Does class-size reduction close the achievement gap? Evidence from TIMSS 2011

Policies about reducing class size have been implemented in the US and Europe in the past decades. Only a few studies have discussed the effects of class size at different levels of student achievement, and their findings have been mixed. We employ quantile regression analysis, coupled with instrumental variables, to examine the causal effects of class size on 4th-grade mathematics achievement at various quantiles. We use data from 14 European countries from the 2011 sample of the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). Overall, there are no systematic patterns of class-size effects across quantiles. Class-size effects are generally non-significant and uniform at different achievement levels, which suggests that in most European countries class-size reduction does not have an impact on student achievement and does not close the achievement gap. However, combined estimates across countries indicate that high achievers may benefit more from class-size reduction.     

TIMSS 2011数学学业成就及其影响因素分析

TIMSS2011数学评价研究显示,新加坡、韩国、中国台北、中国香港与日本等东亚5地4、8年级学生的数学学业成就与优质生依然领跑世界;数学内容、认知领域成绩随总成绩同步升高,几何成绩相对薄弱,理解的成绩相对优于应用和推理;家庭环境、学校资源和风气、教师配备、课堂教学(数学课程)等关键影响因素与数学学业成就正相关.     

Differentials in Mathematics Achievement among Eighth-Grade Students in Malaysia

This paper examines differences in mathematics achievement among eighth-grade students using a secondary analysis of the data. The students, who are from Malaysia, had participated in the Trend International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 1999. A series of school, home, demographic and socio-economic variables were used to investigate the differences in the mean student mathematics scores. Evidence from the data shows that gender, the language spoken at home, expected educational level, family background, and home educational resources and aids have a significant influence on the students’ level of mathematics achievement.     

韩国补课如何影响数学成绩？——基于TIMSS 2019数据的双层线性模型分析

韩国中小学生普遍补课,背后的关键假设是补课有利于提高学习成绩,但是补课和成绩的关系究竟如何,目前尚无定论。此外,补课的作用可能因条件而异,有必要更加细致地考察补课对不同群体的作用。本研究基于“国际大型数学与科学趋势研究”（TIMSS）2019八年级测评数据,采用双层次线性模型进行分析,发现韩国八年级学生补课时间越长,数学成绩就越好。在此基础上,如果学生所在学校平均补课时间长,学生成绩将额外增加;这种作用可被该校学生的整体家境组成所部分解释。学生补课时长与成绩的关系既不因学校而异,也不因其学业水平的高低而异;但是学生家庭经济与文化资本越薄弱,补课久与成绩提升的关系越大。本研究还发现,校内数学教师的教学水平能够在一定程度上中和补课与成绩的关系,但是这种作用比较有限。韩国已然形成补课主导的教育生态,补课对成绩有顽强的预测力,其背后反映的是学生与家长在学业竞争中胜出的需求无法在公办教育中得到满足;反过来,韩国的补课市场提供了更加多元化、个性化的教育。     

Does NCLB Improve the Achievement of Students With Disabilities? A Regression Discontinuity Design

Abstract

The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) holds public schools accountable for the academic achievement of student subgroups that are larger than the state minimum-subgroup-size threshold. In 2004, California added students with disabilities to the NCLB subgroup categories. Using a regression discontinuity design, this study compared the academic achievement of students-with-disabilities subgroups that were just above the minimum-subgroup-size threshold to those just below the threshold. The results showed no effects of holding schools and teachers accountable for the achievement of students with disabilities after controlling for student performance and school characteristics of the previous academic year. Policy implications are discussed.     

Regression Discontinuity Designs With Multiple Rating-Score Variables

Abstract

In the absence of a randomized control trial, regression discontinuity (RD) designs can produce plausible estimates of the treatment effect on an outcome for individuals near a cutoff score. In the standard RD design, individuals with rating scores higher than some exogenously determined cutoff score are assigned to one treatment condition; those with rating scores below the cutoff score are assigned to an alternate treatment condition. Many education policies, however, assign treatment status on the basis of more than one rating-score dimension. We refer to this class of RD designs as “multiple rating score regression discontinuity” (MRSRD) designs. In this paper, we discuss five different approaches to estimating treatment effects using MRSRD designs (response surface RD; frontier RD; fuzzy frontier RD; distance-based RD; and binding-score RD). We discuss differences among them in terms of their estimands, applications, statistical power, and potential extensions for studying heterogeneity of treatment effects.     

聚集经济、固定资产投资和人力资本存量对经济增长的影响分析——基于面板数据工具变量分位数回归

基于2008-2017年全国31个省、自治区和直辖市的面板数据,研究聚集经济、固定资产投资和人力资本水平对经济增长的影响,考虑到聚集经济的内生性问题,用滞后期的城市人口密度作为聚集经济的工具变量,运用面板数据工具变量分位数回归估计方法分析各变量对经济增长的影响。分析结果表明,三个变量都促进经济增长,在不同分位点上,聚集经济和人力资本水平对经济增长的促进作用随分位点的增加而减小,固定资产投资对经济增长的促进作用随分位点的增加缓慢增加。     

第三届国际数学及科学研究结果对华人地区数学课程改革的启示

第三届国际数学及科学研究是一项由国际教育成就评价协会主办,有四十多个国家和地区参加的长期追踪研究,这项研究由纸笔测试和录像研究两部分组成.这项研究对华人地区课程改革的启示有:虽然华人地区数学教育遭受各种批评,但从研究结果看,华人地区的数学教育并不差;我们应该仔细讨论TIMSS测试本身,分析它是否符合我们的数学教育目标;虽然华人学生相对负面的数学学习态度似乎没有影响学生的数学成绩,但是负面态度本身应该引起我们的关注.     

TIMSS 2019数学评价的框架、结果与启示

TIMSS 2019数学评价发现,中小学生的数学学习成绩正在逐渐提高,达到国际基准的比例也在提高,并存在区域、性别、领域和认识差异。同时,家庭与学校环境、师生教学准备、学生数学学习态度和数学课程与教学等背景因素都影响数学学习。为了促进我国数学教育的健康发展,我们要继承中华优秀教育传统,吸收先进教育理念,更新数学课程内容,优化教育教学评价,培养积极学习态度。     

Globalised student achievement? A longitudinal and cross-country analysis of convergence in mathematics performance

ABSTRACT

With the aid of longitudinal country-level data from five IEA TIMSS assessments (1995–2011), the current study addresses the issue of the globalisation of curricula and achievement. To explore the hypothesis of global convergence, we study performance in four subdomains of mathematics. Using regression with fixed effects for countries, we consider whether the variation of subdomain scores decreases globally over time. Additionally, we explore qualitative differences in performance profiles using latent class analysis. Our results provide little evidence for a global harmonisation of student achievement. Rather, for regions with a similar language and culture, we observe similar strengths and weaknesses in mathematics content areas. Furthermore, these patterns remain stable over time. Directions for future research include the exploration of global trends in aspects of attained curricula for other subjects, and the use of information on school achievement.     

社会科学背景下因果推论的统计方法

如何根据非随机数据估计变量间的因果关系是社会科学研究中一个迫切的方法论问题。上世纪70年代,Rubin等人指出因果问题本质上是一个反事实的问题,认为某些统计方法可保证混淆变量和分组安排独立,并将这种方法推广到观察数据的分析中。倾向分数、工具变量和回归间断点是三种常用的方法,其中倾向分数居核心地位。以实际数据为例建立计算倾向分数的logistic模型,报告了模型的整体检验、预测变量的显著性检验和多重共线性检验、建立匹配组和分析结果报告。     

Raising standards in mathematics education: values, vision, and TIMSS

This paper examines perspectives on values, purpose and methodology in mathematics education in schools in the light of the Third International Mathematics and Science Survey (TIMSS) and current debates on standards. It argues that standards of attainment in school mathematics are closely connected to belief systems regarding value and purpose; that these systems do not always collectively offer a credible and coherent vision for mathematics education which can be effectively implemented in school classrooms; and that this coherence of vision is what to a large extent characterises the higher performing TIMSS countries. The paper forms part of a wider investigation into the processes of change in education, with a particular focus on mathematics.This revised version was published online in September 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.