Mathematics Teaching in Italy: A Cross-Cultural Video Analysis

This study investigates the cultural nature of teaching. It compares a sample of 39 videotaped Italian mathematics lessons to German, Japanese, and U.S. lessons videotaped in TIMSS. This study expands on earlier work that was based on a smaller sample; analysis is also extended to the nature of the mathematical content presented. The results confirm the existence of an Italian cultural pattern for mathematics teaching, whose features we outline here. Italian teachers prefer whole-class instruction to individual seatwork; they engage in teacher talk/demonstration to transmit information; and they often call on students to solve problems at the board before the rest of the class. Italian lessons are characterized by the inclusion of a large number of mathematical principles and properties. These are explained 50% of the time, and simply stated the rest of the time. This study adds yet another perspective from which mathematics teaching can be studied, and, by acknowledging the difficulty to change cultural practices, it offers practical implications for teacher learning.     

Mathematical features of lessons in the TIMSS video study

The video component of the Third International Mathematics and Science Study marked the first time that national samples of teachers were videotaped at work in their classrooms. In this article we review some of the results of the study, with special attention to the nature of the mathematics evident in these eighth-grade lessons from Germany, Japan, and the United States. We conclude by proposing that many lessons within a country follow a cultural pattern of teaching, and that differences among countries on individual indicators of teaching must be understood in reference to these patterns.     

Studying sample lessons rather than one excellent lesson: A Japanese perspective on the TIMSS videotape classroom study

The findings of the TIMSS Videotape Classroom Study include aspects of mathematics lessons showing a strong resemblance between Germany and the US in difference to Japan. This paper discusses some of the features that appear to make Japanese lessons different from the other two countries. In particular, the paper examines the goals of lessons described by Japanese teachers, how lessons are structured and implemented, and the emphasis on alternative solutions to a problem in the teaching and learning processes. The characteristics of Japanese lessons identified by the TIMSS Videotape Classroom Study can naturally be interpreted as indications of teachers' efforts to foster students' mathematical thinking in the classroom.     

Learning study – promoting and hindering factors in mathematics teaching

This article focuses on presenting success factors for a group of teachers in carrying out a learning study in mathematics at their school. The research questions are: what are the actions of the school teaching community during development projects? What factors enable a group of teachers to carry out a learning study at their school? Activity theory provides a holistic framework to investigate relationships among the components present in a learning study. The results are based on analysis of interviews with teachers, students, principal organizers of schools and project coordinators, videotaped lessons, students’ tests and minutes taken at meetings of mathematics projects. The results show that the skills of facilitators, the time devoted to collaborative work, the link to learning theory and avoiding overly comprehensive content when teaching lessons are important promoting factors in mathematics teaching. The findings raise important questions about the way in which teacher work within universities.     

A comparative investigation of the presence of psychological conditions in high achieving eighth graders from TIMSS 2007 Mathematics

This study is a second analysis of Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2007 background questionnaires to investigate high achieving eighth-grade students’ possession of three elements of Krutetskii’s (The Psychology of Mathematical Abilities in Schoolchildren, The University of Chicago, 1976) psychological conditions. Analyses were made between high achieving eighth graders and their lower achieving counterparts, and between Korean high achievers and their high achieving peers across ten high performing TIMSS participating countries. After reviewing 44,643 students across selected countries, we conclude that a larger percentage of students with mathematical talent demonstrate positive attitudes toward mathematics, value mathematics, and have self-confidence in their ability to learn mathematics than their peers without high achievement in mathematics. However, a larger portion of high achieving Korean students displayed low self-confidence and valued mathematics less than their peers from other high performing countries. Findings from this study will provide insight into some educational issues in science, technology, engineering and mathematics education.     

Examination of the 8th grade students' TIMSS mathematics success in terms of different variables1

The aim of this study is to determine how the TIMSS mathematics success of the 8th grade students differentiates according to the school type, gender, mathematics report mark, parents' education level, cognitive domains and cognitive domains by gender. Relational survey method was used in the study. Six-hundred fifty two 8th grade students studying in the same city in Turkey participated in this study. In this study, a 45 question test that was made up by choosing TIMSS 2011 mathematics questionnaire was used as a data collection tool. Quantitative data analysis methods were used in the data analysis, frequency, percentage, average, standard deviation, independent sample test, one-way analysis of variance and post-hoc tests were applied to data by using SPSS packaged software. At the end of the study, it was determined that the school type, mathematics school mark, parents' education level and cognitive domains influenced the students' TIMSS mathematics success but their gender was a neutral element. Moreover, it was seen that schools which are really successful in national exams are more successful in TIMSS exam; students whose mathematics school marks are 5 and whose parents graduated from university are more successful in TIMSS exams than others.     

Standards for professionalization of mathematics teachers: policy, curricula, and national teacher employment test in Korea

International comparative studies such as the Trend in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) and the OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) indicate that Korean students have consistently performed well. In addition, a recent study titled Mathematics Teaching in the 21st Century (MT21) compared prospective teachers’ knowledge and beliefs about teaching and learning in six participant countries, reporting that Korean prospective secondary mathematics teachers were better prepared than those in other countries. In this context, this study has examined the curricula for mathematics teacher education and teacher employment tests in order to investigate the social expectation for teacher professionalization in Korea, particularly focusing on teacher knowledge. The analysis shows that while elementary mathematics teacher education emphasizes pedagogical knowledge, the secondary mathematics education curricula are highly content knowledge oriented. However, the secondary mathematics teacher education includes various aspects of pedagogical content knowledge in its curricula and teacher employment test. This research also identifies the discourse concerning mathematics instruction for diversity and equity and the emphasis of reflective practice as the significant development of the current Korean teacher education.     

The Japanese perspective on TIMSS

The International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) undertook three international mathematics studies: the first, FIMS, in 1976, the second, SIMS, in 1980, and the third, TIMSS, in 1995, 13-year-old Japanese students were included in these studies. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the level of mathematics achievement and attitudes toward mathematics among Japanese students and the situation of mathematics education in Japan, based on the results of TIMSS and previous studies. From our analysis of results, we can indicate the following points: although achievement in the fundamental techniques of calculation can be viewed in general as satisfactory, the attainment levels cannot be regarded as acceptable for problems which require a high degree of thinking and comprehension. And from the consequence of international comparison about interest and attitude, it became evident that a smaller fraction of Japanese students have a favorable opinion than in other countries.     

An In‐depth Analysis of Achievement Gaps Between Seventh and Eighth Grades in the TIMSS Database

Middle school data from the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) are analyzed in this article to compare achievement difference between seventh and eighth grades. The statistical computing involves a selective subtraction of item scores in more than 40 countries. The research findings indicate that not all TIMSS items have resulted in a higher mean score at the upper grade level. Item features are discussed to characterize part of the released TIMSS instrument that generates a higher average score at the lower grade. This empirical study may help enrich understanding of the TIMSS benchmark among mathematics and science educators.     

Cross-national studies on the teaching and learning of mathematics: where do we go from here?

While the prevailing research interest in East–West comparative studies still seems to be on explaining the superior performance of East Asian students, the time has come for researchers from both areas to focus on what countries can learn from one another. This commentary cites some of the most significant lessons learned from the papers in this special issue and asks additional research questions that might be worth pursuing. However, learning does not end in articulating similarities and differences between cultures and adopting the best practices that these cultures offer. It is hoped that countries will continue to work for increased partnerships and collaboration, greater understanding, and deeper appreciation of individual countries’ uniqueness with the end goal of improving the quality of mathematics teaching and learning for all.     

Egalitarianism meets ideologies of mathematical education–instances from Norwegian curricula and classrooms

The article starts focusing egalitarianism in a Norwegian curricular context in general and in mathematics education from primary schools to teacher education in particular. It progresses by locating and problematizing some major ideologies in mathematics education such as rationalism, activism, competitivism and ‘autodidactism’ on one hand and egalitarianism on the other. Some results from TIMSS, where Norway differs significantly from other countries, are touched upon and contrasted with episodes from qualitative studies. It is asked, from a general didaktic point of view, whether egalitarian values in mathematics education should be seen as strength or weekness, and the other way round, whether mathematical education contributes to or counterworks egalitarianism in society.     

Problem solving in mathematics education in Italy: dreams and reality

Drawing on personal experiences in in-service teacher training and curricular innovation in Italy, this paper addresses some questions relevant to mathematics education in the specific area of problem solving research. What are the effects of research results on national programs and curricula? To what extent, and how, are these assimilated in the school system? The analysis of some specific aspects of the evolution of the Italian situation in the last 30 years will suggest some possible answers suitable for comparison with other countries.     

Declining gender differences from FIMS to TIMSS

This paper examines the findings of the three IEA studies (FIMS, SIMS and TIMSS) on the variation among countries of gender differences in mathematics achievement, and places them in the context of the increasing presence of women in mathematics and the overall decrease in gender differences in mathematics achievement over the period examined, from 1964 to 1995.     

Inquiry-based learning for students, teachers, researchers, and representatives of educational administration and policy: reflections on a nation-wide initiative fostering educational innovations

International comparative studies such as TIMSS and PISA have had a considerable influence on the national educational policy in many countries. In Austria, as a reaction to the disappointing TIMSS 1995 results at the upper secondary level, a national initiative with the aim to foster mathematics and science education was launched in 1998: the IMST project. Due to specific challenges of the Austrian educational system, it has undergone several adaptations, but is still running. One of the project’s basic interventions is to promote teachers’ investigation into their own work. It is assumed that this supports the teachers’ critical stance towards innovation and inquiry, which in turn is an important basis for disseminating inquiry-based learning. A general look at the whole project and a specific look into one research project of IMST are used as opportunities to reflect on the complex interconnection and natural tension between the goal of promoting students’ IBL and its sustainable dissemination on a large scale. The paper introduces the project’s theoretical framework and genesis, provides exemplary research results, and reflects on its impact. The paper finishes with five “lessons learnt” from IMST.     

Teachers’ views on creativity in mathematics education: an international survey

The survey described in this paper was developed in order to gain an understanding of culturally-based aspects of creativity associated with secondary school mathematics across six participating countries. All participating countries acknowledge the importance of creativity in mathematics, yet the data show that they take very different approaches to teaching creatively and enhancing students’ creativity. Approximately 1,100 teachers from six countries (Cyprus, India, Israel, Latvia, Mexico, and Romania) participated in a 100-item questionnaire addressing teachers’ conceptions about: (1) Who is a creative student in mathematics, (2) Who is a creative mathematics teacher, (3) In what way is creativity in mathematics related to culture, and (4) Who is a creative person. We present responses to each conception focusing on differences between teachers from different countries. We also analyze relationships among teachers’ conceptions of creativity and their experience, and educational level. Based on factor analysis of the collected data we discuss relevant relationships among different components of teachers’ conceptions of creativity as they emerge in countries with different cultures.     

‘Excellent’ primary mathematics teachers’ espoused and enacted values of effective lessons

This paper reports a study that explored the characteristics of mathematics lessons that were espoused as effective by six ??excellent?? mathematics teachers and how they enacted their values in their classroom practice. In this study, we define espoused values as values that we want other people to believe we hold, and enacted values as values that we actually practice. Qualitative data were collected through video-recorded lesson observations (3 lessons for each teacher) and in-depth interviews with teachers after each observation. At the end of the project, stimulated-recall focus group interviews were used to allow teachers to define the meaning of an effective mathematics lesson as well as to recall and reflect on a 10-min edited video clip of one of their teaching lessons. The findings showed that these teachers shared five common characteristics of effective mathematics lessons: achieving teaching objectives; pupils?? cognitive development; affective achievement of pupils; focus on low-attaining pupils; and active participation of pupils in mathematics activities. These values were espoused explicitly as well as enacted in the lessons observed.     

School mathematics curriculum materials for teachers’ learning: future elementary teachers’ interactions with curriculum materials in a mathematics course in the United States

This report describes ways that five preservice teachers in the United States viewed and interacted with the rhetorical components (Valverde et al. in According to the book: using TIMSS to investigate the translation of policy into practice through the world of textbooks, Kluwer, 2002) of the innovative school mathematics curriculum materials used in a mathematics course for future elementary teachers. The preservice teachers’ comments reflected general agreement that the innovative curriculum materials contained fewer narrative elements and worked examples, as well as more (and different) exercises and question sets and activity elements, than the mathematics textbooks to which the teachers were accustomed. However, variation emerged when considering the ways in which the teachers interacted with the materials for their learning of mathematics. Whereas some teachers accepted and even embraced changes to the teaching–learning process that accompanied use of the curriculum materials, other teachers experienced discomfort and frustration at times. Nonetheless, each teacher considered that use of the curriculum materials improved her mathematical understandings in significant ways. Implications of these results for mathematics teacher education are discussed.