Use and Impact of TIMSS

The Sultanate of Oman participated in TIMSS 2007, TIMSS 2011, and TIMSS 2015, with the objective of developing and improving its educational system. Following publication of the results and international reports by IEA, Oman formed two teams, one for mathematics and one for science, composed of mathematics and science curricula officers, regional supervisors, and assessment officers. The teams reviewed international reports on mathematics and science before submitting recommendations for the consideration of decision makers at the Ministry of Education. Most of these recommendations were related to the variables included in the study instruments (questionnaires), as well as how to link these variables with the levels of student attainment in the TIMSS 2007 and 2011 cycles. Both cycles had a direct impact on curricula and assessment in the Omani educational system, as follows:

Curricula—The scope and sequence of both the mathematics and the science curricula were revised completely for Grades 1 to 10. Certain learning outcomes were moved from one grade to another. New outcomes were introduced for some grades to bring them in line with international scope and sequence. Topics covered by TIMSS 2007 also were taken into consideration.
Assessment—The low performance of Omani students in TIMSS 2007 and TIMSS 2011 was attributed mainly to their lack of familiarity with the types of questions (and the phrasing of questions) in the assessments. Subsequently, Oman has focused on training teachers in two main aspects of question development:

Classification of questions—Teachers have been trained on classifying questions into the four cognitive domains of Knowledge, Understanding, Application, and Reasoning. Examples for each domain have been developed based on items released by IEA.
Format and wording of questions—Teachers have been trained to develop questions in line with TIMSS and to incorporate them into classroom instruction on a daily basis without explicitly linking them to TIMSS.