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A longitudinal view of mathematics achievement of primary students: case studies from Japan, Singapore, and the United States

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Abstract

This paper shares results from a secondary analysis of data from the participation of Japanese, Singaporean, and U.S. students in the International Project on Mathematical Attainment (IPMA). IPMA was a longitudinal study to assess the mathematics achievement of primary students from their first year of schooling through the end of fifth grade. Tests were constructed to enable achievement on the same items to be assessed over multiple years, thus permitting the assessment of growth in achievement throughout primary school. Achievement is compared to the grade at which the content is introduced so that achievement can be related to students’ opportunity to learn.

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Notes

  1. More information about IPMA and results from participating countries can be found in Burghes et al. (2004) or at http://www.cimt.plymouth.ac.uk/projects/ipma/default.htm.

  2. In the US, IPMA began with kindergarten and the administration of Test 0 (consisting of items 1–4). Test 1 was administered at the end of kindergarten but provides comparable information about students’ knowledge at the beginning of grade 1.

  3. Although the US does not have a national curriculum, the adoption of the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (National Governors’ Association Center for Best Practices (NGA), Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) 2010) by most states has led many to conclude that the US is moving in the direction of a national curriculum.

  4. Within the other content domains on the IPMA tests, there was less overall consistency in achievement across countries.

  5. First-grade: 1, 2, 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e, 3f, 4a, 8; grades 2 or higher: 11c, 12, 22d, 23a, 23b, 48a, 48b, 60, 63.

  6. Items 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 6c, 6d, 7a, 7b, 7c, 9b, 9d, 9f, 10a, 10d, 16, 17, 19, 22a, 22b, 22c, 25, 31, 36a, 36b, 37, 38, 51c, 52a, 52b, 52c.

  7. Items 9a, 9c, 9d, 9e, 9f, 10b, 10c, 14, 15, 31, 49, 50, 52a, 52b, 52c, 53a, 53b, 61, 77.

  8. Items 11a, 11b, 18, 20a, 20b, 32a, 32b, 33, 42a, 51a, 51b, 51c, 51d, 66.

  9. Items 4b, 28a, 28b, 42b, 71a, 71b.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Education, University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Ave., STOP EDU105, Tampa, FL, 33620, USA

    Denisse R. Thompson

  2. National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, 1 Nanyang Walk, Singapore, 637616, Singapore

    Berinderjeet Kaur

  3. Hiroshima University, 1-1-1, Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima, 739-8524, Japan

    Masataka Koyama

  4. Middle Tennessee State University, 1301 E. Main Street, Murfreesboro, TN, 37130, USA

    Sarah K. Bleiler

Authors
  1. Denisse R. Thompson
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  2. Berinderjeet Kaur
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  3. Masataka Koyama
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  4. Sarah K. Bleiler
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Correspondence to Denisse R. Thompson.

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Thompson, D.R., Kaur, B., Koyama, M. et al. A longitudinal view of mathematics achievement of primary students: case studies from Japan, Singapore, and the United States. ZDM Mathematics Education 45, 73–89 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11858-013-0485-7

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