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TIMSS study enters testing stage

Posted on:Wednesday, 23rd October 2002

MEDIA RELEASE
For release on 23 Oct 2002
TIMSS study enters testing stage

Around 12,000 students Australia-wide are currently undergoing testing of their maths and science achievement levels as part of the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2002/3 managed by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER).

TIMSS (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study) is a large international study designed to measure trends in students’ knowledge and abilities in mathematics and science and to investigate the cultural environments, teaching practices, curriculum goals and institutional arrangements that are associated with achievement. Over the next six months, around 400,000 students in 50 countries will participate in the TIMSS study.

The purpose of TIMSS 2002 is to continue to monitor trends in mathematics and science at Year 8 level while measuring trends at Year 4 level for the first time. TIMSS 2002 also will provide countries not previously participating in TIMSS an opportunity to collect TIMSS data.

“The TIMSS study provides schools with a valuable opportunity to obtain an international perspective on the nature of student performance in mathematics and science,” said Deputy Director of ACER, Dr John Ainley.

“It also provides the Australian education community with a unique opportunity to examine trends in mathematics and science performance since 1994, when the first round of TIMSS testing was carried out,” he said.

Students in years 4 and 8 (year 9 in Queensland, Western Australia and South Australia) will complete tests on their mathematics and science achievement levels as well as questionnaires on their background and their experiences of school. The mathematics and science teachers of these students, and their school principals, will also complete questionnaires.

The testing will take approximately four weeks to complete.

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