Exploring the Factor Structure of Mathematics Teaching Practices of High-Performing Teachers Across Five Asian Education Systems

• In Event: Math and Science Achievement in a Global Context

Abstract

Although teaching quality is seen crucial in affecting students’ performance, what types of instructions constitute quality teaching still remains to be explored. With the theoretical assumptions of conceptual and procedural mathematics teaching as a guide, this study examined the factor structure of the mathematics instructional practices used by high-performing teachers across five Asian education systems in TIMSS 2011 eighth-grade dataset. It found that the five education systems share similar factor structure in the high-performing teachers’ instructional practices. Results from the study provide important implications for practitioners and policy makers regarding how to improve mathematics teaching and learning in these Asian education systems as well as elsewhere.

Authors

• Qiang (Andy) Cheng, The University of Mississippi

• Hsien-Yuan Hsu, The University of Mississippi

• Jian Wang, Texas Tech University