International Data Explorer

• In Event: Online Toolkit for Comparative International Education Research

Abstract

The International Data Explorer (IDE) is a web-based tool that answers users’ questions about U.S. students’ knowledge and skills in comparison to their international peers. Users can create statistical tables, charts and maps to explore student performance in reading, mathematics, and science, as well as contextual data including student demographics, instructional practices, and school characteristics. The IDE makes a significant contribution to the arena of comparative international education research by making large-scale assessment data readily accessible to researchers, policymakers, teachers and school administrators, and the general public. The IDE distinguishes itself from other data tools with its interactive format, the speed with which reports can be generated, and its advanced graphical capabilities. With the IDE, users can explore data and create customizable tables and graphs without dealing with the complexities of working with large-scale assessment data in SAS and SPSS.

There are three IDEs that separately analyze data from the PIRLS, PISA, and TIMSS international assessments (see http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/international/ide/). Users choose a subject, year(s), countries, achievement scales, and contextual variables for exploration. A major advantage of the IDE is that it efficiently compiles variables from several survey years and several survey questionnaires into one place. Another key feature is that it provides a topically based organization of the contextual variables that makes it easier to search for and select variables. The IDE also allows users to manipulate variables prior to analysis, such as collapsing values within ordinal variables. Furthermore, the charts and maps provide a unique format for visualizing statistically significant differences between and within countries along one or more variables.

The PISA IDE provides results for the United States and 64 other jurisdictions from the administration of PISA in 2000, 2003, 2006 and 2009. Results include mathematics, science and reading literacy results for 15-year-old students; responses to a student questionnaire about their background, attitudes, and school experiences; and responses to a school questionnaire about school characteristics, policies, and resources.

The PIRLS IDE provides results for the United States and 44 other jurisdictions from the administration of PIRLS in 2001 (forthcoming) and 2006. Results include reading achievement of fourth-grade students; responses to a student questionnaire about their background, attitudes, and school experiences; responses to a teacher questionnaire about their background, training, and instructional practices; and responses to a school questionnaire about school characteristics, policies, and resources.

The TIMSS IDE provides results for the United States and 57 other jurisdictions from the administration of TIMSS in 2007 and previous years (forthcoming). Results include mathematics and science achievement of fourth and eighth-grade students; responses to a student questionnaire about their background, attitudes, and school experiences; responses to a teacher questionnaire about their background, training, and instructional practices; and responses to a school questionnaire about school characteristics, policies, and resources.

This presentation will show potential users the capabilities of the IDE through demonstrations of a few scenarios using each of the datasets. The benefits and limitations of using the IDE will be discussed throughout the presentation.

Author

• Lydia Malley, American Institutes for Research