Contextual framework

Overview Learning takes place within a context, and not in isolation. There are numerous contextual factors that effect students' learning. For example, type of school, school resources, instructional approaches, teacher characteristics, student attitudes, and home support for learning contribute heavily to student learning and achievement. For a fuller appreciation of what the TIMSS achievement results mean and how they may be used to improve students learning in mathematics and science, it is important to understand the contexts in which students learn. TIMSS in every cycle collects a range of information about these contexts for learning, together with assessing students' performance in mathematics and science. The TIMSS 2007 Contextual Framework encompasses five broad areas on which information is collected: • Curriculum • Schools • Teachers and Their Preparation • Classroom Activities and Characteristics • Students In particular, TIMSS examines the curricular goals of the education system and how the system is organized to attain those goals; the educational resources and facilities provided; the teaching force and how it is educated, equipped, and supported; classroom activities and characteristics; home support and involvement; and the knowledge and attitudes that students and teachers themselves bring to the educational enterprise. Just as the mathematics and science frameworks describe what should be assessed in those areas, the contextual framework identifies the major characteristics of the educational and social contexts that will be studied with a view to improving student learning.