This paper examines and builds on an earlier contribution to this journal focusing on private supplementary tutoring -- widely known as shadow education -- in Francophone West and Central Africa. Drawing on wider literature about research methods in this domain, it examines the basis for the numerical estimates presented in the original article…

State education agencies are sitting on rich repositories of quantitative and qualitative assessment data. This document is designed to provide a conceptual framework and implementation guidance that can help agency leadership leverage and interrogate student performance data in systematic ways for reporting, outreach, and planning purposes. The…

Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) is an international comparative study designed to measure trends in mathematics and science achievement at grades 4 and 8, as well as to collect information about educational contexts (such as students' schools, teachers, and homes) that may be related to student achievement. TIMSS has…

A significant share of education and development research uses data collected by workers called "enumerators." It is well-documented that "enumerator effects"--or inconsistent practices between the individual people who administer measurement tools-- can be a key source of error in survey data collection. However, it is less…

This paper reports on teachers developing their own data literacy and then acting as data coaches for colleagues in their schools. The 13 teachers from 7 schools in the study analysed standardised data using a data conversation protocol to identify students with significant mathematical misconceptions. They then took data-informed action with…

National testing and reform agendas, with their focus on school improvement, has led to increased collection and scrutiny of student data. The analysis of these data usually occurs at a school level, often by school leaders. What is less common is the opportunity for students to scrutinise their individual data and take ownership over the results…

During this digital era, France, like many other countries, is undergoing a transition from paper-based assessments to digital assessments in education. There is a rising interest in technology-enhanced items which offer innovative ways to assess traditional competencies, as well as addressing problem solving skills, specifically in mathematics.…

Digital technologies have the potential to revolutionize education by enhancing quality, fairness, and efficiency. However, equitable access to these technologies remains a challenge. ILSAs (international large-scale assessments) have shown that the relationship between digital use and performance varies across countries and over time. To fully…

In learning, errors are ubiquitous and inevitable. As these errors may signal otherwise latent cognitive processes, tutors--and students alike--can greatly benefit from the information they provide. In this paper, we introduce and evaluate the Systematic Error Tracing (SET) model that identifies the possible causes of systematically observed…

The chapters in this online volume comprise the TIMSS & PIRLS International Study Center's technical report of the methods and procedures used to develop, implement, and report the results of TIMSS 2019. There were various technical challenges because TIMSS 2019 was the initial phase of the transition to eTIMSS, with approximately half the…

Assessment can be powerful when teachers are able to analyse, interpret and use information in ways that enhance their teaching and programmes, and students' learning. A qualitative approach was used to investigate how teachers of Years 4-8 students analyse, interpret and use information gained from administration of the Progressive Achievement…

The aim of this research is to describe and explore the statistical literacy of middle school students in solving the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) problems. This research utilized the qualitative approach, with the research type being descriptive-explorative. The research subjects consisted of 6 Grade 8 students…

The Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) is an international comparative study designed to measure trends in mathematics and science achievement at the fourth and eighth grades, as well as to collect information about educational contexts (such as students' schools, teachers, and homes) that may be related to student…

Multidimensional item response theory (MIRT) models have generated increasing interest in the psychometrics literature. Efficient approaches for estimating MIRT models with dichotomous responses have been developed, but constructing an equally efficient and robust algorithm for polytomous models has received limited attention. To address this gap,…

Over the past three decades Australia has developed an increasingly advanced national system of student assessments, results from which have been used to identify areas of growth, stagnation or decline in student learning. For the most part, trends in different standardised assessments have been considered in isolation. By examining literacy and…