TIMSS VIDEO STUDY OF 8 th GRADE MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE TEACHING Please pick up two handouts!

What do mathematics teaching and science teaching look like in different countries? What can we learn from looking at mathematics and science teaching practice in higher-achieving countries? Research Questions

Unique Video Survey Approach Representative random sampling of 100 8th-grade science lessons from each country in countries for math, 5 countries for science

Presentation Overview TIMSS Video Study of Mathematics Teaching – Key results – Implications for math teaching in the U.S. – Video analysis TIMSS Video Study of Science Teaching – Key results – Implications for science teaching in the U.S. – Video analysis

TIMSS VIDEO STUDY OF 8 th GRADE MATHEMATICS TEACHING ETSU Math and Science Education Conference June 1, 2007

Participating Countries Australia Czech Republic Hong Kong Japan Netherlands Switzerland United States

TIMSS Math: Central Research Questions 1. Do other high-achieving countries teach as Japan does? 2. Do higher achieving countries differ from one another? 3. Do higher achieving countries share a set of similar lesson features?

TIMSS Math: Central Research Questions 1. Do other high-achieving countries teach as Japan does?

Do Other Countries Resemble Japan? Time on Independent Problems

Do Other Countries Resemble Japan? Problems that Included Proofs

Question 2: Do higher achieving countries differ from one another? There were important differences among the six higher-achieving countries, many on dimensions of mathematics teaching often debated in the U.S.

Features that Vary Among High Achievers: Real-Life Connection

Features that Vary Among High Achievers: Calculators and Computers

Features that Vary Among High Achievers: Problems Presented Stating concepts: defining terms, naming terms, stating formulas Using Procedures: applying standard procedures Making Connections: constructing relationships among ideas, facts, or procedures

Example: Using Procedures Find the perimeter of the rhombus 712

Examples: Making Connections Solve these two mathematical equations and describe what is different about their solutions 2x + 4 = x + 6 2x + 10 = 2( x + 5 ) Find a pattern in how equivalent ratios are created: 200, 1:3 66, 3:8 210, 2:5

Features that Vary Among High Achievers: Problems Presented

So we know that… Other higher-achieving countries do not look like Japan Higher achieving countries also vary amongst themselves on many features. Now… Question 3: What features do most higher- achieving countries have in common?

Again: Problems Presented

How Making Connections Problems are Implemented in the Classroom

What can we learn from this study? Result 1: Japan is unique in focusing on just a few problems per lesson and in requiring proofs. Result 2: There are a variety of important differences across the high-achieving countries – there is no one best way to teach mathematics. Implication: U.S. teachers do not have to copy Japanese teachers to be successful.

What can we learn from this study? Result 3: The higher-achieving countries more typically implemented making connections problems as making connections in striking contrast with the U.S. Implication: Require students to do the cognitive work in making connections problems. Break the pattern of simplifying these problems to enable students to get the answer without doing the thinking.

Video Clips: Stating concepts? Using procedures? Making connections? How are the problems presented? How are the problems implemented in these examples?  U.S. lesson  Czech lesson

Math lesson features consistently linked to improved student learning: 1. Students struggle with important mathematics 2. Teachers and students treat mathematical connections in an explicit and public way (e.g., explicit attention to conceptual development of the mathematics). (Hiebert & Grouws, 2007)

TIMSS VIDEO STUDY OF 8 th GRADE SCIENCE TEACHING ETSU Math and Science Education Conference June 1, 2007

What does science teaching teaching look like in different countries? What can we learn from looking at science teaching practice in higher-achieving countries? Research Questions

Participating countries Australia Czech Republic Japan Netherlands United States

Result #1 Each of the higher-achieving countries had a distinct core pattern of science teaching, while the U.S. lessons were characterized by variety.

The Czech science teaching pattern: Talking to learn challenging content

Demonstrating knowledge publicly

The Australian and Japanese pattern: Using practical activities and evidence to develop ideas

Exploring a few ideas in depth

Engaging students in inquiry

The Dutch pattern of science teaching: Learning science content independently

Using the textbook

The U.S. lacks a pattern of science teaching: Doing a variety of activities

Variety of activities

Motivating activities

Result #2 Although each higher-achieving country had its own approach, they all had strategies for engaging students with core science concepts and ideas. In U.S. lessons, content played a less central role, and sometimes no role at all. Instead, lessons engaged students in carrying out a variety of activities

Science content in Czech lessons: Challenging, theoretical science content

Challenging science content

Use of science terms Number of science ideas in a lesson

Science content in Dutch lessons: High expectations for students’ independent learning of science content

Working independently: homework

Working independently: self-direction

Science content in Australian and Japanese lessons: Connecting activities and evidence to build a strong content storyline

Making connections between ideas and evidence

Building a content storyline

Linking ideas and activities

Science content in U.S. lessons: The Missing Links

Weak or no links between ideas and activities

Summarizing Country Patterns CzechTalking to learn challenging content Australia Japan Using practical activities and evidence to build a strong content storyline NetherlandsLearning science content independently United States Doing a variety of activities with weak or no links to science content

What can we learn from this study? Result #1: Each of the higher-achieving countries had a distinct core pattern of science teaching, while the U.S. lessons were characterized by variety. Implication: There is no one right way to teach science to help students’ achievement.

What can we learn from this study? Result #2: In U.S. lessons, content played a less central role, and sometimes no role at all. Instead, lessons engaged students in carrying out a variety of activities. Implications: – Make science ideas more prominent in science lessons – Develop coherent science content storylines – Link all activities to science ideas

US Video clips Does this teacher build a content storyline? If so, how? Does this teacher connect activities and science ideas? If so, how? What are suggestions of ways he could do more to connect activities and science ideas to build a content storyline?

Japanese lesson clips Does this teacher build a content storyline? If so, how? Does this teacher connect activities and science ideas? If so, how? What are suggestions of ways she could do more to connect activities and science ideas to build a content storyline?

Strategies for building a coherent content storyline Identify one main learning goal Set the purpose by using goal statements and focus questions Select activities and content representations that are matched to the learning goal Link science ideas to other science ideas – Link the learning goal to ideas learned in previous lessons – Link the learning goal to ideas to be learned in future lessons

Strategies for building a coherent content storyline Link science ideas to activities: – Set up activities by engaging students in thinking about science ideas, not just procedures – Design tasks so students think about ideas, not just procedures, DURING the activity – Follow up activities by engaging students in thinking about science ideas Highlight key ideas Sequence key ideas and activities appropriately Summarize and synthesize key ideas

Full report with video clips available from NCES Highlights report also available from NCES website Public release videotaped lessons (25) on CDs available from online store at Technical report available soon from NCES website Learning more about the TIMSS 1999 Video Study Science

TIMSS Research Team Report Authors: Kathleen Roth, Stephen Druker, Helen Garnier, Meike Lemmens, Catherine Chen, Takako Kawanaka, David Rasmussen, Svetlana Trubacova, Dagmar Warvi, Yukari Okamoto, Patrick Gonzales, James Stigler, Ronald Gallimore NCES Project Officer: Patrick Gonzales International Research Coordinators: Jan Lokan, Yasushi Ogura, Hans Pelgrum, Jana Strakova Steering Committee: Rodger Bybee, Jim Minstrell, James Gallagher, Senta Raizen

If I move one of the angles, does that change the sum of the interior angles?

What is the circumference of a circle?

ETSU Math and Science Education Conference June 1, 2007