Many Visions, Many Aims

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xi

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2. Characterizing Curriculum: An Overview

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 1-1

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   2. Science Curriculum: Investigating Curricular Intentions

      Pages 3-12

   3. Overview of Results

      Pages 13-23

3. Curricular Organization and Control

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 25-25

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   2. Seeking Shared Visions Among the Many

      Pages 27-46

   3. Curriculum Guides: Directing Curriculum by Intention

      Pages 47-59

4. Reflections of Curriculum

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 61-61

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   2. Intended Flow of Science Curricula

      Pages 63-91

   3. Milestones in Science Curricula

      Pages 93-113

   4. Emphasized Curriculum Topics

      Pages 115-129

   5. Other Aspects of the Curriculum: Performance Expectations and Disciplinary Perspectives

      Pages 131-155

   6. Re-examining Shared Visions: Country Groupings

      Pages 157-167

5. Consequences of Curriculum: Policy Implications

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 169-169

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   2. Concluding Remarks

      Pages 171-175

6. Back Matter

   Pages 177-296

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PREFACE The Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), sponsored by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) and the g- ernments of the participating countries, is acomparative study of education in mathematics and the sciences conducted in approximately 50 educational 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 unpar- leled and multidimensional perspective on mathematics and science curricula; their implem- tation; the nature of student performance in mathematics and science; and the social, econ- 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, incl- 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).

• calculus
• education
• mathematics
• mathematics education
• science
• science education

• Michigan State University, East Lansing, USA

  William H. Schmidt, Leonard J. Bianchi

• The National Center for Improving Science Education, USA

  Senta A. Raizen, Edward D. Britton

• The Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, Toronto, Canada

  Richard G. Wolfe

Policies and ethics