What Works Where? The Relationship Between Instructional Variables in Low-, Medium-, and High-Achieving Countries

• In Event: Inclusion, Tracking, and Social Justice in Global Contexts

Abstract

The association between modes of instruction in mathematics and science and student achievements in these subject areas in countries that differ in their academic attainment, is the focus of this study. It not only looks at teaching practices "that work" (positively associated with achievement), but also looks whether they "work" similarly in three groups of countries classified according to their level of achievement. The findings point to a differential effect and confirm conclusions in other studies that replacing teacher-centered (traditional) practices with more student-centered (constructivist) practices will not necessarily result in more learning for all students. More demanding practices will be more beneficial for students in high-achieving countries and might be a waste of time for students in low-achieving countries.

Author

• Ruth Zuzovsky, Hakibbutzim College of Education, Technology & the Arts