Use and Impact of TIMSS
After an absence of systematic monitoring of its education system of nearly 20 years, Germany took part in the IEA International Reading Literacy Study (RLS) in 1990–1991 and in TIMSS 1995 (Grades 7 to 8, and students in their final year of secondary school).52 In subsequent years, Germany participated in the IEA Civic Education Study (CIVED), all cycles of PISA, and PIRLS.53,54 In 2007, Germany participated in TIMSS with fourth grade students for the first time, and it participated in each of the later cycles, including TIMSS 2011 and TIMSS 2015, both at the fourth grade level.
Several states, foundations, and other organizations have introduced a number of initiatives and programs that promote education in mathematics and science in direct response to TIMSS across the study cycles.55
One such initiative is the Enhancement of the Efficiency of Mathematics and Science Education (Steigerung der Effizienz des mathematisch-naturwissenschaftlichen Unterrichts, or SINUS), a model program to increase the efficiency of the mathematics and science curricula. The program was introduced in 1998 by the Commission for Education Planning and Research Development of the Federal Republic and the states in direct response to the TIMSS 1995 results. The third round of the program began in 2007. The project specifically aims to create cooperative structures among teachers in both primary schools (13 states participating) and institutions of lower secondary education (11 states participating).56 The SINUS at Primary Schools 2009–2013 (SINUS an Grundschulen) recently concluded with widely positive results. For example, students enrolled in schools with the SINUS program achieved higher TIMSS results in both science and mathematics compared to students enrolled in schools without the program. SINUS teachers engaged more in cooperative planning activities with their colleagues. The program evaluation demonstrated that teacher attitudes and enrollment in pedagogical and subject-specific professional development translate into real achievement gains for students.57,58 Other noteworthy projects resulting from TIMSS studies in Germany include the following: Physics in Context (Physik im Kontext), with 11 states participating; Chemistry in Context (Chemie im Kontext), with 12 states participating; and Biology in Context (Biologie im Kontext), with 9 states participating.59