Science Benchmarking Report TIMSS 1999–Eighth Grade
Chapter 5 Contents
  Science Subjects Offered Up To and Including Eighth Grade

 

 
 

What TIMSS 1999 Countries Have Assessments And Exams in Science?

 
 
 
 
 
Have Students Been Taught the Topics Tested by TIMSS?
 

 

 

© 2001 International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA)

 

 

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER 5:The Science Curriculum

Have Students Been Taught the Topics Tested by TIMSS?

In interpreting the achievement results, it is important to consider how extensively the topics tested are taught in the participating entities. As shown in Exhibits 5.20 through Exhibit 5.25, the six major science content areas assessed in TIMSS 1999 were represented by 31 topic areas. For each area, teachers indicated whether their students had been taught the topics before this year (i.e., the eighth grade), one to five periods this year, more than five periods this year; whether the topics had not yet been taught; or whether the teacher did not know. Exhibits 5.20 through 5.25 show the percentages of students in each entity reported to have been taught each topic before or during the year of testing.

According to their teachers, more than two-thirds of students on average across all TIMSS 1999 countries had been taught the topics in earth science, as shown in Exhibit 5.20. The international average for each topic exceeded 70 percent of students. Nearly all students in the Czech Republic were taught each of the earth science topics, while less than half the students in Belgium (Flemish), Hong Kong, and Japan were taught two or more of the four topics in this content area. Teachers in the United States overall as well as in the Benchmarking jurisdictions reported greater percentages than did teachers internationally, with more than 80 percent of students in most jurisdictions being taught each topic. The major exceptions were Idaho, where about half the students were taught the earth science topics, and Rochester, where one-third or less of the students had been taught these topics. In contrast, all students in Jersey City and Naperville were taught three or more of the topics.

Exhibit R2.8 in the reference section indicates that many students in the US as a whole and in the Benchmarking jurisdictions had instruction in the earth science topics both before and during the eighth grade. While 31 percent of students on average across countries had not yet been taught half or more of these topics, only 11 percent of the students in the United States overall had not been taught them. Thirty-two percent of US students were taught more than half the earth science topics before the eighth grade and not again during the eighth grade, and a further 46 percent were taught more than half these topics during the eighth grade. Although many students in most Benchmarking jurisdictions were taught the earth science topics before and during the eighth grade, the percentage of students who had not yet been taught them ranged from three percent in South Carolina to 50 percent in Idaho among states, and from zero in Jersey City and Naperville to 87 percent in Rochester among districts and consortia.

With the exception of “reproduction, genetics, evolution, and speciation” (61 percent of students), instructional coverage was high for the biology topics presented in Exhibit 5.21. At least 77 percent of students, on average internationally, were taught each of the other six topics. Teachers in Belgium (Flemish), England, Italy, the Netherlands, as well as the United States reported that 80 percent or more of their students were taught all of the biology topics. Like the United States overall, the Benchmarking participants reported percentages above the international average for almost all of the topics, although there was some variation. More than 90 percent of the students in Massachusetts, Oregon, the Academy School District, the First in the World Consortium, and Jersey City were taught each of the biology topics, while less than 80 percent of the students in the Michigan Invitational Group were taught five of the six topics in this content area.

As indicated by Exhibit R2.9 in the reference section, biology topics received considerable emphasis before the eighth grade in the United States, more than in any of the comparison countries except Italy, and in the Benchmarking jurisdictions. Fifty-five percent of US students received instruction in more than half the biology topics before the eighth grade only, compared with 16 percent on average across countries. In contrast, 44 percent of students internationally were taught more than half these topics during the eighth grade, compared with 26 percent in the US, and 21 percent of students internationally had not yet been taught half or more of the topics, compared with only 10 percent in the US With some exceptions, results for the Benchmarking jurisdictions generally were similar to those of the United States.

Of the physics topics (see Exhibit 5.22), “physical properties and the physical changes of matter” had the greatest coverage internationally, with 91 percent of students, on average, having been taught this topic. “Energy types, sources, and conversions” and “subatomic particles” received less emphasis, with 75 and 71 percent of students, respectively, having been taught them. “Light,” “electricity and magnetism,” and “forces and motion” also had lower percentages of students, between 65 and 68 percent, compared with other physics topics. Least emphasis was given to “wave phenomena, sound, and vibration,” with an international average of 52 percent. All students in the Netherlands were taught each of the physics topics. The United States overall and the Benchmarking jurisdictions reported percentages of students taught the physics topics that were generally greater than the international averages.

However, as indicated by Exhibit R2.10 in the reference section, physics topics received very little emphasis before the eighth grade in the United States and in the Benchmarking jurisdictions. This was true internationally as well. Only 12 percent of the students in the US, and nine percent on average across countries, were taught more than half the physics topics before the eighth grade and not again during the eighth grade. Fifty-eight percent of US students, compared with 44 percent internationally, were taught more than half these topics during the eighth grade. More than half the topics were taught before or during the eighth grade to three-fourths or more of the students in Michigan, South Carolina, Texas, the Academy School District, Jersey City, and Miami-Dade. However, half or more of the topics had not yet been taught to one-third or more of the students in Connecticut, Idaho, Pennsylvania, and Rochester.

Instructional coverage was high for three of the four chemistry topics, “classification of matter” (90 percent of students taught), “structure of matter” (84 percent), and “chemical reactivity and transformations” (76 percent), but less for “energy and chemical change,” which just 58 percent of students, internationally on average, had been taught (see Exhibit 5.23). As with physics, nearly all students (99 percent) in the Netherlands were taught each of the chemistry topics. The United States as a whole and the Benchmarking participants had similar or even higher percentages of students taught these topics than internationally. Highest percentages across all topics were reported in Naperville and the First in the World Consortium.

Exhibit Exhibit R2.11 in the reference section shows that, like physics, topics in chemistry received very little emphasis before the eighth grade internationally, in the United States, and in the Benchmarking jurisdictions. Only 13 percent of the students on average across countries, and 10 percent in the US, had been taught the chemistry topics before the eighth grade only. Sixty-three percent of US students, compared with 54 percent of students internationally, were taught more than half these topics during the eighth grade. Results for the Benchmarking jurisdictions generally resembled those of the United States.

Most students in most countries, with the notable exception of Japan among the comparison countries, were taught the topics in environmental and resource issues (see Exhibit 5.24), especially those dealing with “pollution” and “conservation of natural resources.” Four-fifths or more of the students in the United States had been taught each of the topics in this content area, which was above the international average in each case. Among Benchmarking entities the lowest percentages were in Idaho, Chicago, and Rochester, where two-thirds of the students or less were taught these topics. Ninety-five percent or more of the students in the Academy School District and the First in the World Consortium were taught all three topics in this content area.

As may be seen in Exhibit R2.12 in the reference section, topics in environmental and resource issues received considerable emphasis before the eighth grade in the United States and in most Benchmarking jurisdictions, more than in most of the comparison countries. More than half the students were taught more than half the topics in this content area before the eighth grade only in Connecticut, Massachusetts, the Academy School District, the First in the World Consortium, and the Michigan Invitational Group. However, 43 percent or more of the students in Idaho, Chicago, and Rochester had not yet been taught half or more of these topics.

Instructional coverage of the six scientific inquiry and the nature of science topics was high in most countries, with between 75 and 88 percent of students, on average internationally, having been taught these topics (see Exhibit 5.25). Coverage was particularly high in the United States overall and in all of the Benchmarking jurisdictions. In 20 Benchmarking jurisdictions, ninety percent or more of the students were taught all six topics. Teachers in all jurisdictions and comparison countries except Belgium (Flemish) reported that each topic had been taught to more than 60 percent of their students.

Exhibit R2.13 reveals that while relatively little emphasis was placed on scientific inquiry and the nature of science topics before the eighth grade, considerable attention was paid to them during that year. Ninety-two percent of students in the United States, and two-thirds of the students internationally, were taught more than half these topics during the eighth grade. Benchmarking participants reported percentages similar to those of the US, as 90 percent or more of the students in all Benchmarking entities except Missouri, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania were taught more than half the topics during the eighth grade.

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TIMSS 1999 Benchmarking is a project of the International Study Center
Boston College, Lynch School of Education