Highlights of TIMSS 2015 Curriculum Questionnaire Results
The compilation of responses from the TIMSS 2015 Curriculum Questionnaire enables comparisons across countries on:
- Structure and organization of their education systems
- National policies on age of school entry and promotion
- Types of early childhood education
- Components of nationally prescribed curriculum documents
- National policies regarding “high stakes” testing
- Procedures for selecting instructional materials
- Role of technology in teaching and learning
- Routes for educating and certifying teachers and principals
The TIMSS 2015 Curriculum Questionnaire results are presented in Exhibits 1 through 25.
Countries place a high priority on mathematics and science education from the initial stages of education to secondary school. Countries have guidelines for mathematics and science learning beginning in their preprimary programs, and devote about one-fourth to one-third of their instructional time to mathematics and science education combined at the fourth and eighth grades.
Instructional time is necessary to improve mathematics and science achievement, but it also is important that the time is used effectively—countries have spent considerable energy on improving curriculum and instruction. Almost all countries have a national curriculum, and beginning with the new millennium, essentially all TIMSS 2015 participants introduced new mathematics and science curricula at both the fourth and eighth grades. Also, during the 20 years of the TIMSS assessments, most of the curricula have been updated to include ambitious guidelines for integrating technology into instruction across the curriculum, including mathematics and science. Additionally, to encourage teacher education to keep pace with an information- and technology-oriented society, many countries have raised the requirements for teacher certification.