Welcome to the TIMSS World 〜Both Innovative and Classic in
its History
Ina V.S. Mullis and Michael O. Martin
NIER International Symposium: Exploring the possibility ofeducational data for a sustainable future
October 28, 2021

28 Years of International Trends in Mathematics
and Science Achievement, Curriculum,and Instruction
TIMSS 1995 – Inaugural assessment• First well-funded large-scale international
assessment• Extremely ambitious - 4 years in planning• Assessed mathematics and science together• 40 countries• 5 grade levels– 3rd & 4th; 7th & 8th, Final year of Secondary School

28 Years of InternationalAssessments
TIMSS 1995 – Inauguralassessment• In depth analysis of mathematics
and science curriculum• State of the art performanceassessment• Extensive questionnaires forstudents, teachers, school
principals

28 Years of International Assessments
TIMSS 1995 – Inaugural assessment• In-depth studies in U.S., Germany, and Japan– Video study of mathematics classroom instruction– Case study of educational policy issues• 9 major international reports• 4 technical reports• International database and user guide28 Years of International Assessments
TIMSS 1999 – First measurement of change• Also known as TIMSS Repeat– 38 countries– 8th grade only, four years later– 1995 8th grade vs. 1999 8th grade– 4th grade students in 1995 vs. 8th grade in 1999

• First Benchmarking effort– 13 U.S. states– 14 school districts and consortia

28 Years of International Assessments
TIMSS 2003-2007 – Establishing the trend program• Regular four-year assessment schedule• Approximately 60 countries• Assessment Framework objectives specific tosubject and grade– Mathematics and science at 4th and 8th grades• Assessment design for measuring trends– Evolving approach, cycling new material in to keep current
while measuring trends

28 Years of International Assessments
TIMSS 2008 – Trends in TIMSS Advanced• Assessed advanced mathematics and physics
in the final year of secondary school forstudents with advanced coursework
and preparation• Assessed again in TIMSS 2015
– 20 years of trends

28 Years of International Assessments
TIMSS 2011 – TIMSS and PIRLS together
at 4th grade• 34 countries assessed same students
in reading, mathematics, and science• Comprehensive research on relative
achievement in the three subjects– Profiles of relative achievement, Reading
demands in mathematics and science items,
Effective schools, and Impact of Home background• Established value of Home Questionnaire for TIMSS
as well as for PIRLS

28 Years of International Assessments
TIMSS 2015 – Twenty years of TIMSS• 4th and 8th grades and final year of
secondary school– Mathematics and science• Special report– Changes in gender differences– Changes in curriculum and instruction– Changes in achievement distributions– Changes in attitudes to mathematics

28 Years of International Assessments
TIMSS 2019-2023 – Transition to digital
based assessment• TIMSS 2019 half countries eTIMSS, half paperTIMSS• Enabled transition of TIMSS achievement
scales to digital world• TIMSS 2023 completely
digitally based assessment• Exciting new item types – incorporatingproblem solving and inquiry tasks• Emphasis on automated scoringWelcome to the TIMSS World 〜Both Innovative and Classic inits History
Ina V.S. Mullis and Michael O. Martin
NIER International Symposium: Exploring the possibility ofeducational data for a sustainable future
October 28, 2021