi

cs a

reno

t wel

l con

nect

ed; e

.g.,

U.S

. tex

ts h

ave

mor

e to

pics

mor

e w

idel

y sc

atte

red

acro

ss c

lass

ses

sion

s.

Ref

lect

ion

on F

ocus

and

Coh

eren

ce

2A-2

9

•H

ow m

any

mat

hem

atic

s an

d sc

ienc

e to

pics

are

cov

ered

eac

h ye

ar in

you

r sc

hool

s?

•W

hat c

onne

ctio

ns a

mon

g to

pics

exi

st w

ithin

the

curr

icul

um?

How

are

thos

e co

nnec

tions

mad

e ex

plic

it to

stu

dent

s fr

om

year

to y

ear,

from

topi

c to

topi

c, f

rom

less

on to

less

on, a

nd

with

in a

sin

gle

less

on?

Shou

ld c

onne

ctio

ns b

e m

ade

mor

e ex

plic

it, a

nd if

so,

how

?

Per

cent

age

of L

esso

ns R

ated

as

Hav

ing

Low

, Med

ium

, and

Hig

hQ

ualit

y M

athe

mat

ical

Con

tent

2A-3

0

From

: The

TIM

SS V

ideo

tape

Cla

ssro

om S

tudy

0102030405060708090100

Low

Med

ium

Hig

h

Japa

nG

erm

any

U.S

.

Percentage of Lessons Judgedof Low, Medium, or High Quality

Is t

his

the

mat

hem

atic

s an

dsc

ienc

e ed

ucat

ion

we

wan

t fo

rU

.S. c

hild

ren?

2A-3

1

Wha

t ca

n be

don

e?

2A-3

2

•E

xam

ine

the

focu

s of

you

r cu

rric

ulum

.

•In

crea

se c

urri

culu

m d

epth

in s

ome

area

s.

•L

ook

for

oppo

rtun

ities

to li

nk n

ew le

arni

ng to

wha

t chi

ldre

nal

read

y kn

ow.

•C

heck

alig

nmen

t of

curr

icul

um w

ith n

atio

nal o

r st

ate

stan

dard

s.

How

do

we

get

ther

e?

2A-3

3

•Te

ache

rs

•Pa

rent

s

•A

dmin

istr

ator

s

•Te

xtbo

ok P

ublis

hers

•H

ighe

r E

duca

tion

Facu

lty

•Te

st D

evel

oper

s

Impl

icat

ions

for

Act

ion

2A-3

4

•In

crea

se th

e co

here

nce

of th

e cu

rric

ulum

by

poin

ting

out t

heco

nnec

tions

am

ong

topi

cs.

•D

evel

op a

cur

ricu

lum

fra

mew

ork

base

d on

the

NC

TM

St

anda

rds

and

the

Nat

iona

l Sci

ence

Edu

cati

on S

tand

ards

that

id

entif

ies

whe

re a

nd h

ow f

unda

men

tal c

once

pts

and

idea

s ar

ede

velo

ped

K–1

2.

•A

sses

s th

e qu

ality

of

the

curr

icul

um. H

ow r

igor

ous

is it

? To

wha

t ext

ent d

oes

it en

cour

age

stud

ents

to s

tudy

topi

cs in

dep

th?

How

clo

sely

doe

s it

alig

n w

ith th

e co

nten

t in

the

NSE

S an

dN

CT

M S

tand

ards

?

•O

ther

s:

Wra

p U

p

2A-3

5

An

insi

ght y

ou h

ave

gain

ed.

An

actio

n yo

u in

tend

to ta

ke.

Goals

2A-1

• To establish that curriculum matters

• To explore what TIMSS tells us about mathematics and sciencecurriculums around the world

• To understand what makes curriculum focused and coherent

• To identify issues for further reflection and dialogue and possible actions to improve the mathematics and science curriculums in participants’ own schools, districts, or highereducation institutions

Agenda

2A-2

• Making Meaning of TIMSS Data

• Questions Raised by the Data

• Key Findings about Curriculum

• Issues for Reflection and Dialogue

What Does TIMSS Sayabout Curriculum?

2A-3


Achievement



Handouts

227


What do we mean by curriculum?

2A-4

Content that is intended and taught

Organization of the content

Time and Tracking

2A-5

• Time spent studying mathematics and science

• Different exposure to content and skills

• Expectations for students to learn mathematics and science

Structure of Curriculum

2A-6

FocusCoherence


Predictions about Curriculum

2A-7

United States Other Countries

U.S. Population 2Mathematics and Science Performance

Compared to International Average

2A-8

Better than Average

— Earth Science

— Life Science

— Environmental Issues and theNature of Science

Worse than Average

— Geometry

— Measurement

— Proportionality


Class Hours Population 1 Students Spendon Science and Mathematics Per Week

2A-9


0

2

4

6U.S.

International

MathematicsScience

Hou

rs


Hours Population 2 Students Spendon Science and Mathematics Per Year

2A-10


0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

�U.S.

Germany

Japan

Mathematics�Science�HoursPercentage of Population 3 Students

Taking Mathematics and Science

2A-11

From: Pursuing Excellence: A Study of Twelfth-Grade Mathematics and Science Achievement in International Context

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%U.S.

International

ScienceMathematics

Tracking

2A-12

• Japan offers a single curriculum for all students through the end of 9th grade.

• Germany sorts students into one of three types of schools at theend of 4th grade through examinations, ability grouping, andteacher recommendations.

• U.S. utilizes within-class grouping and individualization ofinstruction in elementary schools. In 8th grade, 80% of schools track students in mathematics and 17% in science. The trackinginto different mathematics and science classes continues in thehigh schools.



Number of Topics inMathematics Textbooks

2A-13



0 10 15 20 25

Number of topics

30 35 40 445

U.S.GermanyJapan

Pop 3

Pop 2

Pop 1

Number of Topics inScience Textbooks

2A-14


0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80

Number of topics

U.S.GermanyJapan

Pop 3

Pop 2

Pop 1


Fifth MostEmphasized Topic

Fourth MostEmphasized Topic

Third MostEmphasized Topic

Second MostEmphasized TopicMost Emphasized Topic

Plants, Fungi Physical Properties of Matter Animals Bodies of Water Earth's Physical Cycles

AnimalsPlants, Fungi

Organs,Tissues

Earth in the Solar System

Application of Sciencein Math and Technology

All TIMSSCountries(Average)

Japan

U.S.

50% 100%0%

Percentage of Total Curriculum

Attention Given to Science Topics in Population 1

2A-15


The five topics emphasized most in Population 1 science textbooks: On average, the five most emphasized topicsaccounted for just over 25% of U.S. science textbooks, compared to 70–75% internationally and for Japan.


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Second MostEmphasized Topic

LightWeather & ClimateClassificationof Matter

Dynamics ofMotion

Describe ChemicalChanges

Weather & ClimateDescribe ChemicalChanges

Life Processes:Energy Handling

Matter: ChemicalProperties

Matter: Physical Properties

Life Cycles ofOrganisms

Evolution,Speciation Diversity

History of Science and Technology

Earth Processes:Building, BreakingLandforms

Plants, FungiAnimalsOrgans, Tissues

Bodies of WaterRocks, Soil

Classificationof Matter

Applications of Science inMath & Technology

Applications of Science inMath & Technology

Bodies ofWater

Matter: Physical Properties Landforms Rocks, Soil

Energy Types,Sources,Conversions

Matter: Chemical Properties Electricity

Most Emphasized Topic

Third MostEmphasized Topic

Fourth MostEmphasized Topic

Fifth MostEmphasized TopicAll TIMSS

Countries(Average)

Germany

Japan

U.S. Composite

U.S. PhysicalScience

U.S. Earth Science

U.S. Life Science

100%50%0%

Attention Given to Science Topics inPopulation 2

2A-16

Percentage of Total Curriculum


The five topics emphasized most in Population 2 science textbooks: In Population 2 U.S. science books, about50% of the content was accounted for by the five most emphasized topics, compared to an international averageof about 60%. U.S. single area textbooks in physical science, life science, or earth science were highly focused, with the five most emphasized topics accounting for more of the books together than was true internationally.

��Grade 8 Mathematics Textbook PerformanceExpectations for Two Mathematical Topics—

“Congruence” and “Similarity”

2A-17


0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60% InternationalAverage

U.S.

Japan

Germany

ComplexCommunication

MathematicalReasoning

Investigatingand Problem

Solving

UsingComplex

Procedures

Equipment/Performing

RoutineProcedures

Knowing& Using

Vocabulary ��Textbooks require students to use a variety of thinkingabilities to understand mathematical topics, such as“congruence” and “similarity.” TIMSS researchers used a framework which identified six kinds of thinking abilities and labeled them “performance expectations” (e.g., knowing and using vocabulary, using complex procedures, etc.). The graph here displays the percent of each of these different performance expectations that are called for in the most widely used textbooks from three countries plus the international average. The graphshows that textbooks tend to use the least demanding type of performance expectation the most. Look for bars that show where textbooks also require higher levelthinking abilities more than the international average.

*Missing “bars” indicate that the performance expectationwas not included for this topic.

Average Number of Topics and TopicSegments in Germany, Japan, and the U.S.

2A-18


0

1

2

3

4Topics

TopicSegments

United StatesJapanGermany

Ave

rage

Num

ber

per

Vid

eota

ped

Les

son

1.6 1.61.3 1.3

1.92.3


Interruptions in Lessons

2A-19


0

10

20

30

40

100

JapanGermanyU.S.�% o

f L

esso

ns I

nter

rupt

ed

Percentage of Mathematics LessonsCharacterized as Coherent

(Population 2)

2A-20


0102030405060708090

100

JapanGermanyU.S.�% o

f To

tal L

esso

ns th

atA

re C

oher

ent

Time and Tracking

2A-21

• Time to study mathematics and science is not the problem.

• U.S. tracks students through ability grouping starting in elementary school.

• Because of the different patterns for tracking students in both high- and low-performing countries, it is not possible to make a connection between tracking and performance.


Reflection on Time and Tracking

2A-22

• How much time do students spend on mathematics and science in your schools?

• Are there different expectations for mathematics and sciencelearning for different groups of students? If so, are theyjustified? What are these based on? How early in a student's study of mathematics and science do these expectations appear?

• How does your school measure the extent to which students aremeeting expectations for mathematics and science learning? How can expectations be increased? What is the anticipatedoutcome of increased expectations?

Implications for Action onTime and Tracking

2A-23

• Document and compare the expectations that teachers, students,and parents have for the learning of mathematics and sciencefor different groups of students, such as boys, compared to girls.

• Measure differences in opportunity to learn (time and participation in elective courses) in your schools and in your district.

• Others:

Structure of Curriculum

2A-24

Is it focused?Is it coherent?


Focus

2A-25

“Attention given to single contentareas either within single classes

or across class sessions.”

Focus

2A-26

• Repetition and review and large numbers of topics maycontribute to lack of focus in the U.S.

• The curriculum to which students are exposed is considered to be one important factor associated with what students learn.

• Other countries teach fewer content areas in any given yearthan does the U.S. U.S. textbooks cover more mathematics andscience topic areas than textbooks in other nations. The typicalU.S. 8th-grade mathematics textbook covers 35 topics, whilethe typical Japanese 8th-grade textbook covers 7.

Coherence—The Smoothly Developing Story

in Mathematics and Science:

2A-27

• Connectedness of the mathematics or science ideas and skillspresented to students over an extended period of time

• Involves artfully piecing together segments, creating tensionsand dilemmas, and building toward a conclusion


Coherence

2A-28

• “In a coherent curriculum, new or more complex ideas andskills build on previous learning, applications are used toreinforce prior learning, and extensive repetition is avoided.”Global Perspectives for Local Action

• Eighth-grade mathematics and science curricula in the U.S. provide more repetitive and less challenging material than inother countries.

• The organization of topics in textbooks suggests that topics arenot well connected; e.g., U.S. texts have more topics more widely scattered across class sessions.

Percentage of Lessons Rated asHaving Low, Medium, and HighQuality Mathematical Content

2A-30


0102030405060708090

100

�Low

Medium

High

JapanGermanyU.S.��Percentage of Less

ons

Judg

edof

Low

, Med

ium

, or

Hig

h Q

ualit

y

Reflection on Focus and Coherence

2A-29

• How many mathematics and science topics are covered each year in your schools?

• What connections among topics exist within the curriculum? How are those connections made explicit to students from year to year, from topic to topic, from lesson to lesson, and within a single lesson? Should connections be made more explicit, and if so, how?


Is this the mathematics andscience education we want for

U.S. children?

2A-31

What can be done?

2A-32

• Examine the focus of your curriculum.

• Increase curriculum depth in some areas.

• Look for opportunities to link new learning to what childrenalready know.

• Check alignment of curriculum with national or state standards.

How do we get there?

2A-33

• Teachers

• Parents

• Administrators

• Textbook Publishers

• Higher Education Faculty

• Test Developers


Implications for Action

2A-34

• Increase the coherence of the curriculum by pointing out theconnections among topics.

• Develop a curriculum framework based on the NCTM Standards and the National Science Education Standards that identifies where and how fundamental concepts and ideas aredeveloped K–12.

• Assess the quality of the curriculum. How rigorous is it? Towhat extent does it encourage students to study topics in depth?How closely does it align with the content in the NSES andNCTM Standards?

• Others:

Wrap Up

2A-35

An insight you have gained.

An action you intend to take.

239

Module 2B:What Does TIMSS Say about Instructional Practices?

GOALS

• To explore differences in the structure of lessons, goals, and beliefs aboutteaching mathematics in the U.S, Germany, and Japan;

• To examine the “scripts” that shape the characteristics of a typical lesson ineach of these countries;

• To identify issues for further reflection and dialogue about teaching prac-tices in participants’ own schools, districts, and higher education institu-tions; and

• To assess how familiar U.S. teachers are with the National Council ofTeachers of Mathematics Standards.

ACTIVITIES

2B.1 Overview of Goals and Agenda (5 minutes)2B.2 Brief Overview of the Videotape Case Study (5 minutes)2B.3 Set Up for Video Viewing (10 minutes)2B.4 Video Viewing and Discussion: Japan and the U.S. (60 minutes)8

2B.5 Key Findings: Simple Jigsaw (30 minutes) or Brief Lecture with Discussion(20 minutes)

2B.6 Issues for Further Reflection and Dialogue (40 minutes)

Time: 2.5 hours

8 Adapted from Teachers Change: Improving K-12 Mathematics, by Cathy Cook and M. Christensen.Columbus, OH: Eisenhower National Clearinghouse, 1999.


SET-UP AND MATERIALS


• Tables for groups of four• Overhead projector and screen• Video projection unit with large screen or monitor• Newsprint and markers• Post-It notes (large) in two colors• Paper for note-taking and pens/pencils, plus newsprint or transparencies and

markers for recorders/reporters

Order in Advance

• Videos of U.S. and Japanese 8th grade geometry lessons included in “Eighth-Grade Mathematics Lessons: United States, Japan, and Germany” (from theTIMSS “toolkit”). (Check with your school district’s science or math coor-dinator or local university’s school of education to borrow their ResourceKit or kit or contact the Superintendent of Documents, P.O. Box 371954,Pittsburgh, PA 15250-7954; Phone: (202) 512-1800; FAX: (202) 512-2250;URL: http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/sale/prf/prf.html; e-mail:[email protected]. When ordering, ask for Attaining Excellence: A TIMSSResource Kit, GPO # 065-000-01013-5.)

Make in Advance

• Overhead transparencies from masters for Module 2B in this guide (Notethat the masters are labeled 2B-1 through 2B-31.)9

• Copies of the handouts for this module (see pgs. 309–319) (one set for eachparticipant) (Also copy the handout on the TIMSS Populations from Mod-ule 1 on pg. 144, if needed.)

• Copies of Slides 2B-6, “Prediction and Observation,” and 2B-9, “ComparingInstruction in Three Countries” (one set for each participant)

• Copies of four sections of Chapter 4 of the Global Perspectives for LocalAction report (one set of the four sections for each group of four participants)(The sections are entitled “Lesson Structure,” “Objectives of Lessons,”“Beliefs about Mathematics Teaching,” and “Teaching Scripts.”) (The reportis available from the National Academy Press, 2101 Constitution Ave., NW,Lockbox 285, Washington, D.C. 20055; Phone: (800) 624-6242 [toll free]or (202) 334-3131 [in the Washington Metropolitan area].)

• Table tents for each table


MODULE 2B: WHAT DOES TIMSS SAY ABOUT INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICES? 241

FACILITATOR NOTES

2B.1Overview of Goals and Agenda

(5 minutes)

• Welcome participants and provide them with copies of the handouts for thismodule. Use Slides 2B-1, 2B-2, and 2B-3 to provide an overview of thegoals and agenda.

2B.2Brief Overview of the Videotape Case Study

(5 minutes)

• Let participants know that Chapter 4 of the NRC report draws on both thevideotape study of eighth-grade mathematics in the U.S., Germany, and Ja-pan and on the background questionnaires given to administrators, teachers,and students. The next activity will focus on the videotape study and giveparticipants the opportunity to observe classrooms in the U.S. and Japan justas the researchers did. (Because of the time that would be required, thismodule does not include viewing and discussing the German classrooms.You can add this if you have an additional 30 minutes. Viewing video fromthe three countries will broaden participants’ perspectives and avoid a nar-row comparison between just the U.S. and Japan.)

• Use Slides 2B-4 and 2B-5 briefly to provide an overview of the videotapestudy. If participants have questions about the methodology or findings ofthe study, refer them to “Research Methods and Findings of the TIMSSVideotape Classroom Study” in the Moderator’s Guide to Eighth-GradeMathematics Lessons: United States, Japan, and Germany, which is part ofAttaining Excellence: A TIMSS Resource Kit (U.S. Department of Educa-tion, 1997d).

2B.3Set Up for Video Viewing

(10 minutes)

• Ask participants to predict what they think they will see in the video usingthe “Prediction and Observation” matrix, copies of which were made andhanded out (Slide 2B-6). The predictions will then provide a focus for par-ticipants’ video viewing.

• Suggest to participants that while they view the lesson, they focus on theirobservations, rather than on judgments or evaluations. They also shouldconsider issues or questions that the video segments raise for them. Clarifythe difference between observations (just the facts!) and issues, which arequestions about teaching and learning. For example, an issue raised by the


video for a teacher might be, “How can we deal more effectively with stu-dents’ confusion and frustration?” An issue for an administrator might be,“How can the administration support teachers in using more complex prob-lem solving in the classroom?” An issue for someone in higher educationmight be, “How can we better align our teacher preparation and mathematicsprograms with the most effective instructional practices in mathematics?”

2B.4Video Viewing and Discussion: Japan and the U.S.

(60 minutes)

• Show the video of the U.S. eighth-grade geometry lesson first. Then showthe Japanese video. (Field tests have found that participants tend to be lessdefensive when they view the videos in this order.)

• After viewing each video, ask participants individually to compare their ob-servations to their predictions and to record their observations on the matrix.Then have them share their observations with a partner. Encourage them totalk about what surprised them as well as what validated their assumptions.

• Next, have participants work in groups of four to discuss the issues or ques-tions raised by the videos. Using one color of Post-It notes, have partici-pants write each issue in the form of an open-ended question, one per Post-It.

• Discuss participants’ observations in the whole group, recording them onnewsprint. Then ask participants to share some of their issues. Let partici-pants know that their issues will continue to be collected as more of thefindings from the video study and the report are examined. Also let partici-pants know that they will form issue discussion groups later.

2B.5Key Findings: Simple Jigsaw

(30 minutes)OR

Brief Lecture with Discussion(20 minutes)

• Simple Jigsaw: Tell participants that now they are going to find out what theresearchers learned from analyzing the videos and what the authors of thereport highlighted. In groups of four, participants will read about four topicsfrom Chapter 4 of the NRC report—“Lesson Structure,” “Objectives ofLessons,” “Beliefs about Mathematics Teaching,” and “Teaching Scripts.”Use Slide 2B-7 as an advanced organizer for the material they will be cover-ing. Then go over the directions for the simple jigsaw on Slide 2B-8, whichparticipants will follow while continuing to work in groups of four. (If thenumbers are not even, make some groups of three. When it is time for a team


of three to learn about the fourth topic, have them join with a group of four.)The copies of the slide provided as a worksheet (Slide 2B-9) will help par-ticipants organize the information that they are learning from the jigsaw.

• After the jigsaw, ask participants in their groups of four to generate anyadditional issues or questions that this material raised. Have them add thesequestions to their collection of issue Post-Its, one item per Post-It.

• Brief lecture with discussion: This is a less time-consuming but also lessengaging alternative to the jigsaw. Use Slides 2B-10 through 2B-18 to pro-vide an overview of the major findings about structure. Stop and have par-ticipants discuss in table groups how these findings compare with their ob-servations. Then ask them to generate additional questions or issues aboutthese findings. Have them add these to their collection of Post-Its, one ques-tion or issue per Post-It (Slide 2B-19).

• Then go to Slides 2B-20 through 2B-29 to highlight the findings regardinginfluences on instructional practices and scripts (typical characteristics,including sequence, of typical lessons). Ask participants in their table groupsto reflect on these findings and add any new issues or questions to theirPost-Its.

2B.6Issues for Further Reflection and Dialogue

(40 minutes)

• In their groups of four, ask participants to cluster, categorize, and name theissues on their Post-Its (Slide 2B-30). Have them write the names of catego-ries on the second color of Post-Its provided. As they do this, circulate aroundthe room, observing the groups and identifying common themes. Put thethemes that lend themselves best to discussion on cardboard table tents. Cre-ate one theme for every four to eight participants.

• Ask participants to move to the table with the theme that they are most inter-ested in discussing. Ask them to assign a reporter and a recorder. Allowabout 20 minutes for discussion. Summarize with brief reporting out byeach group. If the group (or a subset of the group) intends to continue withModule 3, they should be encouraged to keep a record of their reflections forlater use.

• Wrap up by asking participants individually to reflect on an insight theygained or an action they intend to take (see Slide 2B-31). Share a few of eachof these—insights and actions—with the whole group.

• Point out that although this module concluded with a consideration of actionthat can be taken, Module 3 contains a process for developing an action planthat should be completed before improvement efforts can begin. Aremembers of the group interested in moving to Module 3 after Module 2C?

245

Module 2B:What Does TIMSS Say about

Instructional Practices?Slides

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at S

tude

nts

Dec

ide

How

to

Solv

e R

athe

r th

an U

sing

a T

each

er-P

resc

ribe

d M

etho

d

2B-1

1

From

: The

TIM

SS V

ideo

tape

Cla

ssro

om S

tudy

010203040100

U.S

.G

erm

any

Japa

n

Percentage of Tasks

Per

cent

ages

of

8th-

Gra

de M

athe

mat

ics

Les

sons

wit

h In

stan

ces

of

Mat

hem

atic

al (

Ded

ucti

ve) T

hink

ing

2B-1

2

From

: The

TIM

SS V

ideo

tape

Cla

ssro

om S

tudy

010203040506070100

U.S

.G

erm

any

Japa

n

0

20

61


Les

son

Stru

ctur

e—T

ype

of M

athe

mat

ics

Seat

wor

k

Wha

t do

you

thi

nk?

2B-1

3

•Pr

actic

e R

outin

e Pr

oced

ures

•A

pply

Con

cept

•In

vent

New

Sol

utio

ns/T

hink

•C

ompa

re J

apan

, Ger

man

y, U

.S.

Les

son

Stru

ctur

e—T

ype

of M

athe

mat

ics

Seat

wor

k

2B-1

4

From

: The

TIM

SS V

ideo

tape

Cla

ssro

om S

tudy

0102030405060708090100

Prac

tice

Proc

edur

e

App

lyC

once

pt

Inve

nt/

Thi

nk

Ger

man

yJa

pan

Uni

ted

Stat

es

Percentage of Time

44

15

41

1

9689

64

4

Test

s, Q

uizz

es, E

xter

nal E

xam

s

2B-1

5

•U

.S. m

ath

and

scie

nce

teac

hers

test

mor

e th

an a

ny o

ther

cou

ntry

.

•In

man

y co

untr

ies,

ext

erna

l exa

ms

requ

ire

exte

nded

stu

dent

re

spon

ses.

Les

sons

in W

hich

Cla

ss W

orke

d on

and

Shar

ed H

omew

ork

2B-1

6

From

: The

TIM

SS V

ideo

tape

Cla

ssro

om S

tudy

25

02

38

10

37


0102030405060100

Wor

ked

onho

mew

ork

Shar

edho

mew

ork

Ger

man

yJa

pan

Uni

ted

Stat

es

Cal

cula

tors

and

Com

pute

rs

2B-1

7

U.S

. tea

cher

s us

e ca

lcul

ator

s an

d co

mpu

ters

as

muc

h or

m

ore

than

teac

hers

in o

ther

cou

ntri

es w

hen

com

pare

d to

the

inte

rnat

iona

l ave

rage

.

From

: Pur

suin

g E

xcel

lenc

e: A

Stu

dy o

f U.S

. Tw

elft

h-G

rade

Mat

hem

atic

s an

d Sc

ienc

e A

chie

vem

ent i

n In

tern

atio

nal C

onte

xt

Les

son

Stru

ctur

e—Su

mm

ary

and

Ana

lysi

s

2B-1

8

U.S

. les

sons

…

•D

eman

d le

ss m

athe

mat

ical

rea

soni

ng

•E

mph

asiz

e ro

utin

e pr

oced

ures

ove

r in

vent

ing

som

ethi

ng n

ew

•U

se m

ore

clas

s tim

e fo

r ho

mew

ork

than

in J

apan

or

Ger

man

y

•U

se te

sts

mor

e th

an o

ther

cou

ntri

es

Stop

and

Dis

cuss

2B-1

9

•H

ow d

o th

ese

find

ings

com

pare

with

you

r ob

serv

atio

ns?

•W

hat a

dditi

onal

issu

es o

r qu

estio

ns d

o th

ey r

aise

for

you

?

Infl

uenc

es o

n In

stru

ctio

nal P

ract

ices

2B-2

0

•D

ecid

ing

Wha

t to

Teac

h

•O

bjec

tives

of

Les

sons

•B

elie

fs a

bout

Mat

hem

atic

s Te

achi

ng

•“S

crip

ts”

that

Sha

pe T

each

ing

Dec

idin

g W

hat

to T

each

2B-2

1

“…th

e hi

gh a

chie

ving

cou

ntri

es in

TIM

SS p

lace

gre

ates

t co

ntro

l in

the

hand

s of

edu

catio

n ex

pert

s, e

ither

nat

iona

lle

ader

s (e

.g.,

in J

apan

or

Sing

apor

e) o

r cl

assr

oom

teac

hers

(e.g

., in

the

Cze

ch R

epub

lic a

nd th

e N

ethe

rlan

ds).

The

U.S

.in

trod

uces

a th

ird

infl

uenc

e—a

mid

dle-

leve

l age

ncy,

the

dist

rict

sch

ool b

oard

, com

pose

d of

indi

vidu

als

who

do

not

wor

k fu

ll tim

e in

edu

catio

n an

d ge

nera

lly a

re n

ot

prof

essi

onal

ly tr

aine

d in

the

fiel

d.”

From

: Glo

bal P

ersp

ecti

ves

for

Loc

al A

ctio

n

Obj

ecti

ves

of L

esso

ns

2B-2

2

•G

erm

any

— d

evel

opin

g ad

vanc

ed p

roce

dure

s

•Ja

pan

— s

olvi

ng s

truc

ture

d pr

oble

ms

•U

.S. —

lear

ning

term

s an

d pr

actic

ing

proc

edur

es

From

: The

TIM

SS V

ideo

tape

Cla

ssro

om S

tudy

Bel

iefs

Inf

erre

d ab

out

Mat

hem

atic

s Te

achi

ng

2B-2

3

U.S

.

—Te

ache

rs v

alue

stu

dent

unde

rsta

ndin

g of

con

cept

s,bu

t em

phas

ize

skill

s.

—Sk

ills

are

mas

tere

din

crem

enta

lly.

—St

uden

t con

fusi

on a

ndfr

ustr

atio

n m

ean

that

mat

eria

l is

not m

aste

red.

Japa

n

—St

uden

ts le

arn

byst

rugg

ling

with

pro

blem

s.

—St

uden

t con

fusi

on a

ndfr

ustr

atio

n ar

e a

natu

ral

part

of

the

proc

ess.

From

: The

TIM

SS V

ideo

tape

Cla

ssro

om S

tudy

Bel

iefs

Inf

erre

d ab

out

Mat

hem

atic

s Te

achi

ng(c

onti

nued

)

2B-2

4

U.S

.

—Te

ache

r’s

role

is to

dem

onst

rate

how

toco

mpl

ete

task

s an

dhe

lp s

tude

nts

who

are

stuc

k.

Japa

n

—Te

ache

r’s

role

is to

choo

se e

ngag

ing

prob

lem

s,m

anag

e di

scus

sion

to h

elp

diff

eren

t met

hods

sur

face

,an

d su

mm

ariz

e.

From

: The

TIM

SS V

ideo

tape

Cla

ssro

om S

tudy

Scri

pts

Are

…

2B-2

5

Men

tal I

mag

es o

f H

ow O

ne S

houl

d Te

ach

Bas

ed o

n B

elie

fs a

bout

:

• G

oals

for

inst

ruct

ion

•T

he n

atur

e of

mat

hem

atic

s an

d sc

ienc

e

•W

ays

thes

e su

bjec

ts a

re ta

ught

that

sha

pe th

e ch

arac

teri

stic

sof

a ty

pica

l les

son

From

: The

TIM

SS V

ideo

tape

Cla

ssro

om S

tudy

U.S

. Scr

ipt

for

Eig

hth-

Gra

de M

athe

mat

ics

(Inf

erre

d)

2B-2

6

•Te

ache

r re

view

s pr

evio

us m

ater

ial,

hom

ewor

k.

•Te

ache

r de

mon

stra

tes

how

to s

olve

pro

blem

for

the

day.

•St

uden

ts p

ract

ice.

•Te

ache

r co

rrec

ts p

robl

ems,

ass

igns

hom

ewor

k.

From

: The

TIM

SS V

ideo

tape

Cla

ssro

om S

tudy

Japa

nese

Scr

ipt

for

Eig

hth-

Gra

deM

athe

mat

ics

(Inf

erre

d)

2B-2

7

•Te

ache

r re

view

s pr

evio

us m

ater

ial.

•Te

ache

r pr

esen

ts p

robl

em f

or th

e da

y.

•St

uden

ts w

ork

on p

robl

em.

•W

hole

cla

ss d

iscu

sses

sol

utio

n m

etho

d.

•Te

ache

r hi

ghlig

hts

and

sum

mar

izes

maj

or p

oint

s.

From

: The

TIM

SS V

ideo

tape

Cla

ssro

om S

tudy

Are

U.S

. Mat

hem

atic

s Te

ache

rsIm

plem

enti

ng R

efor

m R

ecom

men

dati

ons?

2B-2

8

•95

% o

f th

e te

ache

rs in

the

vide

o st

udy

indi

cate

d th

at th

ey w

ere

“aw

are”

or

“som

ewha

t aw

are”

of

curr

ent i

deas

abo

utm

athe

mat

ics

teac

hing

and

lear

ning

.

•75

% in

dica

ted

that

the

less

ons

in th

e st

udy

wer

e “a

lot”

or

“a f

air

amou

nt”

in a

ccor

danc

e w

ith c

urre

nt id

eas

abou

tm

athe

mat

ics

teac

hing

and

lear

ning

.

•20

% in

dica

ted

that

they

had

impl

emen

ted

the

focu

s on

mat

hem

atic

al (

dedu

ctiv

e) th

inki

ng.

From

: Pur

suin

g E

xcel

lenc

e: A

Stu

dy o

f Eig

hth-

Gra

de M

athe

mat

ics

and

Scie

nce

Ach

ieve

men

t in

Inte

rnat

iona

l Con

text

Stop

and

Dis

cuss

2B-2

9

•W

hat a

re o

ur s

crip

ts f

or te

achi

ng m

athe

mat

ics?

Oth

er s

ubje

cts?

•W

hat d

o th

e sc

ript

s an

d ot

her

resu

lts o

f th

e vi

deo

stud

y in

dica

te a

bout

the

impl

emen

tatio

n of

ref

orm

rec

omm

enda

tions

in

the

U.S

.?

•W

hat a

dditi

onal

issu

es/q

uest

ions

do

thes

e fi

ndin

gs r

aise

?

Ref

lect

ion

and

Dia

logu

e

2B-3

0

•In

gro

ups

of f

our,

clus

ter,

cate

gori

ze, a

nd n

ame

the

issu

es o

nPo

st-I

ts.

•M

ove

to th

e ta

ble

with

a th

eme

that

is in

tere

stin

g to

you

. A

ssig

n a

repo

rter

and

rec

orde

r. D

iscu

ss th

e th

eme.

•B

rief

ly r

epor

t out

.

•R

efle

ct o

n an

insi

ght g

aine

d or

an

actio

n in

tend

ed.

Wra

p U

p

2B-3

1

•W

hat i

nsig

ht d

o yo

u ha

ve o

r ac

tion

will

you

take

as

a re

sult

of

this

wor

ksho

p?

•H

ow m

ight

the

NC

TM

sta

ndar

ds f

or te

achi

ng a

nd th

e N

atio

nal

Scie

nce

Edu

cati

on S

tand

ards

for

teac

hing

hel

p yo

u?

309

What Does TIMSS Sayabout Instructional Practices?

2B-1


Achievement


Goals

2B-2

• To explore differences in the structure of lessons, goals, and beliefs about mathematics teaching in Germany, Japan, and the U.S.

• To examine the “scripts” that shape characteristics of a typical lesson in each country

• To identify issues for further reflection and dialogue in yourown setting

Agenda

2B-3

• Video Viewing: U.S. and Japan

• Key Findings

• Issues for Further Reflection

Module 2B:What Does TIMSS Say about Instructional Practices?

Handouts


Overview of Videotape Study

2B-4

• First of its kind

• Nationally representative sample of Population 2 mathematicsclassrooms in Germany, Japan, and the U.S.

• Purposes

— To describe how each country teaches mathematics

— To allow us to see teaching with a fresh perspective

— To encourage reflection

Video Study Analyzed

2B-5

• Teachers’ goals for lessons

• Treatment of concepts and applications

• The presence of alternative solution methods

• How mathematical principles, properties, and definitions were used

• Whether proofs were included

• Whether concepts were connected

• The kinds of tasks assigned

Prediction & Observation

2B-6

• Teachers’ goalsfor the lesson

• The mathematicsin the lesson

• What studentsare doing

• What teachersare doing

Japan: What I expect to see

Japan: What I saw

U.S.: What I expect to see

U.S.: What I saw


Jigsaw Topics of the Report

2B-7

• Lesson Structure

• Objectives of Lessons

• Beliefs about Mathematics Teaching

• Teaching Scripts

Key Findings—Simple Jigsaw:Teams of Four

2B-8

• Divide the four topics among team members.

• Read and study the section you are assigned.

• Teach your teammates about your section.

Comparing Instruction in Three Countries

2B-9

JapanGermany

• Structure

• Objectives

• Beliefs

• Scripts

U.S.


Variations in Instructional Practice

2B-10

• Lesson Structure

• Tests, Quizzes, External Exams

• Homework

• Calculators and Computers

Lesson Structure—Percentages of Math Tasksthat Students Decide How to Solve Rather than Using a Teacher-Prescribed Method

2B-11


0

10

20

30

40

100

U.S.GermanyJapan

Perc

enta

ge o

f Ta

sks

�Percentages of 8th-Grade Mathematics

Lessons with Instances of Mathematical (Deductive) Thinking

2B-12


0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

100

U.S.GermanyJapan

0

20

61

Perc

enta

ge o

f L

esso

ns

�


Lesson Structure—Type of Mathematics Seatwork

What do you think?

2B-13

• Practice Routine Procedures

• Apply Concept

• Invent New Solutions/Think

• Compare Japan, Germany, U.S.

Lesson Structure—Type of Mathematics Seatwork

2B-14


0102030405060708090

100

�PracticeProcedure

ApplyConcept

Invent/Think

GermanyJapanUnited States��Percentage of

Tim

e

44

15

41

1

9689

644

Tests, Quizzes, External Exams

2B-15

• U.S. math and science teachers test more than any other country.

• In many countries, external exams require extended student responses.


Calculators and Computers

2B-17

U.S. teachers use calculators and computers as much or more than teachers in other countries when compared to the international average.


Lesson Structure—Summary and Analysis

2B-18

U.S. lessons…

• Demand less mathematical reasoning

• Emphasize routine procedures over inventing something new

• Use more class time for homework than in Japan or Germany

• Use tests more than other countries

Lessons in Which Class Worked onand Shared Homework

2B-16


25

0 2

38

10

37

Perc

enta

ge o

f L

esso

ns

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

100

�Worked onhomework

Sharedhomework

GermanyJapanUnited States��


Stop and Discuss

2B-19

• How do these findings compare with your observations?

• What additional issues or questions do they raise for you?

Influences on Instructional Practices

2B-20

• Deciding What to Teach

• Objectives of Lessons

• Beliefs about Mathematics Teaching

• “Scripts” that Shape Teaching

Deciding What to Teach

2B-21

“…the high achieving countries in TIMSS place greatest control in the hands of education experts, either nationalleaders (e.g., in Japan or Singapore) or classroom teachers(e.g., in the Czech Republic and the Netherlands). The U.S.introduces a third influence—a middle-level agency, the district school board, composed of individuals who do not work full time in education and generally are not professionally trained in the field.”



Objectives of Lessons

2B-22

• Germany — developing advanced procedures

• Japan — solving structured problems

• U.S. — learning terms and practicing procedures


Beliefs Inferred about Mathematics Teaching

2B-23

U.S.

— Teachers value studentunderstanding of concepts,but emphasize skills.

— Skills are masteredincrementally.

— Student confusion andfrustration mean thatmaterial is not mastered.

Japan

— Students learn bystruggling with problems.

— Student confusion andfrustration are a naturalpart of the process.


Beliefs Inferred about Mathematics Teaching(continued)

2B-24

U.S.

— Teacher’s role is todemonstrate how tocomplete tasks andhelp students whoare stuck.

Japan

— Teacher’s role is tochoose engaging problems,manage discussion to helpdifferent methods surface,and summarize.



Scripts Are …

2B-25

Mental Images of How One Should Teach Based on Beliefs about:

• Goals for instruction

• The nature of mathematics and science

• Ways these subjects are taught that shape the characteristicsof a typical lesson


U.S. Script for Eighth-Grade Mathematics(Inferred)

2B-26

• Teacher reviews previous material, homework.

• Teacher demonstrates how to solve problem for the day.

• Students practice.

• Teacher corrects problems, assigns homework.


Japanese Script for Eighth-GradeMathematics (Inferred)

2B-27

• Teacher reviews previous material.

• Teacher presents problem for the day.

• Students work on problem.

• Whole class discusses solution method.

• Teacher highlights and summarizes major points.



Are U.S. Mathematics TeachersImplementing Reform Recommendations?

2B-28

• 95% of the teachers in the video study indicated that they were“aware” or “somewhat aware” of current ideas aboutmathematics teaching and learning.

• 75% indicated that the lessons in the study were “a lot” or “a fair amount” in accordance with current ideas aboutmathematics teaching and learning.

• 20% indicated that they had implemented the focus onmathematical (deductive) thinking.

From: Pursuing Excellence: A Study of Eighth-Grade Mathematics and Science Achievement in International Context

Stop and Discuss

2B-29

• What are our scripts for teaching mathematics? Other subjects?

• What do the scripts and other results of the video study indicate about the implementation of reform recommendations in the U.S.?

• What additional issues/questions do these findings raise?

Reflection and Dialogue

2B-30

• In groups of four, cluster, categorize, and name the issues onPost-Its.

• Move to the table with a theme that is interesting to you. Assign a reporter and recorder. Discuss the theme.

• Briefly report out.

• Reflect on an insight gained or an action intended.


Wrap Up

2B-31

• What insight do you have or action will you take as a result of this workshop?

• How might the NCTM standards for teaching and the NationalScience Education Standards for teaching help you?

321

Module 2C:What Does TIMSS Say about

School Support Systems?

GOALS

• To identify the influences of school support systems on learning;• To learn about the TIMSS findings on school support systems around the

world;• To identify alternatives to current U.S. teacher development practices; and• To identify issues for further reflection, dialogue, and possible action that

could be taken to improve the mathematics and science curricula in partici-pants’ own schools, districts, and higher education institutions.

ACTIVITIES

2C.1 Overview of Goals and Agenda (5 minutes)2C.2 What Do We Mean by School Support Systems? Brief Overview Lecture

(20 minutes)2C.3 Collegiality and Professional Development of Teachers (20 minutes)2C.4 “The Secret of Trapezes” (30 minutes)2C.5 Issues for Further Reflection and Dialogue (30 minutes)

Time: 1.75 hours



• Tables for groups of four• Overhead projector and screen• Video projection unit with a large monitor• Newsprint and markers


• Paper for note-taking and pens/pencils, plus newsprint or transparencies andmarkers for recorders/reporters

• Post signs that you have made (see “Make in Advance”) around the room.

Order in Advance

• Videotape entitled “The Secret of Trapezes” (subtitled “Science ResearchLessons on Pendulums”) (This video is available from Catherine Lewis, MillsCollege, 5000 McArthur Blvd., Oakland, CA 94613; Phone: (510) 430-3129;FAX: (510) 430-3233; e-mail: [email protected].)

• Copies of the Global Perspectives for Local Action report for each partici-pant (This report is available from the National Academy Press, 2101 Con-stitution Ave., NW, Lockbox 285, Washington, D.C. 20055; Phone: (800)642-6242 [toll free] or (202) 334-3131 [in the Washington Metropolitanarea].)

Make in Advance

• Overhead transparencies made from masters for Module 2C in this guide(Note that the presentation slides or masters are labeled Slides 2C-1 through2C-26.)10

• Copy of handouts for this module (see pgs. 381-389) (one set for eachparticipant)

• Five large signs labeled “Create Awareness,” “Build Knowledge,” “Trans-late into Practice,” “Practice Teaching,” and “Reflect on Practice” (UseSlides 2C-13 through 2C-17.)

FACILITATOR NOTES

2C.1Overview of Goals and Agenda

(5 minutes)

• Welcome participants and provide them with copies of all of the handoutsfor this module. Then use Slides 2C-1, 2C-2, and 2C-3 to review thesession’s purposes and agenda. (Have people introduce themselves at theirtables and share an expectation they have for the meeting. Ask for a reportof a few of the expectations.)


MODULE 2C: WHAT DOES TIMSS SAY ABOUT SCHOOL SUPPORT SYSTEMS? 323

2C.2What Do We Mean by School Support Systems? Brief Overview Lecture

(20 minutes)

• Let participants know that the session is designed around the National Re-search Council (NRC) report that looks at some of the findings of the ThirdInternational Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). This portion of thesession will focus on Chapter 5 of the report—“What Does TIMSS Say aboutSchool Support Systems?”

• Begin by asking participants to jot down what they think of when they hearthe term “school support systems.” What are some of the organizational sys-tems that influence teaching and learning? Ask participants to report theirideas to the whole group. List their ideas on newsprint or on a blank trans-parency, grouping similar ideas. After the report out, look at the list andname the categories. Summarize by showing Slides 2C-4 and 2C-5.

• Tell participants that many of the items on the list contribute to creating anenvironment or culture for learning. Using Slides 2C-6, 2C-7, 2C-8, and 2C-9, review what TIMSS found regarding teacher time in the U.S. as comparedto other countries. In groups of four, have participants discuss the reflectionquestions and brainstorm possible actions around teacher time, using Slide2C-10.

• Next, note that this session will focus on one major element of school sup-port systems—the ways teachers learn to improve their teaching throughprofessional development. While showing Slide 2C-11, say what is meantwhen we use the term teacher learning. Remind participants that profes-sional development for teachers has different purposes. Review these usingSlide 2C-12.

2C.3Collegiality and Professional Development of Teachers

(20 minutes)

• Point to the signs on the wall (which you created from Slides 2C-13 through17) labeled “Create Awareness,” “Build Knowledge,” “Translate Knowl-edge into Practice,” “Practice Teaching,” and “Reflect on Practice.” Askparticipants to stand under the sign that best describes the purpose of most ofthe professional development experiences they have had in their school orhigher education setting.

After everyone has moved to a place, have participants look around andsee where everyone is. Ask, “Where are most of you?” (Most likely, mostwill be positioned near “Create Awareness” and “Build Knowledge.”) Askparticipants, “What are the implications of focusing professional develop-ment of teachers (or college faculty) in this area?”


Then ask participants to reflect on their own needs for professional devel-opment: Do they need more knowledge building, reflecting, and so on? Askthem to move to the sign that best describes the kind of professional devel-opment they would like to have more of in their lives. Point out the movesthat everyone has made and the disconnection between what most people getversus what they say they need.

Ask for a show of hands by participants who didn’t move. Ask them whatthey think contributes to the alignment (or lack of alignment) between theprofessional development experiences they have had and what they need.

• Have everyone return to their seats and use Slides 2C-18, 19, and 20 toreview the TIMSS findings on professional development and begin thinkingabout different professional learning strategies. Refer to the table at the endof the Module 2C handout packet entitled “Strategies for Professional Learn-ing ” (pgs. 388–389) and point out how the different professional develop-ment strategies there are focused on different purposes, such as practicingteaching and reflection. U.S. teachers have fewer of these types of profes-sional development than types focused on creating awareness and buildingnew knowledge.

2C.4“The Secret of Trapezes”

(30 minutes)

• Next, let participants know that they are going to look at one example thatshows how Japanese teachers reflect deeply on and refine their teaching.The recommended video, “The Secret of Trapezes,” is not from TIMSS butdoes provide a glimpse of collegial learning in Japan. Tell participants theywill see a Japanese science lesson. In it, the teacher’s colleagues are visitingto observe the class and gather data on the teacher’s practice. Ask partici-pants to view the tape as if they were one of the teachers visiting the class-room. Ask them to focus their viewing on the lesson—how it is structured,what seems to work, and what needs improvement.

• After the viewing, ask for general reactions to the professional developmentapproach participants saw in the video. What do they think are the purposesof this type of professional learning? Write up the reactions using Slide 2C-21. Then ask what they saw and what the teacher who is teaching and theteachers who are observing could be learning from their collaboration. Next,ask participants to reflect on their own school or setting. How do they getfeedback on their lessons? How might they use this practice to increasecollegiality and improve their own teaching?

• Summarize while using Slides 2C-22 and 2C-23.


2C.5Issues for Further Reflection and Dialogue

(30 minutes)

• In groups of four, ask participants to reflect on the questions on Slide 2C-24and to generate ideas for improving teacher learning. Have the groups reportout and, if needed, show Slide 2C-25 to expand the ideas they had for action.

• Wrap up: Ask participants to write about an insight that they gained and anaction that they intend to take (Slide 2C-26) drawing upon the ideas gener-ated in this session. Ask for participants to share a few insights and ideaswith the whole group.

• Point out that although this module concluded with a consideration of actionthat can be taken, Module 3 contains a process for developing an action planthat should be completed before the improvement efforts can begin. Arethere members of the group who are interested in moving to Module 3?

327

Module 2C:What Does TIMSS Say about

School Support Systems?Slides

Wha

t D

oes

TIM

SS S

ayab

out

Scho

ol S

uppo

rt S

yste

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bal P

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for

Loc

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Pro

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2C-1

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apan

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me

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age

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for

Loc

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Pur

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2C-2

1

Sum

mar

y

2C-2

2

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as a

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Jap

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thro

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mar

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)

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3

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the

U.S

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term

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led

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ave

a st

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lan

and

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ing

on P

ract

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re n

ew te

ache

rs in

duct

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you

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? W

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wha

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the

foca

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as, m

etho

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nd c

onte

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nd h

owar

e th

ese

alig

ned

with

lear

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ls?

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ow is

teac

her

deve

lopm

ent o

rgan

ized

acr

oss

the

care

er o

f a

teac

her?

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hat k

inds

of

oppo

rtun

ities

exi

st f

or w

hat k

inds

of

lear

ning

?

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o te

ache

rs e

ngag

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col

labo

rativ

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arni

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roug

h te

ache

r-le

dst

udy

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xam

inat

ion

of s

tude

nt w

ork,

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vide

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lass

room

le

sson

s? H

ow c

ould

you

incr

ease

col

labo

rativ

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arni

ng?

Impl

icat

ions

for

Act

ion

for

Teac

her

Lea

rnin

g

2C-2

5

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reat

e op

port

uniti

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or te

ache

rs to

col

labo

rate

.

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ecog

nize

teac

her

expe

rtis

e.

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ovid

e op

port

uniti

es f

or te

ache

rs to

sha

re w

hat t

hey

know

with

each

oth

er.

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ssig

n m

ento

rs f

or b

egin

ning

teac

hers

and

pro

vide

tim

e fo

rm

ento

ring

.

•H

ave

teac

hers

cre

ate

indi

vidu

al p

rofe

ssio

nal d

evel

opm

ent p

lans

.

Wra

p U

p

2C-2

6

An

insi

ght y

ou h

ave

gain

ed.

An

actio

n yo

u in

tend

to ta

ke.

381

What Does TIMSS Sayabout School Support Systems?

2C-1


Achievement


Goals

2C-2

• To identify the influences of school support systems on learning

• To learn the TIMSS findings on school support systems around the world

• To identify alternatives to current U.S. teacher developmentpractices

• To identify issues for further reflection and dialogue and possible actions to improve the school support systems in participants’ own schools, districts, and higher education institutions

Agenda

2C-3

• Overview of Goals and Agenda

• What Do We Mean by School Support Systems: Brief Overview Lecture

• Collegiality and Professional Development of Teachers

• “The Secret of Trapezes”

• Issues for Further Reflection and Dialogue

Module 2C:What Does TIMSS Say about School Support Systems?

Handouts


What do we mean by school supportsystems in the NRC report?

2C-4

• Preparation and support of teachers

• Attitudes toward the profession of teaching

• Attitudes of teachers, students, and parents toward learning

• Lives of teachers and students, both in and out of school

Data aboutSchool Support Systems

2C-5

• Teachers’ Time

• Teacher Learning

• Cultural Influences on Teaching

• Student Attitudes

Time Science TeachersSpend on Various Tasks

2C-6

From: Science Achievement in the Middle School Years

Ave

rage

Hou

rs/S

choo

l Wee

k

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0U.S.

Japan

AdministrativeTasks

PlanningLessonsby Self

Reading andGrading

Student Work

Preparingor Grading

Tests


Work Year of Teachers

2C-7


Day

s/Y

ear

0

50

100

150

200

250

JapanGermanyUnited States

180 184

240

Work Day of Teachers

2C-8


Hou

rs/D

ay

0123456789

JapanGermanyUnited States�Time to Collaborate—Percent of

Population 2 Students Taught Science by Teachers Who Met with Their Colleagues

2C-9

From: Science Achievement in the Middle School Years

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

100%

�U.S.

Germany

Japan

Almost EveryDay

1 to 3Times/Wk.

Monthly—Every Other

Month

Never—Twice/Yr.��


Reflecting on Practice

2C-10

• How does the daily schedule in your setting encourage ordiscourage collaboration among teachers?

• How could the opportunities for collaboration among teachers be enhanced?

• What are the trade-offs to providing teachers more collaborativeplanning time—for example, would the average class size growor would teachers need to do more of their planning at school?

Teacher Learning

2C-11

• Teacher Preparation

• Professional Development for New Teachers

• Career-long Professional Development

Purposes of Professional Development

2C-12

• Create Awareness

• Build Knowledge

• Translate Knowledge into Practice

• Practice Teaching

• Reflect on Practice


Professional Development for New Teachers

2C-18

U.S.expects beginning teachers to take on immediately

the same duties and schedules as their more experienced peers,typically without formal assistance.

Japanassigns a mentor and requires additional study for

first-year teachers.

Germanyrequires all new teachers to participate in a two-year, field-based

student teaching experience.


Professional Development

2C-19

Japanlocates professional development close to the classroom

and regards teachers as primary resources.

U.S.teachers are “only peripherally aware” of approaches to

professional development that grow out of practiceand that allow them to “study and improve

their own practice.”

Top quote from: Global Perspectives for Local ActionBottom quote from: “Teachers and the Teaching Profession in the United States”

2C-20

In Japan,some teachers engage in mandatory professional developmentaway from their school in the sixth, tenth, and twentieth years.

In the U.S.,teachers’ formal opportunities for professional growth

are infrequent. Teachers get little guidance aboutparticular paths of study or career development.



Summary

2C-22

• Teacher learning at the pre-service, novice, and experiencedteacher levels varies widely.

• Japanese professional development emphasizes the improvement of teaching lessons and the teacher as a resource.

• Teachers in Japan learn from one another through mentorshipand teacher-run study groups.

Summary(continued)

2C-23

• In the U.S., teachers engage in more short-term, expert-ledworkshops.

• In Japan, many beginning teachers have a structureddevelopment plan and a lighter schedule to supporttheir development.

Purposes of ProfessionalLearning Strategies

2C-21


Reflecting on Practice

2C-24

• How are new teachers inducted in your setting? Who is involved, and what is involved? To what end?

• To what extent is professional development relevant, focused, and coherent? What are the focal areas, methods, and content, and howare these aligned with learning goals?

• How is teacher development organized across the career of a teacher? What kinds of opportunities exist for what kinds of learning?

• Do teachers engage in collaborative learning through teacher-ledstudy groups, examination of student work, or videotaped classroom lessons? How could you increase collaborative learning?

Implications for Action forTeacher Learning

2C-25

• Create opportunities for teachers to collaborate.

• Recognize teacher expertise.

• Provide opportunities for teachers to share what they know witheach other.

• Assign mentors for beginning teachers and provide time formentoring.

• Have teachers create individual professional development plans.

Wrap Up

2C-26

An insight you have gained.

An action you intend to take.

Stra

tegi

es fo

r P

rofe

ssio

nal L

earn

ing

STR

AT

EG

IES

PU

RP

OSE

S*A

BC

DE

1.

Imm

ersi

on in

Inq

uiry

into

Sci

ence

and

Mat

hem

atic

s:E

ngag

ing

in th

e ki

nds

of le

arni

ng th

at te

ache

rs a

re e

xpec

ted

to p

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391

Module 3:Global Perspectives for Local Action Planning

OVERVIEW

Modules 1 and 2 of this guide provide formats for workshop sessions. Module3 is different because it is designed to provide guidance and structure for actionplanning. It is for use by local teams conducting inquiry and action planning re-garding mathematics and/or science education in individual schools or school dis-tricts based on the TIMSS findings. Working with this module will provide theseteams with a framework for continuous improvement of their mathematics and/orscience program (a process that often requires many years).

Facilitators may use the Module 3 materials to assist local teams or local teamsmay use the materials without a facilitator. If local teams use Module 3 without afacilitator, it is essential that team members have a good grasp of the information inModules 1 and 2 of this guide and of the information provided in the NationalResearch Council (NRC) report, Global Perspectives for Local Action (see “Re-sources”). This will ensure that the teams have the background needed to makegood decisions during the action planning process.

If groups from different schools and districts are working through Module 3together, it is recommended that facilitators be used to ensure ample representationfrom each different school or district and to permit meaningful planning focusedon individual sites.

Module 3 has two parts: Part A, which will help teams set up a process for theirinvestigations and action planning, and Part B, which will help teams begin toexecute the process.


Part A:The Inquiry and Action-Planning Process

The NRC’s Global Perspectives for Local Action report is, at its core, a call toteachers, educational administrators, higher education staff, and the interested pub-lic to use the TIMSS findings to examine their own practices and the results ofthese practices more closely and consciously. It invites these audiences to inquireinto their own curriculum, teaching, and school practices and to think about andplan actions they could take to address problems and improve student learning.Where school and district planning, accreditation, and improvement teams alreadyexist, Module 3 can help these teams employ the TIMSS findings to plan improve-ments in mathematics and science curricula, instruction, and school culture.

Module 3 contains• Vignettes of schools that are using TIMSS to improve mathematics and sci-

ence education;• Ideas for how to get started with action planning;• An eight-stage inquiry process, along with examples and forms; and• Planning templates for achievement, curriculum, instruction, and school

support systems that include a summary of relevant TIMSS data, possiblequestions and data sources for inquiring into practice, and ideas for actionplanning.

Several school districts around the country are using TIMSS as a springboardfor reflection and action to improve mathematics and science education. Lessonscan be drawn from an urban school in Paterson, New Jersey, schools involved inthe First in the World Consortium in Chicago’s northern suburbs, and the LakeShore School District in Michigan. The vignettes on pgs. 393–397 from these sitesoffer some images of actions others around the country could take to improve theirlocal mathematics and science education.

MODULE 3: GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES FOR LOCAL ACTION PLANNING 393

TIMSS-INSPIRED LEARNING IN AN URBAN SCHOOL—MIMICRY OR DEEP CHANGE?

“Last year the book did the thinking. This year we did the thinking.” That’show one eighth-grader recently described the change in how she is learning math-ematics at the Paterson School #2 in Paterson, New Jersey. What you might see inher classroom are students grappling with complex mathematical problems, pre-senting solutions, and discussing their solution methods, while the teacher ana-lyzes errors. That approach builds on what students know, develops their thinking,and drives home the major concept of the lesson. Students are highly engaged andare communicating with each other about mathematics. The level of mathematicsis a good half-year ahead of what it used to be.

The rigor and structure of eighth-grade mathematics lessons at Paterson School #2closely resemble typical Japanese lessons. That is not an accident. For the last twoyears, a group of the school’s teachers, with the full support and active participation ofthe principal, have undertaken careful study of TIMSS. This has led them to examineclosely their own beliefs about teaching mathematics, to conduct action research intoclassroom practice, and to change dramatically their approach to instruction.

Although some observers have mistaken a class of Paterson School #2 eighth-graders for a class of gifted and talented students, the class is, in fact, composed ofregular students from a historically poor-performing, urban school where 98% ofstudents qualify for free lunch, 30% are bilingual, and virtually 100% are Latino,African-American, or Bengali. What has made the difference is that the teachershave been transforming the way they teach mathematics with TIMSS as the cata-lyst. Coinciding with these changes has been a 20% jump in the school’s statemathematics test scores.

It all began in the spring of 1997, when Dr. Frank Smith from Columbia Uni-versity presented a three-day TIMSS workshop to the district, which included show-ing the TIMSS videotapes of eighth-grade mathematics classrooms in Japan, Ger-many, and the U.S. One eighth-grade mathematics teacher was hookedimmediately. “I read everything about TIMSS and constructivist teaching that Icould get my hands on. Then I started to think we could teach more the way theJapanese did, so I tried it. I gave my students interesting problems to solve insteadof presenting them with information. The lessons worked out incredibly well, “Bill Jackson explains.

Since then, with funding for summer curriculum work arranged by principalLynn Liptak, eighth-grade mathematics teachers have developed 100 “Japanese-style” lessons. “What’s amazing,” says Jackson, “is that the students took to thelessons immediately. Not that things went perfectly. They didn’t. But we startedseeing them do some very sophisticated mathematics.”

TIMSS researcher James Hiebert agreed when he recently viewed videos of


Jackson’s classrooms. “Perhaps the strongest impression is of students seriouslyengaging in thinking and reasoning mathematically, a surprising rare phenom-enon in American classrooms.”

Paterson staff admit that their lessons began as mimicry, but they don’t thinkthat is necessarily bad. “Of course, real change is not just a matter of simplisti-cally imitating steps,” comments Lynn Liptak. “But it is important to start some-where, even if it is simplistic, initially.”

What began as mimicry has grown into something much deeper—at the level ofchanging teachers’ beliefs about teaching and learning mathematics. What’s more,their TIMSS-inspired lessons have given rise to ongoing professional developmentfor the entire staff. For example, eighth-grade teachers meet weekly with the prin-cipal to discuss how their lessons are going, to study relevant research, and to“polish the stone.”

In addition, these teachers are part of a school-wide “Math Study Group,”where teachers from grades 1-8 and the principal meet regularly to inquire intoteaching and learning mathematics and to examine their own practices and beliefs.In addition to studying the TIMSS findings and videos, they share videos of eachother’s classes, analyze the assumptions and beliefs that underlie their own prac-tice, and conduct action research. One action research project involved eighth-grade students analyzing TIMSS Japanese and U.S. geometry lessons and devel-oping lessons for lower-grade students using the steps of the Japanese lesson. Inanother project, a second-grade teacher divided her students in half and taughtone group using a traditional approach and the other using the Japanese style.She concluded that both cognitive and linguistic production were more complexduring the Japanese-style lessons.

TIMSS has also inspired school staff to rethink their mathematics curriculumK-8. “Our curriculum is a mile wide and an inch deep. When we look at howstudents learn and how our beliefs and practice have changed, we had to look atour curriculum. We are moving to fewer topics in more depth,” Liptak explains.

It is no surprise that Paterson School #2 also is looking into Japanese researchlessons, a staff development process through which lessons are continually refinedand honed through teachers observing each other and sharing insights. They arealso tapping many other outside resources, including Columbia University and theMid-Atlantic Eisenhower Consortium at Research for Better Schools.

“You can’t take the TIMSS information or the Japanese teaching style and justimplement it without having conversations about what teaching should look like,”warns Bill Jackson. On the other hand, when study of TIMSS is combined withcollaborative inquiry into teaching and learning and strong administrative sup-port, the results can be dramatic. Paterson School #2 is living proof.

(For more information, contact Lynn Liptak, Principal, School #2, 22 PassaicSt., Paterson, NJ 07501; Phone: (973) 881-6002; e-mail: [email protected].)


FIRST IN THE WORLD CONSORTIUM—BENCHMARKING WITH TIMSS IN A MULTI-DISTRICT PARTNERSHIP

The First in the World Consortium is not shy about its ambitious agenda. As itstitle reflects, the Consortium’s goal is to work together to achieve National Educa-tion Goal #5: “U.S. students will be first in the world in mathematics and scienceachievement.” An outgrowth of a study group of superintendents from Chicago’sNorth Shore, the Consortium is a collaboration of 19 school districts, representing32 elementary schools, 17 middle schools, and 6 high schools in suburban Chi-cago. By leveraging federal resources and engaging Congressional support, theConsortium has mounted a well-resourced effort to administer TIMSS studentachievement tests and teacher and student surveys locally to benchmark its schools’performance against world-class standards. The results are now being used tocreate a forum for dialogue with business and government leaders, to inform localdecision-making, and to foster instructional improvement and professional growth.

At the heart of the First in the World initiative are teacher learning networks—learning communities comprising teachers from each of the Consortium’s schooldistricts. Seventy-five teachers are now active in four different learning networks:curriculum standards, models of instruction, assessment, and technology. Learn-ing networks are teacher-directed, with their primary purpose being to promoteteachers’ own learning about their focus area. Participants meet monthly to studyTIMSS and local data, access relevant research and resources, and take what theyare learning back to their own schools and classrooms.

Sue Winski, a teacher at the Field Middle School in Northbrook, Illinois, de-scribes her work with the models of instruction network: “We didn’t just look atwhat was happening in other countries. We got into a full examination of our ownpractice. For example, in our learning network, we studied the results on home-work. The Japanese don’t spend a lot of time on homework, but we do. Then Ibegan to look at the type of homework I was giving. Was it relevant? Challeng-ing? I’ve been keeping a journal about my own homework assignments and howthe students react to them.”

Teacher learning networks are supported by the instructional support network,a group of curriculum and instructional directors who provide technical assis-tance to the networks, and by staff from the North Central Regional EducationLaboratory (NCREL). In addition to helping to conceptualize and launch the learn-ing network structure, NCREL and its Midwest Consortium for Mathematics andScience Education have become active participants in the planning and evaluationof Consortium activities.

Clearly, not every group of school districts has the resources of the First in theWorld Consortium to mount the comprehensive use of TIMSS. Still, the


Consortium’s work to date provides some valuable lessons: the importance of acommon and coherent vision; the value of collaboration with other school dis-tricts, universities, research centers, and other partners; the power of data as avehicle for inquiry and self-reflection; and the importance of building infrastruc-tures, such as learning networks, that sustain teacher growth.

(For more information, contact Paul L. Kimmelman, Superintendent, SchoolDistrict #31, 3131 Techny Rd., Northbrook, IL 60062; Phone (847) 272-6880; e-mail: [email protected].)


TIMSS SPARKS DISTRICT-BASED CURRICULUM REFORM

Lake Shore Public Schools is a small school district just outside of Detroit— inthe heartland of America’s auto industry. But the district’s approach to educationis far from parochial. The district’s schools are making changes in their curricu-lum with the benefit of an international perspective.

In collaboration with research scientists from the University of Michigan’sCenter for Human Growth and Development, the district is piloting the “M-MathProgram,” an elementary school mathematics curriculum based on East Asianapproaches to teaching mathematics. The program features well-defined contentin five strands of mathematics (consistent with National Council of Teachers ofMathematics [NCTM] standards) and laid out so that students can learn and masterconcepts systematically and sequentially. It also emphasizes the use ofmanipulatives, with an emphasis on student reasoning and discussion. While “M-Math” contains fewer topics than traditional U.S. mathematics curriculums, stu-dents are expected to master all the concepts, thereby eliminating repetition fromyear to year.

“We looked closely at TIMSS and tried to figure out what it said and what itdidn’t say,” Lake Shore Superintendent John Brackett explains. “Inquiry learn-ing, introducing students to fewer concepts, and working toward mastery just madegood sense to us. We decided to implement the ‘M-Math Program’ because it hadthose features and was an opportunity to do something better for our students, notbecause Japan or Singapore scored higher than the U.S.”

Lake Shore administrators were influenced not just by TIMSS but by analysisof their own students’ mathematics achievement and curriculum. Performance onmathematics problem solving was unsatisfactory, and the curriculum was notaligned with state frameworks. “M-Math” is very much in keeping with the stateframeworks and has already produced encouraging achievement results. Forexample, students participating in the first-grade pilot test are achieving 95% orgreater mastery on concepts taught.

Lake Shore’s approach to curriculum implementation is to take it slow. Thedistrict started with grade one in one building and is gradually phasing in theprogram in grades 1-5, one grade level at a time. Each cohort of teachers willparticipate in in-depth professional development, including summer training andfollow-up sessions with University of Michigan staff, to enhance their knowledgeof mathematics and pedagogy within the context of the curriculum. In addition,teachers will have the opportunity to meet regularly and observe each other’s class-rooms.

“We’re not just realigning our curriculum,” Brackett summarizes. “We’resupporting a different way of teaching, a different way of thinking.”

(For more information, contact John R. Brackett, Superintendent, Lake ShorePublic Schools, St. Clair Shores, MI; Phone (810) 285-8480; e-mail:[email protected].)


GETTING STARTED WITH ACTION PLANNING:THE ACTION-PLANNING TEAM

As illustrated in the vignettes, local sites can take different actions to use TIMSSto improve mathematics and/or science education. Module 3 provides a processfor local school teams to use to plan the actions that are best for them.

There are several things to consider in using Module 3. First, the team or groupthat will engage in the action planning process needs to be identified. Askingquestions about school practices should not be an add-on to existing duties andresponsibilities, however. Rather, it should be viewed as helping to further thework and planning of existing efforts. Think about what teams or groups yourschool or district has in place to make decisions or recommendations about cur-riculum, professional development, or changes in school programs. Subject areacurriculum groups, accreditation teams, or school-based management groups are agood place to start. These types of teams are often charged with reviewing andselecting new curriculum or textbooks, planning professional development pro-grams for teachers, or making decisions about scheduling and teacher time thataffect school culture. People and teams with these responsibilities would likelyenhance their effectiveness by investigating the questions that TIMSS raises.

THE INQUIRY PROCESS

The following eight-stage Inquiry Process will guide you as you use TIMSS toinquire into the practices in your setting. Use it to guide your action-planninggroup through each of the stages.

The cycle includes

Monitor Results

Plan for Action

Identify a Problem

Analyzethe Data

Collect Data

Find a Focusfor Inquiry

Learn about TIMSS

Consider the Implicationsof TIMSS for Your

Own School or District

In the section that follows, each of these stages in the Inquiry Process is de-scribed, and examples are given. Part B provides templates of forms that can usedduring each stage’s activities.


Stage 1—Learn about TIMSS

The first step in using TIMSS as a catalyst for reflection and improvement ofthe teaching and learning of mathematics and science is learning about the TIMSSfindings. At this stage, it is important to go beyond TIMSS “sound bites” to beginto understand the study in all of its richness and complexity. TIMSS does notprovide us with simple answers to complex problems but, rather, offers us thebenefit of an international perspective from which to view our own practice. Be-fore your action teams can think about TIMSS implications for their own work,they need to know what TIMSS says and what it doesn’t say.

Everyone who is involved in the planning team should learn the materials foundin Modules 1 and 2A, 2B, and 2C of this guide and read the NRC report referred toin the introduction of this module. Learning about TIMSS can take a variety offorms. You can

• Organize several sessions for the planning team to work through the infor-mation in Modules 1 and 2A, 2B, and 2C to give team members the back-ground they need to use the TIMSS findings to study their own practices;

• Form a TIMSS study group to delve more deeply into specific aspects ofTIMSS, such as the curriculum or instruction findings. Read and discussGlobal Perspectives for Local Action and other reports on TIMSS referencedin the “Resources” section of this guide; and

• View and discuss the TIMSS Videotape Study, which focuses on differentquestions about instruction and content (refer to the Moderator’s Guide toEighth-Grade Mathematics Lessons: United States, Japan, and Germany[U.S. DoEd., 1997d] listed in the “Resources” section of this guide).

Consider what other key audiences you need to educate about TIMSS to buildsupport for your improvement efforts, including parents, school board members,and other members of the school community. Offer a Module 1 session to helpthese key audiences learn more about TIMSS and support your efforts.

Monitor Results

Plan for Action

Identify a Problem

Analyzethe Data

Collect Data


Learn about TIMSS




Stage 2—Consider the Implications of TIMSS forYour Own School or District

As your action-planning team learns more about TIMSS, keep bringing theconversation back to your own school or district. At this stage, your planning teamcan engage in open-ended exploration about what the TIMSS findings mean foryou, reflecting on questions such as

• How do TIMSS achievement findings compare with our students’ achieve-ment? Do we share some of the same strengths and weaknesses?

• What are the leverage points for improving student learning in mathematicsand science in our school or district?

• Do any of the curriculum findings raise questions about our curriculum?• Do the video study findings make us aware of teaching practices we may not

have noticed?• How can we strengthen the systems of support in our setting?The questions embedded in the NRC report offer useful prompts for reflection

and dialogue. In addition, Modules 1 and 2 provide opportunities for generatingfurther thinking and discussion about the implications of TIMSS for the work ofyour team.

Once your action team has explored TIMSS findings and implications for itswork, the team may be eager to take action. But the last thing the authors of theNRC report want is for schools or districts to leap to action based on TIMSS with-out thoughtful analysis and planning. Instead, action teams are urged to make acommitment to more rigorous inquiry into their own practices, using data to targetlocal problems and to guide local action planning.

Monitor Results

Plan for Action

Identify a Problem

Analyzethe Data

Collect Data


Learn about TIMSS




Stage 3—Find a Focus for Inquiry

Once the team has made a commitment to inquire into local mathematics andscience practice, the next step is to find a focus. The NRC report emphasizes howinterconnected curriculum, instruction, and school support systems are and thatthey alone are not the only influences on student achievement. Yet, it is impossibleto move full throttle ahead in all of these areas at the same time. While keeping inmind the many other factors at play, the team will need to make a decision aboutwhere to start. So, where to begin the inquiry?

To guide your team’s decision, consider the following:• What student learning data do you already have? What do they tell you

about priority needs and problem areas?• What improvement efforts in curriculum, instruction, or school support sys-

tems are already underway that you can build on?• What are areas of high concern among staff, students, parents? What focus is

most likely to mobilize support for change?• What do you already know about strengths and weaknesses in curriculum,

instruction, and school support structures that suggest priorities?• What are you most curious about? Excited about?• What is manageable right now given your available resources?

Example

Focus

We want to investigate the coherence and focus of our mathematics cur-riculum.

Monitor Results

Plan for Action

Identify a Problem

Analyzethe Data

Collect Data


Learn about TIMSS




Stage 4—Collect Data

Once the team has chosen a focus, members are ready to start thinking aboutdata collection. TIMSS reinforces the importance of using sound, reliable data toguide decision-making. Data are as useful for local improvement efforts as theyare for international comparisons or national policy-making. Thoughtful investiga-tion of local practice has several purposes:

• To understand better a problem or practice before rushing to “fix it”;• To base decisions on quality information rather than on assumptions or

speculation;• To uncover issues or problem areas that might otherwise have gone

unnoticed;• To build support for change; and• To monitor the results of an improvement effort.Data can be defined quite broadly. They are not only achievement results but

also include teacher and student survey results, curriculum analyses, videotapes ofclassrooms, and many other potential sources of information. Whether you usedata for the purposes of international comparisons or for local improvement, it isimportant to examine student learning in the context of the many factors that influ-ence it, including curriculum, instruction, and school support systems. Withoutunderstanding the interplay of these factors, it is easy for school systems and/orindividual schools to fall into the trap of quick fixes and bandwagon solutions thatfail to produce results for students.

Using the template sets in Part B of this module, you can investigate each oneof the areas highlighted in NRC report: student achievement, curriculum, instruc-tion, and school support systems. For each area, a template set is provided thatincludes

• A summary of relevant TIMSS findings;• Possible questions for you to investigate;• Possible sources of data and tools for collecting them; and• Possible actions you can take.

Monitor Results

Plan for Action

Identify a Problem

Analyzethe Data

Collect Data


Learn about TIMSS




Data Collection Plan: Curriculum

What Do Who WillWe Want How Will Collectto Find Out? We Find Out? the Data? By When?

How connected Map the existing Teachers October 15our science curriculum by from eachcurriculum is identifying grade grade level

levels where major andtopics are addressed, scienceK–12. Determine curriculumwhere the prerequisite committeeknowledge for eachtopic is introduced.

How much Survey Curriculum November 15time is spent Teachers’ committeeon science Schedules

Following the template set for the team’s area of focus, develop a plan for yourdata collection as follows:

• Review the possible questions in your area of focus (see the sample below);• Check the questions that you are most interested in investigating;• Record your questions and the possible data sources in the first two columns

of the Data Collection Plan form included in Part B of this module (see alsoColumns 1 and 2 of the sample Data Collection Plan below); and

• Finalize your plans for data collection by determining who is going to dowhat by when (see also Columns 3 and 4 of the sample Data Collection Planbelow.)

Example


Stage 5—Analyze the Data

After you have collected data, the next step is to figure out what they tell you.Working with your team to guide your analysis, ask yourselves:

• What important points seem to emerge?• What patterns or trends are we noticing?• What seems surprising?• What else do we need to know?• What conclusions can we draw?• What additional evidence do we need to validate our conclusions?• How do these results compare with our own standards or goals? With TIMSS

results?• How can these data inform our decision-making?Additional resources for interpreting data are listed in the “Resources” section

of this guide. Write up the key ideas or results from your preliminary analysis. Seethe example below.

Example

Data Analysis: Curriculum

Our investigation tells us that• Our curriculum includes 27 topics in eighth-grade mathematics. Many

topics, including algebra and geometry, are taught for one or two weeks.• Eighth-grade students perform poorly in mathematics, especially in alge-

bra, geometry, and problem solving.

Tip: Be careful not to jump to conclusions. Initial data analysis often raises morequestions than it answers. Be prepared to dig deeper into the questions you have,the data available, and the data still needed before deciding on a course of action.

Monitor Results

Plan for Action

Identify a Problem

Analyzethe Data

Collect Data


Learn about TIMSS




Stage 6—Identify a Problem

Careful data analysis often will lead to clarity about a problem. Improvementteams have found that taking the time to craft a problem statement, such as in theexample below, helps them crystallize their conclusions and pave the way for actionplanning. Clarity about the problem is the first step to finding a solution.

Example

Problem Statement: Curriculum

Describe the problem: Our eighth-grade students perform poorly in math-ematics assessments, especially in problem solving, algebra, and geometry.Who is affected? Our students in eighth grade, especially those who arenot taking algebra.What do you think is causing the problem? What evidence do you have?Our curriculum in grades 5–8 covers too many topics too superficially anddoes not emphasize problem solving, geometry, or algebra. This is basedon our curriculum analysis and our analysis of student work.What are your goals for improvement? We want our eighth-grade stu-dents to improve their performance in algebra, geometry, and mathematicsproblem solving. We want to bring more focus to our curriculum, empha-sizing understanding of algebraic and geometric concepts and multi-stepproblem solving skills.

Tip: It is important that goals for improvement be S.M.A.R.T.: specific, measur-able, attainable, related to student learning, and time-bound.

Monitor Results

Plan for Action

Identify a Problem

Analyzethe Data

Collect Data


Learn about TIMSS




Stage 7—Plan for Action

Planning for action entails deciding on a solution to the problem you havedefined and translating that solution into action steps. When deciding on a solu-tion, it is important to cast the net broadly first and to consider a wide range ofpossibilities. For example,

• What have other schools or districts in the U.S. done to solve this problem?• What does the research literature say about this issue?• What can we learn from high-achieving TIMSS countries?• What can we imagine as ideal solutions?The following example lists actions that could be taken to improve curriculum.

The template sets in Part B of this module list other possible actions to consider in theother areas of TIMSS—student achievement, instruction, and school support systems.

Monitor Results

Plan for Action

Identify a Problem

Analyzethe Data

Collect Data


Learn about TIMSS




Example


Goals Actions Timeline Person Responsible Accountability

What actions do you When will the How will you knowWhat do you want want to take to different actions Who will be that you have been to accomplish? address the problem? take place? responsible? successful?

Increase student Draft a K–12 science August-October Science Curriculum Draft frameworkachievement in curriculum framework Committee completed andscience by based on the NSES presented toimplementing a that shows grade administrators,more focused and levels at which topics teachers, and theconnected are introduced and community for theircurriculum. when a learner review. Revised draft,

needs mastery. reflecting the standardsand stakeholder input,is approved by theSchool Board (Spring).

Review instructional Summer Teams of teachers Results presented tomaterials currently in from each grade level Science Curriculumuse to identify those Committee, and planthat support the for selecting newframework, plus grade instructional materialslevels and topics approved (Fall).where new materialsare needed.

Once the team has generated a number of possible solutions, members willneed to home in on the best one based on the team’s own criteria. Clearly, avail-able resources will need to be considered. Consider other criteria that will enterinto the decision.

After you have decided on a solution, the next challenge is to figure out how toimplement it. Careful planning, including action goals, steps to reach those goals,clear lines of responsibilities, and deadlines, can help ensure follow-through andeventual success. Also make sure that the team coordinates its plans with otherongoing initiatives, such as textbook selection committees or staff developmentplans (see the Plan for Action form near the end of Part B, on pg. 438).


Stage 8—Monitor Results

One important feature that distinguishes data-driven initiatives from others isthe careful monitoring of results. How many times do school districts undertakeprograms and never stop to find out if they have achieved what was intended? Thehallmark of a good action plan is measurable indicators of success. If you set goalsthat are specific, measurable, attainable, related to student learning, and time-bound (S.M.A.R.T.), monitoring will be easier.

It is important to check the indicators periodically to make sure that you are onthe right track or to help you identify roadblocks or new problems to solve alongthe way. Committing to a monitoring plan is one way to help ensure that thisimportant function does not get lost in the flurry of action. A Plan for Monitoringform is included in Part B of this module (see pg. 439).

Example

Monitor Results

Plan for Action

Identify a Problem

Analyzethe Data

Collect Data


Learn about TIMSS



Stage 8-Plan for Monitoring*

Data collection How will data be(How? When? How will data be reported and

Goals Indicators By whom?) analyzed? disseminated?

Increase student Students increase Middle grade teachers Improvement team Prepare a report andachievement in performance on tests will submit results of will compare presentation foralgebra, geometry, and demonstrate more standardized tests and achievement results stakeholders:and problem in-depth understanding teacher-made tests and to prior year data • Middle gradessolving. of mathematics. assessments designed and compile teachers’ study group

to measure higher-level observation and • Parents of middleproblem solving teacher report data. grade studentsability. • School

administrators

Students are engaged Improvement team Data used to decidein problem solving, classroom observations next steps onand algebraic thinking curriculum changes.in the classroom.

*Adapted with permission from Using Data—Getting Results: Collaborative Inquiry for School-Based Mathematics and Science Reform, by Nancy Love (TERC, 1999).


Part B:Template Sets

This section of Module 3 provides sets of templates for action-planning teamsto use to guide their inquiry into the four areas addressed in the TIMSS report.Each set begins on the page number indicated below:

• Template Set 1: Inquiring into Student Achievement, page 411• Template Set 2: Inquiring into Curriculum, page 416• Template Set 3: Inquiring into Instruction, page 423• Template Set 4: Inquiring into School Support Systems, page 431

Masters for the “Plan for Action” and “Plan for Monitoring” charts, which arereferred to in each of the template sets, are on pages 438 and 439.

TEMPLATE SET 1: INQUIRING INTO STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT 411

TEMPLATE SET 1: INQUIRING INTO STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT


Summary of U.S. TIMSS Achievement Findings

• The U.S. starts strong but falls further and further behind.• By high school, the U.S. is at or near the bottom.• Top U.S. students in Population 1 are above the international average in

science but slightly below in mathematics.• Top U.S. students in Population 2 are above the international average in

science but below in mathematics.(See footnote 5 on page 11 for information about the scores of top U.S.

students in Population 3.)

Stage 2—Consider Implications for Your Own School or District

What do these findings mean for us?What are our school’s or district’s strengths and weaknesses?How can we improve student learning?


Focus



First, consider what questions you want to ask and what data sources you willuse. See the possible questions and data sources below. Then develop a plan. Seethe Data Collection Plan form on pg. 413.

Student Achievement

Possible Questions Data Sources

How well do our students perform National Assessment of Educationalin mathematics and science? Progress (NAEP)What topics or skills do we do National standardized tests (i.e.,well in? Poorly in? How do CTBS, Iowa, SATs…)these coincide with what is State assessmentsemphasized in our curriculum? District or school assessmentsAre the tests we use or parts of Performance assessments—studentthem aligned with our standards? work

National Science Education Standards,NCTM StandardsTIMSS sample assessment questionsTIMSS U.S. achievement results

What gaps exist in achievement Disaggregated achievement andamong racial, gender, or course enrollment datasocioeconomic groups? Do somestudents have less opportunity tolearn mathematics and sciencethan others do?

How do our results compare with TIMSS released items, TIMSSthe U.S. TIMSS results? How performance itemswell do our students do onspecific TIMSS items (includethe performance items)?

What specific improvements instudent learning do we hope toachieve?

Our questions:________________________________________________________

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Tips:1. Disaggregation is separating data by useful categories. Wherever possible,

disaggregate student achievement data by race, gender, socioeconomic status,school, grade, topic, and skill area.

2. It is important to consider multiple measures in examining student achieve-ment, including single-response, open-ended response, and performanceassessments.

3. Consider administering some of the TIMSS sample items to your students.

Stage 5—Analyze the Data

Data Analysis: Student Achievement

What important points seem to emerge?

What patterns or trends are we noticing?

What seems surprising?

What else do we need to know?

What conclusions can we draw?

What additional evidence do we need to validate our conclusions?

How do these results compare with our school’s or district’s standards orgoals? With TIMSS results?

How can these data inform our decision-making?

TEMPLATE SET 1: INQUIRING INTO STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT 415


Use a Problem Statement form, like the one below.

Problem Statement: Student Achievement

Describe the problem:

Who is affected?

What do you think is causing the problem? What evidence do you have?

What are your goals for improvement?


See the Actions to Consider, below, and the Plan for Action form on pg. 438.

Actions to Consider for Improving Student Achievement

Inquire into curriculum, teaching, or school support systems to identify keyproblem areas linked with student achievement and plan for improvement.

Tip: It is important that goals for improvement be S.M.A.R.T.: specific, measur-able, attainable, related to student learning, and time-bound.


See the Plan for Monitoring form on pg. 439.


TEMPLATE SET 2: INQUIRING INTO CURRICULUM


Summary of U.S. TIMSS Curriculum Findings

• Curriculum matters.• U.S. mathematics and science curricula lack focus and coherence.


What do these findings mean for us?How focused and coherent is our curriculum?How much time do students spend learning? Mathematics? Science?What are our tracking practices? Do all students have the opportunity to

learn challenging mathematics and science?How can we improve the mathematics and science curricula?


Focus

TEMPLATE SET 2: INQUIRING INTO CURRICULUM 417


First, consider what questions you want to ask and what data sources you wantto use. See the possible questions and data sources below. Then develop a plan. Seethe Data Collection Plan form on pg. 419.

Curriculum


How well aligned is our National Science Educationcurriculum with the appropriate Standards, Benchmarks for Sciencenational, state, or local standards? Literacy, NCTM Standards, stateTo what extent does it encourage standards, and local standards, ifstudents to study topics in depth? applicable.

How well do our students achieve Facing the Consequences: Usingin a given course or grade level? TIMSS for a Closer Look at U.S.Are data available similar to the Mathematics and Science Educationachievement data in Exhibits 5.7- (Schmidt et al., 1999)5.10 in Facing the Consequences? Local student achievement data

How many mathematics and Curriculum and teacher surveyscience topics do we intend tocover each year in our schools?How many do we cover each yearin our schools?

How does the number of topics TIMSS curriculum findingscovered compare with averagesfrom the U.S. and other countries?

What connections among topics See Designing Mathematics orexist within your curriculum Science Curriculum Programs:framework? How are those A Guide to Using Mathematics andconnections made explicit to Science Education Standardsstudents from year to year, over (NRC, 1999b)the year, from topic to topic, fromlesson to lesson, and within asingle lesson? Should connectionsbe made more explicit, and, ifso, how?


How much time do students spend Schedule, teacher and student surveyson mathematics and science in ourschools?

How does the percentage of Local data, TIMSS and national datastudents in our secondary schoolswho take mathematics and sciencecompare with the percentage inother U.S. schools or schools inother countries?

Do we have different expectations Participation levels in differentfor mathematics and science courses, review of tracking andlearning for different groups of grouping practicesstudents? If so, are they justified?What are they based on? Howearly in a student’s study ofmathematics and science do theseexpectations appear? What areour tracking practices?

Are there differences in Disaggregate local performance dataachievement among students of by gender, race, and ethnicitydifferent genders, races, andethnicity? Does our district orschool show any patterns ofperformance?

Do our students have different Disaggregate data by mathematicslevels of achievement on different and science topic and skill (highertopics? Is there a pattern across reasoningvs. skills) (See Facing thethe grade levels for any Consequences, Exhibits 5.1–5.4mathematics or science topic, [Schmidt et al., 1999])such as the low achievement inphysical science by U.S. studentsin TIMSS?

Our questions:________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Stage 5—Analyze Data

Data Analysis: Curriculum







How do these results compare with our school’s or district’s standards orgoals? With the TIMSS results?


TEMPLATE SET 2: INQUIRING INTO CURRICULUM 421



Problem Statement: Curriculum


Who is affected?






Actions to Consider for Improving Curriculum

• Bring faculty and parents together to discuss their expectations forstudent performance in mathematics and science. Present data on thecontent of the curriculum and how it connects. Seek to build a sharedcommitment to high expectations for learning.

• Find ways to point out explicitly to students the connections amongcurricular ideas by making concrete statements that connect current ideasor activities with those in other parts of the lesson or in previous lessons.

• Develop a K–12 curriculum framework. See the NRC publication,Designing Mathematics or Science Curriculum Programs: A Guide forUsing Mathematics and Science Education Standards (NRC, 1999b).Identify when a learner needs mastery and prior knowledge to under-stand a topic and make sure this mastery is developed earlier in thecurriculum. Identify the number of topics and connections between topicsin the curriculum. Note when topics are reviewed and make decisionsabout where review should occur.



TEMPLATE SET 3: INQUIRING INTO INSTRUCTION 423

TEMPLATE SET 3: INQUIRING INTO INSTRUCTION


Summary of the TIMSS Findings about U.S. Lessons

• They demand less mathematical reasoning.• They emphasize routine procedures over inventing something new.• They use more class time for homework than in Japan or Germany.• They use tests more than other countries.


What do these findings mean for us?How can our mathematics and science teaching be improved?


Focus



First, consider what questions you want to ask and what data sources you willuse. See the possible questions and data sources below. Then develop a plan. Seethe Data Collection Plan form on pg. 427.

Instruction


To what extent are teachers using National Science Educationinstructional practices that are Standards (NRC, 1996) and theconsistent with the NCTM NCTM Professional Standards forstandards for teaching or the Teaching Mathematics (NCTM,National Science Education 1991)Standards for teaching? Use survey questions and data from:

• TIMSS Teacher Survey onPedagogy (Part of the IEA ThirdInternational Mathematics andScience Study, TeacherQuestionnaire [Science]Section D: Pedagogical Approach)

• National Assessment ofEducational Progressquestionnaires

• Horizon Research, Inc., “Scienceand Mathematics EducationStudies” [surveys]

To what extent are students doing Classroom observationscomputation versus multi-step Classroom videosproblems? Student surveys

Sample tests, quizzes, homework

To what extent are teachersstating versus developingconcepts?

To what extent are students usingcomplex reasoning?

How much freedom are studentsgiven to explore their ownsolution methods to problems?


How much time do students spend Use survey questions and data from:practicing routines versus solving • TIMSS Teacher Survey onchallenging problems? Pedagogy (Part of the IEA Third

International Mathematics andHow much class time is devoted Science Study, Teacherto homework? Questionnaire [Science]

Section D: Pedagogical Approach)How much homework is given? • National Assessment of

Educational ProgressWhat kind of homework is given? questionnaires

• Horizon Research, Inc., “ScienceTo what extent does time spent and Mathematics Educationworking on homework during Studies” [surveyslessons extend students’understanding? Classroom observation

Classroom videosHow frequently do teachers give Student surveystests or quizzes? Sample tests, quizzes, homework

To what extent do tests or quizzesreinforce a deeper understandingof mathematics or science?

What types of items are includedon tests: one right answer; openended; projects or performances?

To what extent do standardizedtests influence what and how weteach?

How are computers, calculators,and other technologies currentlybeing used?

Who makes decisions aboutcurriculum and instruction?

What are the goals of the lessonsas reflected in the teachingpractices?


What beliefs about teaching andlearning underlie our instructionalpractices?

How do teachers view and handlefrustration and confusion in theclassroom? To what extent doteachers take advantage of students’confusion to deepen learning?

What are the discrepancies betweenwhat we say we believe aboutteaching and what we do?

What are our “scripts” for teachingmathematics and science?

To what extent are our “scripts”compatible with our goals forimproving mathematics and scienceeducation?

Our questions:____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Data Analysis: Instruction







How do these results compare with our own school’s or district’s standardsor goals? With the TIMSS results?





Problem Statement: Instruction


Who is affected?




See the Actions to Consider, below, and the Plan for Action form on pg.438.

Actions to Consider for Improving Instruction

• Create opportunities for teachers to watch and discuss TIMSS and otherclassroom videos together.

• Create opportunities for teachers to reflect on their practice, such asthrough case discussion or study groups.

• Give students more opportunity to struggle with problems.• Increase emphasis on thinking; decrease emphasis on skill acquisition.• Support teachers in becoming more comfortable with students’

frustration and confusion and in using these as tools for learning.• Create opportunities to explore beliefs that underlie approaches to teach-

ing and contradictions between espoused beliefs and actual practices.• Shift the locus of control for decision-making about curriculum and

instruction to those with educational expertise.

TEMPLATE SET 4: INQUIRING INTO SCHOOL SUPPORT SYSTEMS 431

TEMPLATE SET 4: INQUIRING INTO SCHOOL SUPPORT SYSTEMS


Summary of the TIMSS Findings about School Support Systems

• Japanese teachers have more opportunity to discuss teaching with otherteachers than U.S. teachers do.

• Time for U.S. teachers to collaborate decreases from 4th to 8th grade.• Japanese students watch as much TV as U.S. students do.• U.S. student attitudes toward mathematics and science decline from 4th

to 8th grade.• Teachers in the U.S. engage in more short-term, expert-led workshops.


What do these findings mean for us?How can we improve professional development in our school or district to

support learning?What are the opportunities for teacher collaboration?What are parents’ and students’ attitudes toward mathematics and science?


Focus



First, consider what questions you want to ask and what data sources you wantto use. See the possible questions and data sources below. Then develop a plan. Seethe Data Collection Plan form on pg. 434.

School Support Systems


How does the daily schedule Analyze schedule; interview teachersencourage or discouragecollaboration among teachers?What opportunities are providedduring the workday for teachersto engage in professionaldevelopment and collaboration?

What are the trade-offs to Analyze projected enrollments andproviding teachers more current class size; interview orcollaborative planning time— survey teachersfor example, would the averageclass size grow or would teachersneed to do more of their planningat school?

How are new teachers inducted? Review district policies andWho and what is involved, and to interview principals and newwhat end? teachers and mentors (if relevant)What supports are in place fornew teachers? Who provides itand what takes place?

To what extent is professional Review professional developmentdevelopment relevant, focused, plan; interview staff development orand coherent? What are the focal curriculum coordinators; and mapareas, methods and content, and professional development programshow are they aligned with the district has had for the past yearlearning goals? How is teacherdevelopment organized across thecareer of a teacher? What kindsof opportunities exist for whatkinds of learning? What featuressupport this?


To what extent do teachers engage Teacher interviewsin collaborative learning throughteacher-led study groups,examination of student work orvideotaped classroom lessons?How could we increase theincidence of such collaboration?

What factor promotes community Interviews or surveysand collegiality among teachers inour school(s)? What inhibits it?What supports autonomy inteachers, and what inhibits it?

How does the physical Interviews or surveysenvironment and schedule of ourschool(s) contribute to theteaching culture? What changeswould teachers and other stafflike to see in the environment orschedule to increase collegiality?

What do the students in our Student and parent surveyschool(s) believe about theirachievement and interest inmathematics and science?

Are actions consistent with their Student, parent, and teacher surveybeliefs?

How do beliefs compare with Survey and achievement dataperformance?

Our questions:____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

434

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Data Analysis: School Support Systems







How do these results compare with our school’s or district’s standards orgoals? With the TIMSS results?





Problem Statement: School Support Systems


Who is affected?






Actions to Consider for Improving School Support Systems

• Examine the schedule to find more time for teachers. Consider combin-ing classes and having teachers pair for duties (e.g., lunch and recesstogether) to create more time for them to share ideas.

• Create a common workspace for teachers with comfortable chairs anddesks as well as resources to encourage collaboration and for use in plan-ning lessons and meeting informally.

• Establish a culture for sharing expertise, e.g., use faculty meeting andprofessional development time for teachers to present cases of teachingor lessons and gain input from colleagues.

• Be explicit about the decisions teachers are expected to make and theareas in which they should be autonomous.

• Assign mentors for beginning teachers and release mentor and beginningteachers from some duties to provide time for mentoring.

• Have teachers create individual professional development plans that aretied to learning goals, and recognize milestones when they are reached.

• Keep students interested in mathematics and science by relating them tostudents’ real lives.

• Encourage all students to take mathematics and science courses everyyear.

• Engage students in examining contradictions between what they believe(e.g., hard work is needed to do well in mathematics and science) versuswhat they do (e.g., reject in-depth projects or schoolwork that requiressubstantial effort).


See the Plan for Monitoring on pg. 439.

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