Resumen de Relative strengths and weaknesses of countries in the TIMSS 2015 mathematics assessment framework categories

Hüseyin Yildirim

• This study explored the mathematics achievement profiles of the countries participating in TIMSS 2015 based on the TIMSS assessment framework categories. More specifically, observed and expected performances of countries in the framework categories were compared to determine the relative strengths and weaknesses of countries in the respective item categories. Results from profile analysis and multidimensional scaling showed that, in general, countries with similar cultural and economic backgrounds had similar relative strengths and weaknesses. The Arab, Western and East Asian country clusters were identified considering these similarities. The difficulty and discrimination parameters of the TIMSS 2015 8th grade mathematics items were also more similar among countries in the same cluster than in countries in different clusters. The relative strengths and weaknesses of the countries in the assessment framework categories were related to countries’ human development levels. This relationship was dominant in the ‘algebra’ and ‘data and chance’ item categories.

  In general, ‘data and chance’ items favoured the developed countries and ‘algebra’ items favoured the less developed countries.

  Finally, the issue of item parameter equivalence in international surveys was discussed from a sociocognitive perspective.