High-achieving Countries Research Articles

Artificial Neural Network and Adaptive Neuro Fuzzy Inference System Hybridized Models in the Sustainable Integration of Language and Mathematics Skills: The Case of Singapore and Hong Kong

The four basic language skills, listening, speaking, reading, and writing play, a crucial role in the development of an individual’s skills in other disciplines. The current study aims to underpin the relationship between language skills and mathematics skills by focusing on the language and mathematics curricula of two consistently high-achieving countries, Hong Kong and Singapore, in the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) rankings. In the current study, the convergent parallel mixed method was utilized that qualitative and quantitative data were composed together. Primarily, the outcomes of four language skills were determined in the native language teaching curricula of the two countries. The topics and themes related to four basic language skills were determined from the two mathematics curricula. The curricula were examined by document analysis from qualitative research methods. The analysis was conducted by examining the native language teaching and the mathematics curricula of both countries by the content analysis method. Later, the findings of the document analysis were used to develop machine learning models to find a possible positive relationship between language skills and the PISA scores. Although a number of previous studies have found a reasonable relationship between language skills and mathematics skills, the current study results were contradictory to the ones performed previously in the literature, and considering the curricula no positive relationship between the language and mathematics skills was found. The findings of the current study were further supported by the artificial neural network (ANN) and Adaptive Neuro Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) model performance metrics. Compared to an acceptable level of 0.80, significantly low R2 values of 0.35 and 0.39 for the ANN and ANFIS models, respectively, indicated very little relationship between the language and mathematics skills.

PISA'DA EN İYİ PERFORMANS GÖSTEREN ÜLKELERİN ve TÜRKİYE'NİN ÖĞRETMEN YETERLİKLERİNİN KARŞILAŞTIRMALI ANALİZİ

The aim of this study is to compare the teacher competency frameworks (TCFs) of top performing countries in PISA (Singapore, Hong Kong, Estonia, Canada) and Türkiye and to reveal the similarities and differences among teacher competences of these countries. Comparative education method was used in the study. Successful countries in PISA from different regions were chosen as sample countries. Official documents on teacher education and specifically TCFs of sample countries were examined as the main data sources. Descriptive analysis was used for the analysis of data. This study revealed that “subject matter knowledge and pedagogical skills, teachers’ continuous professional development and collaboration, and supporting student development” are the in common competences in all sample high-achieving countries’ TCFs including Türkiye. However, “Techno-pedagogical skills” domain, which is quite important in today’s world, exists only in Estonia’s TCF. It was seen that publishing year of TCFs differs greatly. It was concluded that sample countries’ TCFs have similarities largely while there are also some differences among them. Finally, it was seen that Türkiye’s TCF shows similarities to sample top-performing countries’ TCFs to a great extent.

Integration within national documents: An examination of early childhood education curriculum of five high-achieving countries of MIPEX

International migration, although interrupted slightly by the travel restrictions due to Covid-19, is still quite common and influential resulting in cultural, ethnic, and religious diversity within countries. Designing educational settings that meet the needs of a diverse population is crucial in promoting integration of migrant newcomers. By promoting integration through specific policies, countries may eliminate inequality, poverty, and injustice. National documents can provide information that represents these policies. Thus, the aim of this study was to examine the early childhood education curriculum of the top five countries ranked in the educational integration domain of the Migrant Integration Policy Index (MIPEX). Document analysis method was used to determine the reflections of integration policy. It was concluded that integration is promoted through target curricula by specific focus on democratic and humanitarian values and rights. Also, flexibility of the curricula allowed practitioners to adapt their practices based on local needs. Thus, according to these results, several implications were provided for future research and practice.

International Cooperation and Solving Transfer Pricing Disputes: A Discussion about Mutual Agreement Procedures

Abstract The mutual agreement procedure is the main instrument available to both taxpayers and tax administrations for mitigating international double taxation arising from transfer pricing adjustments. Although it may apply to cases generated by other tax topics, this article refers strictly to its application in the context of transfer pricing. Ensuring this mechanism operates as smooth as possible is one of the factors contributing to efficient cross-border economic flows of goods and services and their fair taxation, eliminating the risk for multinational groups of paying more taxes than necessary (as a result of transfer pricing adjustments performed by tax authorities). As one of the organisms promoting international cooperation and economic wellbeing, the OECD tracks the performance of member and non-member states in relation to the effective implementation of mutual agreement procedures. The process is not aimed at evaluating the results of one specific country, but rather to offer a global perspective. Through literature review as well as secondary data analysis derived from the annual reports prepared by the National Agency for Fiscal Administration in Romania and the OECD, this article aims at presenting how the Romanian tax authorities are handling mutual agreement procedure cases, as a base for future improvements. Although the Romanian tax authorities have been constantly involved during the last 7 years in solving double taxation cases through mutual agreement procedures, work is still needed in order to make the process more efficient, considering that their results are still significantly below the high-achieving countries, as presented in the OECD reports.

Drawing lessons from PISA: Qatar’s use of PISA results

Worldwide, the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) has emerged as a valid and reliable benchmark for assessing students’ performance and for gaining significant influence over educational policy and decision-making. Since 2001, Qatar has engaged in massive educational reform, with high expectations for improving students’ achievement. Although significant growth has occurred in Qatar’s education system, students’ performance in PISA is still lagging. The purpose of this article is to examine PISA against the backdrop of Qatar’s education system. It addresses PISA’s objectives and limitations and identifies two common factors in high-achieving countries, teachers, and assessment. These factors are analyzed to determine how Qatar is developing in these areas, compared with other nations, raising issues that should be considered when using PISA to create policy. Finally, several recommendations are offered for policy makers.

Arithmetic word problem solving. Analysis of Singaporean and Spanish textbooks

The success or failure of education systems in promoting student problem-solving skills depends on attitudinal, political, and pedagogical variables. Among these variables, the design of mathematics textbooks is thought to partially explain why students from high-achieving countries show better problem-solving ability in international assessments. In the current study, we delved into this question and compared the frequency and characteristics of arithmetic word problems (AWPs) contained in primary school math textbooks in two countries with different levels of performance in international assessments—Singapore and Spain. In our analyses, we focused on (1) the quantity of arithmetic word problems, (2) the variety of problems in terms of their additive or multiplicative structures and semantic-mathematical substructures, and (3) the quantity and nature of illustrations that were presented together with arithmetic word problems. Although a larger proportion of AWP activities was found in Singaporean textbooks, the results showed a similar variety of AWPs in both Singaporean and Spanish math textbooks. Furthermore, in both countries, math textbooks emphasized the structures classified as (additive) combine 1 and (multiplication) simple rate in AWPs. Notably, the Singaporean textbook contained a larger percentage of illustrations that reflected the semantic-mathematical structures of the problems and helped students learn how to solve AWPs (e.g., bar models). The findings are discussed in light of theories that posit that textbooks constitute a fundamental part of the teaching–learning process in the classroom.

Evaluation of math anxiety and its remediation through a digital training program in mathematics for first and second graders

IntroductionMath anxiety severely impacts individuals’ learning and future success. However, limited is understood about the profile in East Asian cultures where students genuinely show high‐level math anxiety, despite that they outperform their Western counterparts. Here, we investigate the relation between math anxiety and math achievement in children as young as first and second graders in Taiwan. Further, we evaluate whether intensive exposure to digital game‐based learning in mathematics could ameliorate math anxiety.MethodsThe study first evaluated a group of 159 first and second graders’ math anxiety and its correlation with math performance. Subsequently, a quasi‐experimental design was adopted: 77 of the children continued and participated in multi‐component digital game training targeting enumeration, speeded calculation, and working memory. Post‐assessment was administered afterward for further evaluation of training‐associated effects.ResultsResults confirmed that math anxiety was negatively associated with school math achievement, which assessed numerical knowledge and arithmetic calculation. Furthermore, children's math anxiety was remarkably reduced via digital training in mathematics after 6‐week intensive remediation. Crucially, this math anxiety relief was more prominent in those with high‐level math anxiety. Although the children who underwent the training showed training‐induced math achievement and working memory enhancement, this cognitive improvement appeared to be independent of the math anxiety relief.ConclusionOur findings demonstrate that students can show highly negative emotions and perceptions toward learning even in high‐achieving countries. Auspiciously, the feeling of distress toward learning has the feasibility to be relieved from short‐term intensive training. Our study suggests a new approach of early treatments to emotional disturbance that can lead to permanent consequences in individuals.

Defining teaching quality around the world

ABSTRACT Definitions of teaching quality differ across jurisdictions and have evolved over time. Drawing on a study of five high-achieving countries with strong supports for teachers’ professional learning and practice, this article describes the perspectives on good teaching rooted in standards for entry, preparation, and practice. These nations increasingly see teaching as rooted in a wide-ranging knowledge base that combines an understanding of content, pedagogy, and learners to focus on meeting students’ diverse social, emotional, and academic needs. These jurisdictions also define teaching quality as rooted in ongoing research and inquiry on the part of teachers – a means of developing knowledge for teaching that is at the core of professional practice.

인지진단이론에 근거한 TIMSS 2011의 과학 결과 분석을 통한 인지 속성의 국제비교

This research purports to find out the characteristics of Korean students cognitive attributes and compare it with that of high-achieving countries who took TIMSS 2011 based on the Cognitive Diagnostic Theory. Based on TIMSS 2011 Science framework, nine cognitive attributes were extracted and the researcher analyzed that 216 of the TIMSS 2011 science items require these attributes. This analysis was conducted to come up with a Q-matrix. After producing the Q-matrix, multi-level IRT was used to figure out each countries` characteristics for each of the cognitive attribute. According to the study results, four attributes, such as `Use Models,` `Interpret Information,` `Draw Conclusions,` and `Evaluate and justify` were easier attributes for Korean middle school students. However, the other five attributes such as `Recall/Recognize`, `Explain`, `Classify`, `Integrate`, `Hypothesize and Design` were considered as harder attributes compared to other countries. Korean students also considered `Interpret Information` as the easiest attributes, and `Explain` as the hardest attributes of all. For Korean students, those attributes considered to be easy were the easiest and hard attributes as the hardest compared to other countries, showing very extreme cases. Therefore, to give students more meaningful learning experience, it is better to use all the attributes altogether rather than use specific attributes while constructing Science curriculum or textbooks.

What works where? The relationship between instructional variables and schools' mean scores in mathematics and science in low-, medium-, and high-achieving countries

The association between frequent use of certain instructional practices in mathematics and science and learning outcomes in schools in low-, medium-, and high-achieving countries is the focus of this study. It not only looks at teaching practices "that work" (positively associated with achievement) but whether they "work" similarly in the three groups of countries. Hierarchical multilevel regressions analysis was employed to explore the relationships between frequent use ofcertain instructional practices in mathematics and science and schools' learning outcomes in these areas, in low-, medium-, and high- achieving countries. In both school subjects, traditional modes of instruction (teacher-centered) were found to be positively and significantly associated with achievement in all countries, while more constructive modes of instruction (student-centered) showed a differential effect. The frequent implementation of more student-centered modes was found to be positively associated with learning outcomes in high- and medium-achieving countries, but negatively associated in low-achieving countries. The findings confirm conclusions in other studies that replacing teacher-centered traditional practices with more student-centered practices will not necessarily result in more learning for all students. Constructivist practices will be more beneficial for students only in high-achieving countries.

International Tests and the U.S. Educational Reforms: Can Success Be Replicated?

The ranking of the United States in major international tests such as the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS), Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), and Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) is used as the driving force and rationale for the current educational reforms in the United States. Through current reforms, the United States is preparing to “race to the top” of the international rankings. However, using international test results as the ultimate indicator of a country's educational achievement might not be an appropriate measure. Additionally, replicating some aspects of high-achieving countries’ education systems or standards may not guarantee success for U.S. public schools. In this article, four reasons are presented explaining why there is no guaranteed success in comparing the United States to other countries’ educational standards and to their achievement in international tests. In order to successfully implement reforms in U.S. public schools, educational leaders and reformers should carefully consider the four points discussed in this article and use tests to inform their reforms, rather than to create uniformity.

Identifying Country-Specific Cultures of Physics Education: A differential item functioning approach

In international large-scale assessments of educational outcomes, student achievement is often represented by unidimensional constructs. This approach allows for drawing general conclusions about country rankings with respect to the given achievement measure, but it typically does not provide specific diagnostic information which is necessary for systematic comparisons and improvements of educational systems. Useful information could be obtained by exploring the differences in national profiles of student achievement between low-achieving and high-achieving countries. In this study, we aimed to identify the relative weaknesses and strengths of eighth graders’ physics achievement in Bosnia and Herzegovina in comparison to the achievement of their peers from Slovenia. For this purpose, we ran a secondary analysis of Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2007 data. The student sample consisted of 4,220 students from Bosnia and Herzegovina and 4,043 students from Slovenia. After analysing the cognitive demands of TIMSS 2007 physics items, the correspondent differential item functioning (DIF)/differential group functioning contrasts were estimated. Approximately 40% of items exhibited large DIF contrasts, indicating significant differences between cultures of physics education in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Slovenia. The relative strength of students from Bosnia and Herzegovina showed to be mainly associated with the topic area ‘Electricity and magnetism’. Classes of items which required the knowledge of experimental method, counterintuitive thinking, proportional reasoning and/or the use of complex knowledge structures proved to be differentially easier for students from Slovenia. In the light of the presented results, the common practice of ranking countries with respect to universally established cognitive categories seems to be potentially misleading.

Addressing Low U.S. Student Achievement in Mathematics and Science through Changes in Professional Development and Teaching and Learning

“When compared with high-achieving countries around the world, the U.S. appears to be significantly behind in providing certain kinds of professional learning opportunities” (Wei, Darling-Hammond, Andree, Richardson, & Orphanos, 2009, p. 39). The present study was designed to investigate the relationship between sustained, targeted professional development in mathematics and student performance in the United States and in the high-achieving countries listed in the Third International Mathematics and Science Study. The research for this study involved teachers and students in a consortium of school districts in the state of Ohio, formed to meet the challenge of closing the achievement gap in mathematics and science for students in the United States. The findings indicate that professional development can be seen as a significant contributing factor in the learning cycle and that sustained, targeted professional development has a positive effect on student achievement.

Making Practice Public: Teacher Learning in the 21st Century

We propose that the advent and ubiquity of new media tools and social networking resources provide a means for professional, networked learning to “scale up.” We preface our discussion with a review of research that has led us to argue for professional learning communities, document the policies and practices of professional development in high-achieving countries internationally that have transformed the way teachers learn, and discuss online social networking as it is being used for teacher learning. Our 10-year experience at the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching gave us an opportunity to learn to make multimedia representations of practice for use in both preservice and professional development. We believe that making practice public in this way can be transformative.

Learning from the World: Achieving More by Doing Less

Countries that score higher in international comparisons than does the U.S. also require less time in school, assign less homework, and use less high-tech gadgetry. Mr. Baines argues that maybe it is time we learned from them. AT THIS moment, in school districts throughout the United States, initiatives are being launched to extend the school day, increase homework, integrate technology, and require more high-stakes testing. The assumption underlying these initiatives is that more and more--more time in school, more homework, more technology, and more high-stakes testing--will produce smarter, better-prepared students who, in turn, will help guide the nation through the tumultuous and uncertain 21st century. To realize the ideal of an educated, productive citizenry, however, many countries around the world are employing radically different approaches. Instead of executing a strategy of more and more, some countries have decided to educate their young people by doing less. Because the test scores of students from these countries routinely eclipse the scores posted by American students in two international comparisons of student achievement--Trends in International Math and Science Study (TIMSS) and Programme of International Student Achievement (PISA)--an investigation of educational practices in higher-achieving countries might prove instructive. Four areas where the policy and practice in high-achieving countries run counter to current practice and policy in the U.S. are as follows: 1) time spent at school, 2) homework, 3) technology, and 4) schools as agents of social change. TIME SPENT IN SCHOOL Students in public schools in most countries in Western Europe, Canada, Mexico, Korea, Japan, and Singapore--all members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)--spend an average of 701 hours per year in school. In Finland, where students have scored near the top in international comparisons of achievement for a number of years, students spend only 600 hours in school. In the United States, by contrast, children go to school for six or more hours per day, five days per week, for approximately 185 days spread over a period of nine or 10 months. The average time spent at school in the U.S. totals over 1,100 hours, almost double that of children in Finland. By the time children reach the age of 14 in Finland, they will have gone to school for 2,500 fewer hours than students in America (the equivalent of two to four years of schooling). Despite much longer school days, American students routinely score 10% to 20% lower than Finnish students on international tests of achievement. Experimental studies have repeatedly found no correlation between time spent at school and levels of achievement. (1) Of course, as any teacher in American public schools can attest, time at school is often wasted on performing nonteaching tasks, organizing paperwork, maintaining discipline, and keeping students busy. Some of the more prestigious private secondary schools in America schedule classes in the fashion of universities -- 90-minute periods that meet twice each week, with one day a week set aside for advising and one-on-one tutoring. If such a schedule were adopted in public high schools, for example, total instructional hours in America would drop sharply. But such a transformation would mean a departure from the traditional schedule and a retreat from the daily array of professional development opportunities such as hall duty, lunch supervision, bus detail, parking lot patrol, and detention hall supervision. HOMEWORK As with instructional hours spent in school, America also leads the world in assigning homework--a whopping 140 minutes per week in mathematics for secondary students. Despite this extra workload, American students are renowned for posting mediocre scores on math tests. For example, the average score for an eighth-grade American student on the mathematics portion of the TIMSS in 2003 was 502. …

Greater expectations: Learning from other nations in the quest for 'world-class standards' in US school mathematics and science

Current educational policy debate in the US centres on educational standards and their possible role as primary motors of reform. A striking feature of the policy debate is its international character-with the question of the comparability of educational standards in the USA to those of its economic competitors becoming a primary concern of policy-makers, curriculum designers and other major actors in curriculum governance policy. Defining what constitute 'world-class' standards remains problematic. The US Research Centre for the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) has designed research to measure and portray standards in order to make empirical benchmarking studies possible. Using data from the USA and 21 high-achieving countries that participated in the study of national samples of curriculum documents and textbooks conducted as a component of the TIMSS, we explore two questions: What are the expectations regarding the performance of students held in the educational systems of the countries that perform among the best in the world?, and How do academic standards in the USA compare to the expectations of this select group of countries?

Education for all : Policy lessons from high-achieving countries

This paper draws upon case studies of countries which universalised primary education early in their development process and rapidly increased secondary enrolments thereafter. It examines the common elements of social, and specifically, education policy among these high achievers, and also evaluates the policy lessons for other developing countries from the experience of these countries. The supply and demand-side factors which help in explaining this success are compared with the situation prevailing in the rest of the developing world.