TIMSS in a Western European Context

This special issue focuses on national findings and analyses from five Western European countries that participated in the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). TIMSS is an international, comparative study designed to provide policy makers, educators, researchers, and practitioners with information about mathematics and science achievement and its learning contexts in order to enhance mathematics and science learning within and across systems of education. TIMSS is conducted under the auspices of the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA). It is co-ordinated by the International Study Centre at Boston College in the United States. More than 40 educational systems participate in TIMSS. It is the most complex IEA study to date and the largest international comparative study on educational achievement ever undertaken. The study focuses on three populations of students (Beaton, Martin, & Mullis, 1997; Robitaille & Garden, 1996): • Population 1, the two adjacent grades containing the most 9-year-olds at the time of testing, thirdand fourth-grade students in most countries, students in Years 4 and 5 in England. • Population 2, the two adjacent grades containing the most 13-year-olds at the time of testing, seventhand eighth-grade students in most countries, students in Years 8 and 9 in England. • Population 3, students in their final year of secondary school. This special issue focuses on population 1 and 2 issues.