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Frederick Leung
Professor
Faculty of Education
The University of Hong Kong
Title: What can and should we learn from international studies of mathematics achievement?
Abstract
International studies of mathematics achievement have profound influence on mathematics
education worldwide in the past 15 years. Results of studies such as TIMSS and PISA
have dominated the agenda of discussion in the mathematics education community as
well as among policy makers. Much attention however has been paid on the ranking
of countries in the league tables generated from such studies, often without due
consideration of the nature of these studies, as well as the contextual factors
that affect the performance of students from different countries.
In this paper, the nature of these international studies of mathematics achievement
will be examined. Based on an understanding of the nature of these studies, how
the results should be interpreted will be discussed. This includes a proper understanding
of the meaning and significance of ranking of countries; the suitability of drawing
causal relationships between various variables and student achievement; and the
appropriateness or otherwise of learning from the educational practices of high
ranking countries, etc. It will be argued that cultural value may be an important
factor in explaining differences in educational practices and student achievement.
Without due consideration of the cultural and other contextual differences , passing
judgement on the performance of students in different countries based on results
of international studies is very misleading, and may even be damaging. In learning
from other countries, one must first evaluate the cultural values and educational
context in one’s own country before deciding on how much can be learned from other
countries.
Examples of lessons that can be and should be learned from international studies
of mathematics achievement will be discussed, and implications for policy makers
in education as well as for school mathematics teachers in their classroom practices
will be explored.
Biodata
Frederick Koon-Shing Leung is a professor in mathematics education at the
Faculty of Education of the University of Hong Kong. Born and raised in Hong Kong,
Professor Leung obtained his B.Sc., Cert.Ed. and M.Ed. from the University of Hong
Kong, and his Ph.D. from the University of London Institute of Education. His major
research interests are in the comparison of mathematics education in different countries,
and in the influence of culture on teaching and learning. He is principal investigator
of a number of major research projects, including the Hong Kong component of the
Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), the TIMSS Video Study,
and the Learner’s Perspective Study (LPS).
Professor Leung is one of the editors of the Second and Third International Handbook
on Mathematics Education, and is member of the editorial boards for a number of
major journals in mathematics education. He is a consultant for an education project
of the World Bank in Indonesia, and has served as a consultant for a number of educational
projects for UNESCO. He was also a member of the Executive Committee of the International
Commission on Mathematical Instruction (ICMI) and the Standing Committee of the
International Association for the Evaluation of Academic Achievement (IEA). Professor
Leung was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship in 2003, and he is also an honorary professor
of Beijing Normal University, Southwest University, and Zhejiang Normal University
in China.
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