TIMSS 1998/99 Data Services
TIMSS Key Facts
Key Facts: TIMSS 1998/99
When: 1998.
Who: Standard 3 students (mainly Year 5 level) and Year 9 students.
What: Mathematics and science achievement.
How: Conducted under the auspices of the IEA; managed internationally by Boston College; and managed within New Zealand by the Ministry of Education.
Where: In 38 countries at Year 9 level, including New Zealand; New Zealand also conducted a national study at Year 5 level.
The first assessment was conducted in 1994/95. Internationally, TIMSS-1998/99 was not as extensive as the first cycle, with only lower secondary students (Year 9 students in New Zealand) taking part. However, New Zealand chose to do a replication of the 1994/95 middle primary assessment with Year 5 students at the same time as TIMSS-1998/99 was administered to Year 9 students.
Key Findings
- The mean mathematics score for New Zealand Year 9 students was about the same as the international mean. Mean mathematics achievement decreased between 1994/95 and 1998/99 but this change was not statistically significant.
- On average, New Zealand Year 9 students achieved significantly above the international mean for science in TIMSS-1998/99, with virtually no change in mean achievement since 1994/95.
- Year 5 students achieved at a slightly higher level on average in both mathematics and science in 1998, when compared with the earlier assessment in 1994. Year 5 boys achieved significantly higher scores on average in 1998, in both maths and science, whereas the mean performance of girls was at about the same level.