Using PISA and TIMSS Mathematics Assessments to Identify the Relative Strengths of Students in Western and Asian Countries

Author: Margaret Wu (Assessment Research Centre, University of Melbourne)

Vol.&No.：Vol. 56, No. 1
Date：March 2011
Pages：67-89
DOI：10.3966/2073753X2011035601003

Abstract：

A study was carried out that compared Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2003 Mathematics results with Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2003 Grade 8 Mathematics results (Wu, 2009). It was found that Western countries generally performed better in PISA than in TIMSS, and Eastern European and Asian countries generally performed better in TIMSS than in PISA. In this paper, TIMSS released items are divided into two sets: one that fits the PISA framework and one that does not. In particular, many geometry and algebra items in TIMSS are “inner mathematics” (mathematics without a real-life context), and such items do not appear in the PISA test. Differential performances of six countries on each set of items are examined. In this way, the relative strengths and weaknesses of Western and Asian countries are identified. These strengths and weaknesses are then linked back to the contents of the PISA and TIMSS tests. There is strong evidence that differential performance between Western and Asian countries in PISA and TIMSS can be directly attributed to the types of items in the respective tests.

Keywords：international study, Mathematics, PISA, TIMSS

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