Use and Impact of TIMSS
Taiwan has participated in TIMSS five times since 1999. During this period, an important reform of the Grades 1 to 9 Curriculum Guidelines was implemented in 2004 for all grades. Debate followed regarding the efficacy of this reform, and the results of TIMSS 2007 indicated that student academic achievement remained outstanding.21
Yet despite this high achievement, trend analysis of TIMSS across cycles has raised in-depth issues deserving further research. For example, the high percentage of eighth grade students in Taiwan with mathematics achievement below the intermediate benchmark has drawn the attention of educators and policymakers.22 Attention also has been focused on fourth and eighth grade students in Taiwan reporting higher dislike of and lower self-confidence in learning mathematics compared to students in most other countries.
In response to these issues, the National Science Council and the Ministry of Education continue to call for proposals and to sponsor relevant research projects. Since 2001, the National Science Council has focused on providing extra support to disadvantaged students in mathematics, and enhancing the interest and self-confidence of all students in learning mathematics and science.23,24 A special call for proposals in 2006 reflects the substantial efforts Taiwan is undertaking to address these issues.25 To date, TIMSS results have become one of the primary resources used in evaluating the efficacy of mathematics and science education in Taiwan and have provided a strong basis for curriculum development.26
In addition to using the results of TIMSS survey studies as a benchmark for monitoring educational issues in Taiwan, participating in TIMSS also has contributed to improving the quality of Taiwan’s nationwide educational studies by introducing the methodological techniques of large scale survey to Taiwanese researchers in education, such as complex sampling, block design for test booklets, and scaling using population models.