This study analyzed the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study 2011 data on fourth-grade U.S. students' mathematics performance to answer four research questions: (a) How did U.S. students' geometry performance compare with their performance on the other mathematics subscales? (b) What were the patterns of student achievement among…

The purpose of this study is to explore elementary educators' perceptions regarding what it means to conceptually understand mathematics, the emphasis teachers place on utilizing evidence-based teaching processes, as identified as effective by National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM), and how these perceptions influence their…

This study investigated the effect of van Hiele Phase-based Instruction (VHPI) on Ghanaian Pre-service Teachers' (PTs') geometric thinking in terms of the van Hiele Levels. A pre-test post-test quasi-experimental design was employed. There were 75 PTs each in the experimental group and the control group. Van Hiele Geometry Test (VHGT) was…

This Brown Center Report (BCR) on American Education is the sixth and final edition in the third volume and the 16th issue overall. The series began in 2000. As in the past, the report comprises three studies. Also in keeping with tradition, the first section features recent results from state, national, or international assessments; the second…

A common claim about mathematics education is that it should equip students to use mathematics in the "real world". In this paper, we examine how relationships between mathematics education and the real world are materialised in the curriculum across a sample of eleven jurisdictions. In particular, we address the orientation of the…

The purpose of this article is to identify the order of significance of the variables that affect science and mathematics achievement in middle school students. For this aim, the study deals with the relationship between science and math in terms of different angles using the perspectives of multiple causes-single effect and of multiple…

Educators, policymakers, and parents alike are focused on ensuring the academic success of the nation's students. These efforts interact with the expanding use of technology, which affects the lives of students both inside and outside of the classroom. Thus, the role that technology plays in education is an evolving area of research that continues…

To identify ways that national culture, school characteristics, and individual attributes impact the victimization of students in Grade 8, data from the United States and three East Asian countries (i.e., Japan, S. Korea, and Taiwan) were compared using the 2011 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) and Hierarchical Liner…

The purpose of this article is to identify the order of significance of the variables that affect science and mathematics achievement in middle school students. For this aim, the study deals with the relationship between science and math in terms of different angles using the perspectives of multiple causes-single effect and of multiple…

There is continuing interest in the identification of student and instructional factors associated with the mathematics achievement of students in Japan. The Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) assessments have provided opportunities to examine factors associated with mathematics achievement. The purpose of this study was…

Science education reform in Qatar has had limited success. In the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMMS), Qatari 4th and 8th grade students have shown progress in science achievement, but they remain significantly below the international average. Also, in the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), Qatari…

Effective teaching practice for improving student achievement in mathematics is a critical area for instructional design. Further, results from international assessments of mathematics achievement have indicated that students in Korea typically earned test scores higher then international averages. The purpose of this study was to investigate the…

Singapore students scored highest on the Third International Mathematics and Science Study. Any nation that "outsources" its poverty (Malaysian street sweepers) and its low-achievers (who study in Malaysia) can get high test scores. U.S./Japan score differences stem from Japan's effective teaching practices. Among 13 occupations in the…

Factors contributing to American students' declining scores on the TIMSS (Third International Mathematics and Science Study) between grades 4 and 8 include textbook size and U.S. educators' traditional views of middle-school years. Bad data probably invalidate claims about the grade 8 to 12 decline. International reading scores favor Americans.…