Re: TIMSS Benchmarking

[gerald bracey <gbracey@EROLS.COM>]

Bill

You can find more of the items "Mathematics Benchmarking Report, TIMSS 1999--Eighth Grade.  The cover says its available at www.timss.org, but it is 400 pages long in bound form.  Other ordering info is available at 617-552-1600.  That's the International Study Center at Boston College.

I don't know if all items are now available.


JB
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: William Cala 
  To: ARN-L@LISTS.CUA.EDU 
  Sent: Saturday, February 23, 2002 9:39 AM


  Jerry,

  I find your information in this post fascinating.  My very first thought is that I need to see the entire exam.  This looks suspiciously like  other recent standardized math tests I have examined.  Is it a math test or is it a reading test (rhetorical)?  What do the more complex questions look like? etc. etc.

  Bill


    ----- Original Message ----- 
    From: gerald bracey 
    To: ARN-L@listsrva.CUA.EDU 
    Sent: Saturday, February 23, 2002 8:16 AM


    Here's something a little different.  I want to present some data and then ask a question. It's a real question, not a conclusion in the form of a question.

    The data come from the TIMSS Benchmarking study.  In that study, 38 nations, 13 states, and 14 distric ts or consortia of districts participated.  Among these 65 entities, the First in the World Consortium finished 7th in math.  Chicago public schools finished 53rd.

    Yet on the following two problems, Chicago did better than FITW:  4.722-1.935 = , and 7003-2925 = .For the first problem, the international average was 77% correct.  Some 83% of Chicago kids and only 73% of FITW kids got it right.  For the second, the international average was 74% with Chicago kids checking in at 80% and FITW and 74%.

    Here's the question:  Given FITW's overall stellar performance, do the above data not indicate that mastery of "the basics" is not necessary for the acquisition of advanced mathematical skills?

    In the college town where I grew up, it was a cliche that mathematicians couldn't cope with arithmetic.  Are arithmetic and math independent of each other?  My guess is yes.

    I await your responses.