Third International Mathematics and Science Study

In November 1996, the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement released the results of the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). The Association includes universities, research institutes and ministries of education that conduct cooperative international studies in education.

Forty-one countries participated in the mathematics and science tests. The first report focused on students in Grade 8 (13 year-olds) or its equivalent internationally. This is the highest grade level in most countries in which most young people are still in school and studying mathematics and science. Approximately 500,000 students in more than 15,000 schools participated in the study worldwide. All students wrote a 90-minute test in mathematics and science and responded to a questionnaire about their opinions, attitudes, and interests. The achievement items used in the tests were compiled through a consensus-building process internationally. The tests included multiple- choice items as well as short answer and extended response items.

The TIMSS mathematics test consisted of 151 items developed for the study and extensively field- tested. Over 90 percent of the items were matched to the curriculum of Canadian schools. The TIMSS science test consisted of 135 items, of which over 80 percent were considered suitable for Canadian students.

Teachers also completed questionnaires about their academic and professional preparation, instructional approaches and the curriculum. Administrators provided information about schools, students, and teachers. Students completed the mathematics and science tests in the spring of 1995. Some Canadian and international results and comparisons follow:

Mathematics

• Internationally, the average score on the mathematics test was 55 percent.

• Canadian Grade 8 students (the sample included 17,000 students from Grades 7 and 8) had an average score of 59 percent. There was considerable variability across countries on the mathematics test, with scores ranging from a low of 24 percent in South Africa to a high of 79 percent in Singapore.

• Canadian students did as well or better than students from 30 other countries and not as well as those from 10 countries.

• Canadian students had scores significantly better than the international average in four mathematics content areas: fractions and number sense; geometry; data representation, analysis and probability; and proportionality.

• Canadian students indicated positive attitudes towards mathematics, with 74 percent reporting that they enjoy learning mathematics.

Science

• Internationally the score on the science test was 56 percent.

• Canadian Grade 8 students had an average of 59 percent on the science test.

• There was less variability in science scores across countries than in mathematics. Scores ranged from a low of 27 percent in South Africa to a high of 70 percent in Singapore.

• Canadian students did as well as or better than students in 31 countries.

• Canadian students performed better than the international average in four of the five science content areas: earth science; life science; physics; and the environment and the nature of science. The Canadian result in chemistry was the same as the international average.

• Sixty-eight percent of Canadian students reported a positive attitude towards science.

• Canadian boys and girls performed equally well in mathematics and science which represents a significant change over the past 20 years.

Seventy-five percent of mathematics teachers and 68 percent of science teachers in Canada reported that Grade 8 students have access to calculators although reported usage rates were somewhat lower. Although there are many computers in Canadian schools, they are rarely used for mathematics and science instruction in Grade 8. Over 80 percent of mathematics teachers reported that they never or almost never use computers in their teaching.

For the first time in an international study, Canada was represented by a national sample of schools, including private, public, separate, English and French-speaking. Five provinces, British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, New Brunswick and Newfoundland selected samples large enough to make interprovincial comparisons possible. In Newfoundland and Labrador, 733 Grade 7 and 8 students in 39 schools participated. Some Newfoundland results and comparisons follow:

Mathematics

• Newfoundland and Labrador students had a average score of 56 percent in mathematics, which is slightly higher than the international mean of 55%.

• Newfoundland results were ahead of the provinces of Ontario and New Brunswick but lower than the provinces of British Columbia and Alberta. Newfoundland was also ahead of Australia, United States, Germany, New Zealand, Ireland, Scotland and England.

• Achievement in mathematics in fraction and number sense, algebra, data analysis, and proportionality is higher among Newfoundland students than the international scores. Newfoundland scores are lower than the international mean in geometry and measurement.

Science

• In science, Newfoundland students scored the same as the overall Canadian average, with a result of 59 percent. This is higher than the international mean score of 56%.

• Newfoundland students scored higher than their counterparts in Ontario and New Brunswick, but lower than students in British Columbia and Alberta. Achievement in Earth Science, Life Science, Physics, and the Environment and the Nature of Science is higher among Newfoundland students than the international result.

• In environment and the nature of science, Newfoundland students performed higher than Canadian students as a whole.

In recent years, a number of government programs such as the COOPERATION Agreement on Human Resource Development have fostered projects that emphasize achievement in mathematics and science. The results show that there has been a marked improvement in achievement in science and mathematics among Newfoundland and Labrador students since the last international testing was conducted in 1991.

Contact persons:
Lenora Perry Fagan
Director of Evaluation, Research and Planning
Carl Cooper
Director of Communications
Department of Education
P.O. 8700
St. John's, Newfoundland
A1B 4J6

Telephone: (709) 729-3000
Telephone: (709) 729-0048