Learning Mathematics
In 1990-91, 20 countries (Brazil, Canada, China, England, France, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Korea, Mozambique, Portugal, Scotland, Slovenia, Soviet Union, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, and the United States) surveyed the mathematics and science performance of 13-year-old students (and 14 countries also assessed 9-year-olds in the same subjects) as part of the second International Assessment of Educational Progress (IAEP) Project. While recognizing the fundamental differences from country to country, the participants assembled tests that focus on the common elements of their curriculums, and in order to form the contexts for interpreting the student achievement data, they added sets of questions about students' home background and classroom experiences and the characteristics of the schools they attended. Results are reported in six chapters that discuss the following: (1) the mathematics performance of 13-year-olds; (2) results organized around topics featured in the curriculum; (3) results reporting students' and administrators' perceptions of teaching practices and their relationship to student performance; (4) information about the backgrounds of students and how they spend their time outside of school; (5) information about physical, demographic, and socioeconomic characteristics and the educational systems of the participating countries; and (6) the mathematics performance of 9-year-olds. Other sections present highlights of the findings discussed in detail in the main chapters, information about the participating countries, a procedural appendix discussing the research methods used by the countries, and a data appendix providing tables of results reported in the main chapters. (MDH)