Jan van den Akker

Towards a More Curricular Focus in International Comparative Studies on Mathematics and Science Education

From international comparative studies (TIMSS, PISA) it appears that students in lower secondary education in the Netherlands perform relatively well in mathematics and science compared to their peers from other participating countries. Policy-makers, especially, are eager to bring these positive outcomes into the limelight. However, one may wonder whether, in case of the Netherlands, there is good reason for such zeal. An evaluation study, conducted by the Netherlands Inspectorate of Education, shows that lower secondary schools do not meet the quality required in implementing a curriculum reform that started in 1993, entitled ‘basic secondary education’. So, in spite of all rhetoric on the positive outcomes of TIMSS and PISA in the Netherlands, when putting the relatively good student performance in the context of the implementation of this ambitious curriculum reform, many people become puzzled. Research findings on the quality of mathematics and science education seem to be in conflict with the results of TIMMS and PISA. This conclusion and also the observation that international comparative assessment studies have serious difficulty in meeting the goal of providing proper interpretations of student achievement, especially from a curriculum perspective, give reason to attempt to disentangle the conflicting images.

The Role of Teachers in Design Research in Education

In this book on “How does change happen?” we see a very wide span between design research on (nano level) learning trajectories of students and on (macro level) large scale system and policy change. Where are the teachers on this spectrum? In particular: what can be a productive role for teachers in educational design research to bridge the gap between innovation policy and classroom practice? That is the central question of this chapter. After analyzing some problems in educational innovation, we will outline how design research can constitute a bridge between teachers in the real world of practice and external researchers. Both perspectives will be clarified. In conclusion we will explore some implications for (different) roles and expectations.