Description

The Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) is an educational research study on student achievement in mathematics and science around the world. It is designed to measure and interpret differences in national educational systems in order to help improve the teaching and learning of mathematics and science worldwide. In 1994, TIMSS began the first study in a regular cycle of studies at four-year intervals. TIMSS assesses achievement in mathematics and science at middle primary (Year 5) and lower secondary (Year 9) levels, and collects background information on student, classroom and school contexts through questionnaires.

As well as providing countries with a snapshot of achievement at each cycle, participation at four-yearly intervals has allowed countries, including New Zealand, to measure trends in achievement by comparing performance across the cycles. The latest cycle of TIMSS will be conducted in 2027 in New Zealand.

TIMSS is conducted under the auspices of the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA), which is an independent international co-operative of national research institutions and government agencies. The Ministry of Education's Educational Measurement and Assessment Team manages the implementation of the TIMSS studies in New Zealand.