SCIENCE–FOURTH GRADE
Achievement by Content Domains
Within science, TIMSS at the fourth grade provided results for three content domains—Life
Science, Physical Science, and Earth Science. Most countries demonstrated strengths in one
or two content domains compared to science achievement overall, and weaknesses in one
or two content domains.
TIMSS 2015: 47 Countries
Life Science
Relative Strength
16 Countries
11 Countries
Relative Weakness
Physical Science
Relative Strength
15
23
Countries
8
Physical Science
15
7
Relative Strength
7
Countries Countries
Improved Declined
Life Science
20
Countries
Relative Weakness
Earth Science
Trends 2011–2015:
41 Countries
27
Countries
Countries
Earth Science
15
9
Relative Weakness
Differences in Achievement by Gender in the Content Domains
Achievement differences in content domain by gender showed a large advantage for
girls in Life Science. Boys had a larger advantage in Physical Science and Earth Science.
Number of
Countries
Where Boys
Outperformed
Girls in the
Content
Domains
Number of
Countries
Where Girls
Outperformed
Boys in the
Content
Domains
Life
Science
0
14 Physical
Science
19 Earth
Science
Life
25 Science
6 Physical
Science
5 Earth
Science
Achievement by Cognitive Domains
TIMSS at the fourth grade provided results for three cognitive domains—Knowing,
Applying, and Reasoning. Although there was some balance in achievement across
cognitive domains, most countries had at least one strength and one weakness
compared to science achievement overall.
TIMSS 2015: 47 Countries
Knowing
Trends 2011–2015:
41 Countries
Relative Strength
11
12
Countries
Countries
Relative Weakness
Applying
8
Countries
Countries
Relative Weakness
Reasoning
Relative Strength
9
Countries
Declined
Knowing
16
Relative Strength
12
Countries
Improved
15 Countries
Countries
9
Applying
18
7
Reasoning
18
8
Relative Weakness
Differences in Achievement by Gender in the Cognitive Domains
Number of
Countries
Where Boys
Outperformed
Girls in the
Cognitive
Domains
17 Knowing
8 Applying
1 Reasoning
SOURCE: IEA's Trends in International Mathematics and
Science Study – TIMSS 2015.
http://timss2015.org/download-center/
Number of
Countries
Where Girls
Outperformed
Boys in the
Cognitive
Domains
7 Knowing
10 Applying
24 Reasoning