Many Visions, Many Aims(TIMSS Volume 2): A Cross-National Investigation of Curricular Intentions in School Science

309 Pages·1997·8.24 MB·English

by  W.H. Schmidt

Many Visions, Many Aims
Volume 2
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Many Visions,
Many Aims
Volume 2
A Cross-National Investigation of
Curricular Intentions in School Science
WILLIAM H. SCHMIDT
Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, U.S. A.
SENTA A. RAIZEN
The National Center for Improving Science Education
EDWARD D. BRITTON
The National Center for Improving Science Education
LEONARD J. BIANCHI
Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, U.S.A.
and
RICHARD G. WOLFE
The Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, Toronto, Canada
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Tableof Contents
Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .ix
I.CHARACTERIZINGCURRICULUM: ANOVERVIEW
Chapter 1 Science Curriculum: Investigating Curricular Intentions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Why Investigate Science Curricula?.......................... . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Earlier Studies ....................................................................5
Curriculum and Student Experience...................................................6
An Approach to Curriculum Analysis ...................................................7
Analytic Methods ...............................................................8
Chapter2 Overview of Results............................................................... . 13
MonographOrganization ...........................................................13
Monograph Conventions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Study Findings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
II. CURRICULAR ORGANIZATION AND CONTROL
Chapter3 Seeking Shared VisionsAmong the Many. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Comparing the Structures ofEducational Systems ................................... . ..27
Broad Similaritiesin ScienceEducation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Differencesin the Details ofScience Education ....................................... . .37
Do Common Visions and Aims Exist? ............................................. .44
Chapter 4 Curriculum Guides: Directing Curriculum by Intention . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Authority and Function ......................................................... . .48
Grade Spans Covered by Curriculum Guides ....................................... . .48
Structure ofCurriculum Guides .................................................49
Science Content Specified inCurriculum Guides . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Concluding Remarks..................................................................58
III. REFLECTIONS OF CURRICULUM
Chapter 5 Intended Flow of Science Curricula . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Introducing Science ................................................................. .64
Duration of Topic Coverage. . ......... ..............................................75
Covering Multiple Topics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
vi TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter 6 Milestones in Science Curricula ......... .............................................. .93
Patterns of Topic Focus....................................................................93
Commonly IntendedTopicsAcross Grades............................................... 96
Commonly Intended Topics atFocal Grades ........................................104
Chapter7 Emphasized Curriculum Topics .................................................... .115
Emphasis asAgreementof Curriculum Guides andTextbooks .............................115
Focused Versus Diverse Topic Coverage ................. ...............................122
Variation in Emphasis in Tracing of Topic Coverage ......... . ........................ .122
Variation in Emphasis inTextbookTopics forPopulations 1 and 2 .......................1.23
Variation in Emphasis in TextbookTopics forPhysics Specialists.......................1.26
Chapter8 Other Aspects of the Curriculum: Performance Expectations and Disciplinary
Perspectives ........................................................................ 131
Commonly Intended Performance Expectations..................................131
Variations in Intended Performance Expectations..................................1.34
Variations in Textbook Emphasis of Performance Expectations................. ...........134
Relationships Between Performance Expectations and Content Topics.................135
Performance Expectations for Physics Specialists .....................................145
Perspectives ... . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Chapter 9 Re-examining Shared Visions: Country Groupings...................................157
Countries Grouped by Geographic Region ......... ....................................157
Countries Grouped by Economic Category........................................160
Countries Grouped by Market Group Category...........................................162
Countries Grouped Statistically..................................................... .162
IV. CONSEQUENCES OF CURRICULUM: POLICY IMPLICATIONS
Chapter 10 ConcludingRemarks ...............................................................171
A Few Broad Conclusions ....................................................... .171
Future Directions ...............................................................173
V.SUPPORTING DATA
Appendices
A Curriculum, Experience, and Opportunity .......................................... .179
Experience and Intentionality .................................................. .179
TABLE OF CONTENTS vii
Appendices (continued)
Opportunity and Potential Experience.................................................. 180
Curriculum and the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational
Achievement (IEA) ..................................................................181
Defining Curricular Intentions: Curriculum Guides and Textbooks .......................182
B AModel ofPotential Educational Experiences................................................187
C TIMSSCurriculumFrameworks: MeasuringCurricularElements ....................... 191
D Topic Tracing Methods .................................................................. 203
E DocumentAnalysis Methods .............................................................. 207
Document Sampling................................................................... 207
Document Analysis..................................................................207
Training,Reliability and Quality Assurance...........................................218
F Participating Countries ................................................................. 221
G Documents Analyzed .................................................................... 227
H Acknowledgments ....................................................................... 247
I Tables andFiguresfor allParticipatingCountries ........................................ 251
J ListofTables: Science .................................................................... 287
K List ofFigures: Science .................................................................. 291
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PREFACE ix
P
REFACE
T
he Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), sponsored by the
International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) and the gov-
ernments of the participating countries, is acomparative study of education in mathematics and
the sciences conducted in approximately 50educational systems on six continents. The goal of
TIMSS is to measure student achievement in mathematics and science in participating countries
and to assess some of the curricular and classroom factors that are related to student learning in
these subjects. The study is intended to provide educators and policy makers with an unparal-
leled and multidimensional perspective on mathematics and science curricula; their implemen-
tation; the nature of student performance in mathematics and science; and the social, econom-
ic, and educational context in which these occur.
TIMSS focuses on student learning and achievement in mathematics and science at three
different age levels, or populations.
• Population 1 is defined as all students enrolled in the two adjacent grades that contain
the largest proportion of 9-year-old students;
• Population 2 is defined as all students enrolled in the two adjacent grades that contain
the largest proportion of 13-year-old students; and
• Population 3 is defined as all students in their final year of secondary education, includ-
ing students in vocational education programs.
In addition, Population 3 has two “specialist” subpopulations: students taking advanced courses
in mathematics (mathematics specialists), and students taking advanced courses in physics
(physics specialists).
Population 2 was the core of TIMSS and sampling these students was required of all par-
ticipating countries. Participating in the various aspects of TIMSS for Populations 1 and 3
(including the latter’s subpopulations) was optional but each country was encouraged to
participate in all options.