TIMSS is used to compare over time the mathematics (math) and science (sci) knowledge and skills of fourth- and eighth-graders. TIMSS is designed to align broadly with mathematics and science curricula in the participating countries. The results, therefore, suggest the degree to which students have learned mathematics and science concepts and skills likely to have been taught in school. In 2007, there were 58 countries and educational jurisdictions that participated in TIMSS, at the fourth- or eighth-grade level, or both.
The lists below show top- ranking in both science and math subjects:
SCIENCE 2007
Top 10 for 10-year-olds
- Singapore
- Taiwan
- Hong Kong
- Japan
- Russia
- Latvia
- England
- United States
- HungaryItaly
Top 10 for 14-year-olds
- Singapore
- Taiwan
- Japan
- Korea
- England
- Hungary
- Czech Republic
- Slovenia
- Hong Kong
- Russia
MATHS 2007
Top 10 for 10-year-olds
- Hong Kong
- Singapore
- Taiwan
- Japan
- Kazakhstan
- Russia
- England
- Latvia
- NetherlandsLithuania
Top 10 for 14-year-olds
- Taiwan
- Korea
- Singapore
- Hong Kong
- Japan
- Hungary
- England
- Russia
- United States
- Lithuania
I checked the website of TIMSS, and looked the report briefly, and Malaysia only participated in grade eight (14-year-old) assessments.
I believe we can perform better, if we stop debates, arguments on the issue like teaching sci and math in english or mother tongue. We should put more efforts to improve the quality of educaton, in both academic as well as personal, mental developments.
I attended few tutorials previously at Glasgow Uni, and I noticed final year undergraduates performed better than international postgraduates like me, despite a strong foundation build up in my first degree. Tutorial I attended last time (undergrad), mainly focus on qustion-answer, test, exam based, whereby a set of questions passed to us, and we only have to find out the answer from text book or internet (for those who put efforts to do it). When come to tutorial that time, lecturer will correct mistakes, give answers, etc. Most of the time, only few students participated or gave feedbacks.
In contrast, here, you will be given a journal paper and review it. Everyone has to participate, no one can escape. Rather than understood the text/ content of the journal, we were required to give comment based on figure..Yes, is figure..The reason is, looking at the text, you might agree or just read out directly the information of the journal. However, when looked at the figures, you have to explain based on what you observed, and you might disagree with the result obtained (simply because, what you looked was different with what the author wrote).
From the journal, lecturers will challenge us how to improve this study, or what're the weaknesses..etc...
Speak it honestly, I really impressed with this way of learning, If I have the opportunity to involve in the career of academia and research, I will implement this to my students..This is a way to learn, and we come uni "to learn, and not to read"//For me, read on one hand, seems like looking at the material, and accept all the things blindly or simply absorb without any sense of appreciation of the knowldge gained. On the other hand, learn is a long term process and involve a series of judgement, evaluation on materials obtained.
OK, come back to teaching sci and math in english / mother tongue. I strongly agree to teach sci&math in mother tongue, especially in the young age. I think in primary education, pupils' learning capability not fully develop yet, so it's good to teach english as a communication medium, and conducts sci&math in mother tongue. Since sci&math quite complicated, and it needs good understanding. Therefore, teaching sci and math in mother tongue can serve as a better way for student to comprehend course materials. Occasionally, science and math simpy deal with our daily life, and the fact that pupils communicate with friends and families in mother tongue most of the time. Indirectly, this way will enhance their understanding in some numeracy, arithmetic, science skills. I don't think a six years primary education syllabus on another language will severely affect student performance in secondary/tertiary studies.
I learnt sci and math in mandarin last time, and I really proud of it. Even my chinese colleages also impressed that I can communicate scientific idea in both languages. Maybe I not clear with the exact scientific terms in mandarin, but at least I can communicate my ideas, thoughts in a clearer way and this will be an additional advantage for us in globalisation era.
Why don't back to past time, in which pupils learn sci and math in mother tongue, and put more efforts to find out solutions for problems like unemployment in fresh graduates, mental problems in medical students, social problems among teenagers/ young generations, and so on.
That's all my humble opinions based on the report, news browsed through, and tutorials attended last time.
more info, can visit the following info:-
http://nces.ed.gov/timss/results07.asp
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/7773081.stm
http://www.sinchew.com.my/node/93856?tid=2
http://www.sinchew.com.my/node/93899?tid=1
p/s: this post was publised in hurry (simpl because some ideas/thoughts came across my mind when I read news from BBC few days ago), and I not able to give a thorough, comprehensive, rational opinions on it. anyway, hope you guys can gain an insight into this issue. :-)
11 comments:
Nice post :)
No need to recomprehend it ;p
hi tian chad, thanks..haha, no time to look it deeply too, hope gv u guys some insights, then you guys sure have some point of views as well..
Hmm, I being thinking..
Who are the education ministers who manage the education system in these country. Coz M'sia one is like... -_-|||||
Just to express my very humble opinions:
At first I thought, HELL... sci and math SHOULD BE taught in ENGLISH all these while since kindergarten... But then ... This move would really kill and affect our mother tongue aka CHINESE. As a result, more 'BANANAs' will emerge i.e. ME! (Mind you, that does not mean that I do not know how to speak in Chinese!!!)
So, best of all, just as you suggested, sci and math should be taught in Mandarin in primary school, but uses ENGLISH in secondary and tertiary levels.
In a way, the children can master both their mother tongue and be competent in English as well. Killing two birds with one stone.. Wa la......
ps: This is the longest comment I've written in any blog thus far.
XD
Dear Marccus, Ange:
thanks for your comments, yeah..there is nothing 100% perfect, the main thing is when come to implementation of gov. policy, racial matters should set aside, and come out a rational solutions. but at the same time shoudn't deny the right to learn mother tounge. Some countries also score high even english is not their medium of instruction.
ange, thanks for the longest comment given..Faster, faster set up a blog, then i also can visit and "contaminate" your blog..hehe
ohh no....not another friend trying to 'brainwash' me into blogging, AGAIN !!
T.T
we're human being, and by nature we are competitive enough, is just the system make us competitive-less nia. The system is too dry and too unorganized, the one who make up the system simply change without considering the pro and cons, that's y so many of us lari to overseas, even to our neighbour for a better pay and life. At least we feel we're useful there.
good job for the current issue post..its prove tat malaysia memang "boleh"
both math n science still below average..haha
as for ur personal opinion post,hmmmm,i should say our country is lacking of a talented education minister like saudara lim choon kiat,saudara kepada MB lim guan ying a.k.a. low wei seong.. :P
Wen Ni: yeah, some policies keep on changing, without sufficient period to prove it, i agree that human are equal. Anyway, there was a statement made by a famous scientist in the world, stating that people frm certain continent are inferior and weak..due to the genetic material..haha..anyway he got the "punishment", will share in blog soon.
penang boi:-don't worry, our contry has many talented people like limchoonkiat, especially in the pg..i met few great friends who are from pg. Eg. saudara low wei seong. another prominent figure is tan sri lyk, this guy is briliant, some people think he looks "lui",but not...he just act as humble and low profile..maybe he is not perfect in everything,but all his puan sri(s) are great, so my dear penang boi, you don't have to worry..eventually you abang-abang from pg will save the world. :-)
Hey ck,
In general, I think most ppl would agree with your idea that we should learn sc and maths in our mother tongue/mandarin so as to get in touch with the chinese culture and keep to our chinese roots.
But personally, I think that a "Jack of all trades is a master of none". Shouldn't we be focusing on just one language and perfect it? Since english is, not to mention, a pre-requisite in everything we do, I think we should really channel all our attention towards it.
So instead of being so-so in english and so-so in mandarin, of course we can never out-speak those native speakers, I think, I would prefer to just thrive on english alone.
Then again, this is just my outlook. Doesn't mean that i'm totally against mandarin. In malaysia, one must know how to converse in mandarin or at least cantonese to fit in the crowd. Just learning how to speak should be sufficient, i think.
A friend once told me that he regretted enrolling in chinese school during his primary and secondary education. After spending about a decade in the US, he realised that his english would never be as good as others, simply because he still have some chinese elements in him which unfortunately couldn't be obliterated.
I do envy ppl who can speak, read and write in mandarin. But then again, I'm contented with my chinese knowledge.
To avid mandarin lovers out there, don't bomb me ok?!?
cheers,
kairi
hi kairi, thanks for your comment. You have right to give you opinions,i believe no people will bomb you. To sum up, medium of instruction is essential, but yet the learning attitude and the edu. syst as a whole play the main role, and these largely depend on the implementation of policy, the teaching workforces, etc.
Some countries conduct sci,math in their own native language,still can perform well, so i believe this is mainly depends on the education culture, system.
I agree that our language level might be not as good as native speakers, but some how still competitive. Likewise, people who are non-chinese educated also face the same problem.
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