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– The results show that the performance level of low-achieving students was clearly lower than before, while top-performers reached slightly higher test scores than earlier. The downward bend for low-achievers shows especially in eighth-graders’ science scores, state the national TIMSS coordinator, Senior Researcher Jouni Vettenranta and Project Researcher Jenna Hiltunen from the Finnish Institute for Educational Research, Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥.

Decline levelled down– student performance still lower than in 2011

In TIMSS 2019, the mathematics and science performance of Grade 4 and Grade 8 students of the comprehensive school was roughly on the same level as in 2015, yet clearly lower than in 2011. In 2019, the fourth-graders’ national average in mathematics was 532 and in science 555 score points. Finnish eighth-graders participated in TIMSS previously in 2011. In 2019, their national average in mathematics was 509 and in science 543 score points. In science, this was 9 score points lower than in 2011. The corresponding decline of 5 score points in mathematics was not statistically significant.

In international comparison, Finland became fifth after Singapore, Japan, Korea, and for fourth-graders Russia and for eighth-graders Taiwan. In mathematics, Finland was fourteenth for Grade 4 students and tenth for Grade 8 students.

– It is delighting to note that Finland is still among the top countries in student performance in science and the decline observed in recent years seems to have slowed down, Vettenranta points out.

Skills differences between students increased

Gender differences observed in Finnish student performance in previous years’ assessments have now been evened out; the only statistically significant gender difference was found for the Grade 8 science test. The test results of low-achieving girls and boys alike were clearly poorer than in the previous assessments, both in Grade 4 and in Grade 8. In particular, the results of low-achieving Grade 8 boys have declined in comparison to the year 2011 results. In science, the average score for the lowest-achieving five percent of boys was 67 points less than previously. At the same time, the level of top-performers has risen, especially in science. For eighth-graders, the results varied more widely among boys than among girls.

Student’s home background and early literacy and numeric skills are associated with the test performance. Home socioeconomic background shows in student achievement both in Grade 4 and in Grade 8 assessments: The better the learning resources at home, the better the student performance. The skills level has declined especially for those students who have the weakest learning resources at home.

– Finland’s strength in international comparative assessments has been based on the relatively small variation and high standard of student performance. Now it would be important to pay attention to and ensure that everybody receive sufficient support for learning and that the lower-achieving students, in particular, would not drop out, Vettenranta and Hiltunen consider.

Between-school differences still small

Like found out also in earlier international assessments, differences between schools are small in Finland. Also regional equality is well evident in Finland: There were no statistically significant differences in the average results between larger regions. Thus, the observed differences in student performance stem strongly from student-level factors, and these differences seem to be increasing further. Differences between teaching groups were largely explained by special groups where learning outcomes were poorer than in other groups.

– In Grade 4, up to two-thirds, and in Grade 8 about a half of the variation between teaching groups derived from low-achieving groups of special education. Then again, the mathematics and science results of specially oriented teaching groups were typically better than average, Senior Researcher Kari Nissinen states.

Attitudes toward learning still poor

The Finnish students reported only rarely that they liked mathematics and science learning a lot. In addition, eighth-graders have rather low regard for mathematics and science. Attitudes to mathematics and science are clearly connected with learning outcomes.

- A positive aspect is, however, that Finnish students find that the mathematics and science education they have received has been clear. In international comparison, the Finnish students also experience relatively little of bullying at school and they feel a strong sense of belonging at school, Vettenranta and Hiltunen note.

Teachers wish for in-service training especially on the integration of technology into teaching

In international comparison, Finnish mathematics and science teachers participate very scarcely in in-service training. As for the themes of in-service training, their participation rates have been highest for those dealing with the integration of technology into mathematics and science teaching, but these contents are also those for which the teachers still wish in-service training the most. In addition, the teachers also wished for in-service training especially to improve students’ critical thinking or research skills as well as to consider students’ individual needs.

Over 60 countries participated in TIMSS 2019

In Finland, the TIMSS study (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study) was conducted by the Finnish Institute for Educational Research, Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Culture. TIMSS is coordinated by IEA (The International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement). The Grade 4 assessment involved 58 countries and the

Grade 8 assessment 39 countries. In Finland, the study comprised 7380 fourth-graders from 229 schools and 5570 eighth-graders from 154 schools. TIMSS assessments are conducted with four-year intervals to measure student performance in line with the participating countries’ curricula for mathematics and science. In TIMSS 2019, some countries, including Finland, opted for eTIMSS, a computerised assessment.

Further information:

Finnish Institute for Educational Research, Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥: Senior Researcher Jouni Vettenranta (science, national coordinator), tel. +358 40 805 4285, jouni.vettenranta@jyu.fi Project Researcher Jenna Hiltunen (mathematics), tel. +358 40 805 4273, jenna.hiltunen@jyu.fi Senior Researcher Kari Nissinen (data analyses), tel. +358 40 805 4268, kari.nissinen@jyu.fi

Ministry of Education and Culture: Counsellor of Education Tommi Karjalainen, tel. +358 295 3 30140, tommi.karjalainen@minedu.fi

Reports:

Jouni Vettenranta, Jenna Hiltunen, Jenni Kotila, Piia Lehtola, Kari Nissinen, Eija Puhakka, Jonna Pulkkinen, Antti Ström: Perustaidoista vauhtia koulutielle. Neljännen luokan oppilaiden matematiikan ja luonnontieteiden osaaminen. Kansainvälinen TIMSS-tutkimus Suomessa. Koulutuksen tutkimuslaitos 2020. 88 s. (In Finnish)

Jouni Vettenranta, Jenna Hiltunen, Jenni Kotila, Piia Lehtola, Kari Nissinen, Eija Puhakka, Jonna Pulkkinen, Antti Ström: Tulevaisuuden avaintaidot puntarissa. Kahdeksannen luokan oppilaiden matematiikan ja luonnontieteiden osaaminen. Kansainvälinen TIMSS-tutkimus Suomessa. Koulutuksen tutkimuslaitos 2020. 98 s. (In Finnish)

The reports are available on the TIMSS webpage

For international results, please visit IEA's TIMSS webpages: