Classroom Context: The Classroom Context for Year 5 Students' Mathematics and Science Achievement in 2006
Publication Details
This report examines student, teacher, and principal responses to questions on teaching and learning within the classroom context; these questions were contained in background questionnaires in the TIMSS 2006/07 study. Characteristics of teachers, including their preparedness to teach mathematics and science, teaching activities that took place within mathematics and science lessons, resource, and teacher attitudes and perceptions are explored. Comparisons have also been made with New Zealand across cycles and also with other countries.
Author(s): Robyn Caygill, Kate Lang & Saila Cowles
Date Published: August 2010
Appendix
Country | Mathematics | Country | Science | ||
| Female | Male | Female | Male | ||
| Netherlands | (4.1) | (4.1) | Netherlands | (4.1) | (4.1) |
| Hong Kong SAR | (4.1) | (4.1) | Japan | (3.6) | (3.6) |
| Japan | (3.1) | (3.1) | Chinese Taipei | (4.5) | (4.5) |
| Singapore | (2.6) | (2.6) | England | (3.3) | (3.3) |
| England | (3.5) | (3.5) | Hong Kong SAR | (3.7) | (3.7) |
| Chinese Taipei | (3.7) | (3.7) | Singapore | (2.3) | (2.3) |
| New Zealand | (2.4) | (2.4) | New Zealand | (2.4) | (2.4) |
| Australia | (3.4) | (3.4) | Australia | (3.7) | (3.7) |
| Norway | (2.4) | (2.4) | Norway | (2.4) | (2.4) |
| United States | (1.7) | (1.7) | United States | (1.7) | (1.7) |
| Scotland | (1.8) | (1.8) | Scotland | (2.2) | (2.2) |
| Kazakhstan | (1.7) | (1.7) | Kazakhstan | (1.7) | (1.7) |
| Russian Federation | (0.9) | (0.9) | Russian Federation | (0.9) | (0.9) |
| International Avg. | (0.5) | (0.5) | International Avg. | (0.5) | (0.5) |
Source: Adapted from Exhibits 6.1 Mullis, Martin and Foy & 6.1, Martin, Mullis and Foy, 2008.
Country | Number | Geometric shapes and measures | Data display | |||
| Percent of time per year | Mean scale score | Percent of time per year | Mean scale score | Percent of time per year | Mean scale score | |
| New Zealand | (0.8) | (2.7) | (0.4) | (2.3) | (0.3) | (2.6) |
| Netherlands | (1.2) | (2.2) | (0.5) | (2.3) | (0.7) | (2.3) |
| Norway | (1.1) | (2.8) | (0.7) | (3.0) | (0.5) | (2.6) |
| Australia | (1.1) | (3.7) | (0.7) | (3.1) | (0.6) | (3.1) |
| Scotland | (1.0) | (2.6) | (0.6) | (2.6) | (0.5) | (2.2) |
| England | (0.9) | (3.2) | (0.5) | (2.7) | (0.5) | (2.5) |
| Singapore | (0.7) | (4.3) | (0.6) | (3.6) | (0.5) | (3.2) |
| United States | (1.0) | (2.7) | (0.4) | (2.5) | (0.5) | (2.4) |
| Chinese Taipei | (1.0) | (1.9) | (0.6) | (2.2) | (0.6) | (2.0) |
| Hong Kong SAR | (1.0) | (3.8) | (0.7) | (3.1) | (0.5) | (2.7) |
| Japan | (1.1) | (2.2) | (0.8) | (2.2) | (0.6) | (2.8) |
| Kazakhstan | - | (6.6) | - | (7.4) | - | (5.8) |
| Russian Federation | - | (4.4) | - | (5.1) | - | (4.9) |
| International Avg. | (0.2) | (0.0) | (0.1) | (0.0) | (0.1) | (0.0) |
Note: A dash (-) indicates comparable data are not available.
Source: Adapted from Exhibits 5.2 & 5.3 Mullis, Martin and Foy, 2008.
Mathematics topics | Proportion of students mostly taught topic during or before the year of testing |
| Number | |
| Representing whole numbers using words, diagrams or symbols | 98 |
| Whole numbers including place value and ordering | 99 |
| Computation with whole numbers | 98 |
| Multiples and factors of numbers | 74 |
| Estimation with whole numbers | 89 |
| Problems involving proportions | 54 |
| Fractions (parts of a whole or a collection, location on a number line) | 84 |
| Equivalent fractions | 62 |
| Comparing and ordering simple fractions | 81 |
| Fractions represented by words, numbers or models | 83 |
| Adding and subtracting simple fractions | 59 |
| Decimal place value including writing decimals using words and numbers | 54 |
| Adding and subtracting with decimals | 40 |
| Finding the missing number in a number sentence (e.g., if 17 + __ = 29, what number would go in the blank to make the number sentence true?) | 97 |
| Model simple situations involving unknowns with expressions or number sentences | 80 |
| Extending patterns and finding missing terms in them | 73 |
| Describing relationships between adjacent terms in a sequence | 47 |
| Generating pairs of numbers following a given rule (e.g., multiply the first number by 3 and add 2 to get the second number | 54 |
| Finding a rule for a relationship given some pairs of numbers which satisfy the relationship | 52 |
| Geometric shapes and measures | |
| Measuring and estimating lengths | 90 |
| Parallel and perpendicular lines | 54 |
| Comparing angles by size and drawing angles (e.g., a right angle, angles larger or smaller than a right angle) | 32 |
| Elementary properties of common geometric shapes | 82 |
| Recognising relationships between three-dimensional shapes and their two-dimensional representations | 72 |
| Calculating areas and perimeters of squares and rectangles of given dimensions | 61 |
| Finding areas by covering with a given shape or counting squares | 68 |
| Estimating areas and volumes | 50 |
| Using informal coordinate systems to locate points in a plane | 47 |
| Figures with line symmetry | 74 |
| Reflections and rotations | 77 |
| Data display | |
| Reading data from tables, pictographs, bar graphs, or pie charts | 92 |
| Comparing information from related data sets (e.g., given graphs showing the favourite flavours of ice cream in different classes, identify the class with chocolate as the most popular flavour) | 91 |
| Using information from data displays to answer questions that go beyond directly reading the data displayed (e.g., by performing computations, drawing conclusions and making predictions) | 71 |
| Comparing and matching different representations of the same data | 64 |
| Organising and displaying data using tables, pictographs, bar graphs, or pie charts | 91 |
Country |
Home work review | Listening to teacher | Teacher-guided working on problems | Working on problems on their own | Listening to teacher re-teach or clarify | Taking tests or quizzes | Non-mathematics activities | Other |
| Singapore | (0.5) | (0.6) | (0.5) | (0.5) | (0.3) | (0.2) | (0.3) | (0.4) |
| Chinese Taipei | (0.4) | (1.1) | (0.5) | (0.6) | (0.4) | (0.5) | (0.3) | (0.4) |
| Kazakhstan | (0.4) | (0.7) | (0.5) | (0.8) | (0.5) | (0.7) | (0.4) | (0.6) |
| United States | (0.3) | (0.6) | (0.7) | (0.5) | (0.3) | (0.3) | (0.3) | (0.3) |
| Russian Federation | (0.3) | (0.9) | (0.5) | (0.8) | (0.4) | (0.6) | (0.2) | (0.4) |
| Hong Kong SAR | (0.4) | (1.3) | (0.7) | (0.8) | (0.5) | (0.4) | (0.3) | (0.5) |
| Norway | (0.4) | (0.6) | (0.9) | (1.3) | (0.5) | (0.3) | (0.3) | (0.4) |
| Scotland | (0.3) | (0.8) | (0.8) | (1.1) | (0.3) | (0.3) | (0.3) | (0.4) |
| England | (0.3) | (0.9) | (1.0) | (1.1) | (0.5) | (0.3) | (0.3) | (0.4) |
| Australia | (0.3) | (0.6) | (0.8) | (1.1) | (0.5) | (0.4) | (0.3) | (0.6) |
| Japan | (0.3) | (0.9) | (1.0) | (1.1) | (0.7) | (0.4) | (0.2) | (0.6) |
| Netherlands | (0.4) | (0.9) | (0.9) | (1.4) | (0.7) | (0.4) | (0.3) | (0.4) |
| New Zealand | (0.2) | (0.4) | (0.8) | (0.7) | (0.4) | (0.3) | (0.3) | (0.6) |
| International Avg. | (0.1) | (0.1) | (0.1) | (0.2) | (0.1) | (0.1) | (0.1) | (0.1) |
Source: Adapted from Exhibit 7.9 Mullis, Martin and Foy, 2008.
Country | Life Science | Physical science | Earth science | |||
| Percent of time per year | Mean scale score | Percent of time per year | Mean scale score | Percent of time per year | Mean scale score | |
| Netherlands | (2.1) | (2.2) | (1.0) | (2.3) | (1.5) | (2.5) |
| New Zealand | (1.2) | (2.5) | (1.3) | (2.5) | (1.0) | (2.6) |
| Norway | (1.1) | (2.5) | (0.8) | (2.7) | (1.3) | (2.9) |
| Scotland | (1.5) | (2.2) | (1.7) | (1.9) | (1.7) | (2.5) |
| Australia | (1.6) | (3.4) | (1.4) | (3.1) | (1.2) | (3.2) |
| Hong Kong SAR | (1.3) | (3.5) | (1.0) | (3.5) | (1.1) | (3.2) |
| England | (0.8) | (2.7) | (1.0) | (2.7) | (0.8) | (2.9) |
| Japan | (0.8) | (2.0) | (0.9) | (2.3) | (0.7) | (2.7) |
| Singapore | (0.9) | (4.1) | (0.9) | (3.9) | (0.7) | (3.3) |
| United States | (0.7) | (2.5) | (0.7) | (2.3) | (0.7) | (2.6) |
| Russian Federation | (1.2) | (4.1) | (0.7) | (4.6) | (0.8) | (4.3) |
| Chinese Taipei | (1.0) | (2.1) | (1.2) | (2.5) | (0.8) | (1.9) |
| Kazakhstan | (0.8) | (5.0) | (0.8) | (5.8) | (1.1) | (5.2) |
| International Avg. | (0.2) | (0.0) | (0.2) | (0.0) | (0.2) | (0.0) |
Source: Adapted from Exhibits 5.3 & 5.4 Martin, Mullis and Foy, 2008.
Science topics | Proportion of students mostly taught topic during or before the year of testing |
| Life science | |
| Types, characteristics, and classification of living things | 73 |
| Major body structures and their function in humans and other organisms (plants and animals) | 61 |
| General steps in the life cycle of familiar organisms (e.g., humans, butterflies, frogs, plants) | 77 |
| Plant and animal reproduction (passing on of general characteristics) | 33 |
| Physical features, behaviour, and survival of plants and animals in different environments | 72 |
| Bodily actions in response to outside conditions (e.g., heat, cold, danger) and activities (e.g., exercise) | 59 |
| Energy requirements of plants and animals (energy from the sun to make food and to provide energy for growth and repair) | 55 |
| Relationships in a living community (e.g., simple food chains using common plants and animals and predator-prey relationships) | 70 |
| Changes in environments (effects of human activity, pollution and its prevention) | 71 |
| Ways that common communicable diseases (e.g., colds, influenza) are transmitted; signs, prevention, and treatment of illness | 49 |
| Ways of maintaining good health, including diet and exercise | 90 |
| Physical science | |
| Classification of objects and materials based on physical properties | 56 |
| Properties and uses of metals | 23 |
| Forming and separating mixtures | 38 |
| Properties and uses of water | 58 |
| States of matter (solids, liquids, and gases) and differences in their physical properties in terms of shape and volume | 50 |
| Changes in state of matter by heating and cooling (melting, freezing, boiling, evaporation, condensation) | 58 |
| Familiar changes in materials (e.g., decaying of animal/plant matter, burning, rusting, cooking) | 42 |
| Common energy sources/forms and their practical uses (e.g., wind, sun, electricity, burning fuel, water wheel, food) | 52 |
| Heat flow and temperature | 33 |
| Common sources of light and related phenomena (e.g., formation of rainbows and shadows, visibility of objects, mirrors, colours) | 38 |
| Production of sound by vibrations | 38 |
| Electrical circuits | 44 |
| Magnets (north and south poles, magnetic attraction, and repulsion) | 33 |
| Forces that cause objects to move (e.g., gravity, push/pull forces) | 43 |
| Earth science | |
| Rocks, minerals, sand, and soil | 31 |
| Water on Earth (location, types, and movement) | 52 |
| Air (composition, proof of its existence, uses, and importance for supporting life) | 31 |
| Common features of the Earth’s landscape (e.g., mountains, plains, rivers, deserts) and relationship to human use (e.g., farming, irrigation, land development) | 55 |
| Use and conservation of Earth’s natural resources | 61 |
| Earth’s water cycle (water flowing in rivers from mountains to sea, cloud formation and precipitation) | 64 |
| Weather conditions from day to day or over the seasons | 64 |
| Fossils of animals and plants (age, formation) | 31 |
| Earth’s solar system (planets, sun, moon) | 70 |
| Earth’s rotation on its axis (e.g., day and night, appearance of shadows) | 58 |
Country | Percentage of students whose teachers reported computers available | Percentage of students whose teachers reported computer use in about half of the lessons or more | |||
| Percent in 2007 | Difference in percent from 2003 | Discovering principles and concepts | Practising skills and procedures | Looking up ideas and information | |
| Scotland | (2.4) | (4.5) | (1.9) | (3.7) | (1.6) |
| Netherlands | (2.9) | (4.5) | (1.9) | (4.1) | (2.2) |
| Singapore | (2.4) | (4.1) | (1.3) | (1.8) | (1.1) |
| Japan | (3.3) | (4.6) | (0.0) | (0.9) | (0.0) |
| Australia | (3.2) | (4.8) | (1.4) | (2.3) | (1.7) |
| New Zealand | (2.7) | (4.1) | (1.1) | (1.6) | (0.9) |
| England | (3.4) | (4.8) | (2.0) | (2.4) | (1.7) |
| Norway | (3.3) | (5.6) | (0.9) | (1.3) | (0.8) |
| United States | (2.6) | (3.5) | (0.9) | (1.5) | (1.0) |
| Hong Kong SAR | (3.9) | (5.9) | (2.4) | (1.6) | (1.9) |
| Chinese Taipei | (4.1) | (5.2) | (0.1) | (1.7) | (1.1) |
| Kazakhstan | (4.5) | – | (0.9) | (2.9) | (2.9) |
| Russian Federation | (2.7) | (3.0) | (0.0) | (1.1) | (1.1) |
| International Avg. | (0.5) | (0.2) | (0.3) | (0.2) | |
Note: A dash (-) indicates comparable data are not available.
Source: Adapted from Exhibit 7.11 in Mullis, Martin and Foy, 2008.
Country | Percentage of students whose teachers reported computers available | Percentage of students whose teachers reported on computer use in about half of the lessons or more | ||||
| Percent in 2007 | Difference in percent from 2003 | Doing scientific procedures or experiments | Studying natural phenomena through simulations | Practising skills and procedures | Looking up ideas and information | |
| Scotland | (2.8) | (5.2) | (1.5) | (1.6) | (2.7) | (3.7) |
| New Zealand | (1.7) | (3.1) | (0.8) | (1.4) | (1.3) | (2.6) |
| Japan | (2.9) | (4.0) | (0.3) | (2.0) | (0.0) | (1.5) |
| Singapore | (2.6) | (4.3) | (2.2) | (1.6) | (2.5) | (2.5) |
| Australia | (2.8) | (4.1) | (1.2) | (1.5) | (1.9) | (3.9) |
| England | (3.7) | (4.7) | (2.5) | (2.5) | (2.6) | (3.1) |
| United States | (2.6) | (3.6) | (1.4) | (1.2) | (1.4) | (2.2) |
| Hong Kong SAR | (4.1) | (6.3) | (1.7) | (2.4) | (2.9) | (4.3) |
| Netherlands | (4.7) | (6.8) | (1.0) | (0.2) | (0.2) | (3.0) |
| Norway | (3.8) | (5.7) | (0.7) | (1.1) | (0.0) | (1.3) |
| Chinese Taipei | (4.1) | (5.7) | (2.1) | (2.1) | (1.4) | (1.8) |
| Kazakhstan | (5.0) | – | (0.3) | (1.5) | (3.2) | (3.1) |
| Russian Federation | (2.1) | (2.5) | (0.7) | (0.9) | (0.8) | (1.2) |
| International Avg. | (0.6) | (0.2) | (0.2) | (0.3) | (0.4) | |
Note: A dash (-) indicates comparable data are not available.
Source: Adapted from Exhibit 7.10 in Martin, Mullis and Foy, 2008.
Country | Percentage of students whose teachers reported calculators allowed in mathematics class | Percentage of students whose teachers reported calculator use in about half of the lessons or more | ||||
| Percent in 2007 | Difference in percent from 2003 | Checking answers | Doing routine computations | Solving complex problems | Exploring number concepts | |
| England | (1.0) | (1.2) | (2.9) | (0.8) | (2.5) | (2.1) |
| Australia | (1.5) | (2.8) | (2.4) | (1.1) | (2.4) | (2.5) |
| New Zealand | (1.6) | (2.1) | (1.8) | (1.1) | (1.7) | (1.4) |
| Scotland | (2.3) | (3.4) | (1.5) | (0.7) | (1.7) | (1.1) |
| Norway | (2.9) | (4.0) | (0.5) | (0.0) | (1.1) | (0.5) |
| Kazakhstan | (5.0) | – | (1.0) | (1.0) | (2.0) | (1.3) |
| United States | (3.2) | (4.2) | (1.3) | (0.9) | (1.7) | (1.2) |
| Japan | (3.4) | (5.0) | (0.0) | (0.0) | (1.6) | (1.0) |
| Netherlands | (4.3) | (6. 5) | (0.4) | (0.4) | (0.8) | (0.0) |
| Hong Kong SAR | (4.3) | (5.2) | (1.1) | (1.3) | (1.4) | (0.8) |
| Chinese Taipei | (4.6) | (6.3) | (0.0) | (0.1) | (1.0) | (1.6) |
| Russian Federation | (3.3) | (4.0) | (1.2) | (0.6) | (1.0) | (0.8) |
| Singapore | (0.9) | (1.7) | (0.7) | (0.7) | (0.6) | (0.7) |
| International Avg. | (0.5) | (0.3) | (0.2) | (0.3) | (0.2) | |
Note: A dash (-) indicates comparable data are not available.
Source: Adapted from Exhibit 7.10 in Mullis, Martin and Foy, 2008.
Country | Percentage of students taught by teachers reporting textbook use | |||||
| Use textbook to teach mathematics | Do not use textbook to teach mathematics | |||||
| As primary basis for lessons | As supplementary resource | |||||
| Percent in 2007 | Difference in percent from 2003 | Percent in 2007 | Difference in percent from 2003 | Percent in 2007 | Difference in percent from 2003 | |
| Netherlands | (1.1) | (1.8) | (1.1) | (1.2) | (0.0) | (1.4) |
| Kazakhstan | (1.8) | – | (1.8) | – | (0.0) | – |
| Chinese Taipei | (2.0) | (3.1) | (1.4) | (2.5) | (1.4) | (1.8) |
| Hong Kong SAR | (2.8) | (4.5) | (2.8) | (4.5) | (0.6) | (0.6) |
| Russian Federation | (2.2) | (3.0) | (2.2) | (3.0) | (0.0) | (0.0) |
| Norway | (2.2) | (3.8) | (1.9) | (3.6) | (1.2) | (1.4) |
| Japan | (3.0) | (4.2) | (3.0) | (4.2) | (0.5) | (0.5) |
| Singapore | (2.9) | (4.9) | (2.7) | (4.8) | (0.7) | (0.7) |
| Scotland | (3.8) | (5.7) | (3.8) | (5.7) | (0.0) | (0.0) |
| United States | (2.6) | (4.1) | (2.3) | (3.6) | (1.6) | (2.6) |
| Australia | (2.7) | (4.1) | (3.7) | (5.5) | (3.5) | (5.3) |
| England | (3.1) | (5.0) | (4.4) | (6.3) | (3.6) | (4.6) |
| New Zealand | (1.0) | (3.0) | (1.4) | (3.3) | (1.0) | (2.5) |
| International Avg. | (0.5) | (0.5) | (0.3) | |||
Note: A dash (-) indicates comparable data are not available.
Source: Adapted from Exhibit 7.8 in Mullis, Martin and Foy, 2008.
Country | Percentage of students taught by teachers reporting textbook use | |||||
| Use textbook to teach science | Do not use textbook to teach science | |||||
| As primary basis for lessons | As supplementary resource | |||||
| Percent in 2007 | Difference in percent from 2003 | Percent in 2007 | Difference in percent from 2003 | Percent in 2007 | Difference in percent from 2003 | |
| Hong Kong SAR | (4.1) | (6.3) | (1.7) | (2.4) | (2.9) | (4.3) |
| Kazakhstan | (5.0) | – | (0.3) | (1.5) | (3.2) | (3.1) |
| Chinese Taipei | (4.1) | (5.7) | (2.1) | (2.1) | (1.4) | (1.8) |
| Russian Federation | (2.1) | (2.5) | (0.7) | (0.9) | (0.8) | (1.2) |
| Singapore | (2.6) | (4.3) | (2.2) | (1.6) | (2.5) | (2.5) |
| Netherlands | (4.7) | (6.8) | (1.0) | (0.2) | (0.2) | (3.0) |
| Japan | (2.9) | (4.0) | (0.3) | (2.0) | (0.0) | (1.5) |
| Norway | (3.8) | (5.7) | (0.7) | (1.1) | (0.0) | (1.3) |
| United States | (2.6) | (3.6) | (1.4) | (1.2) | (1.4) | (2.2) |
| England | (3.7) | (4.7) | (2.5) | (2.5) | (2.6) | (3.1) |
| Scotland | (2.8) | (5.2) | (1.5) | (1.6) | (2.7) | (3.7) |
| Australia | (2.8) | (4.1) | (1.2) | (1.5) | (1.9) | (3.9) |
| New Zealand | (1.7) | (3.1) | (0.8) | (1.4) | (1.3) | (2.6) |
| International Avg. | (0.6) | (0.2) | (0.2) | (0.3) | 0.4) | |
Note: A dash (-) indicates comparable data are not available.
Source: Adapted from Exhibit 7.8 in Martin, Mullis and Foy, 2008.
Aspects of school climate | Percentage of students whose teachers characterised the aspect on each level of the scale | ||||
| Very high | High | Medium | Low | Very low | |
| Teachers’ job satisfaction | (2.3) | (2.7) | (2.8) | (0.7) | (0.2) |
| Teachers’ understanding of the school’s curricular goals | (2.1) | (2.6) | (1.8) | (0.4) | (0.1) |
| Teachers’ degree of success in implementing the school’s curriculum | (1.7) | (2.2) | (1.8) | (0.4) | (0.0) |
| Teachers’ expectations for student achievement | (2.6) | (2.5) | (1.6) | (0.2) | (0.0) |
| Parental support for student achievement | (1.9) | (2.2) | (2.1) | (1.5) | (0.7) |
| Parental involvement in school activities | (1.8) | (2.3) | (2.5) | (1.8) | (1.1) |
| Students’ regard for school property | (1.7) | (3.1) | (2.6) | (1.9) | (0.6) |
| Students’ desire to do well in school | (1.7) | (2.8) | (2.5) | (0.7) | (0.4) |
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