Countries Finalize TIMSS 2019 Data Collection Materials in Stockholm

TIMSS 2019 countries met in Stockholm, Sweden, to finalize the assessment materials for data collection in August. The TIMSS 2019 5th National Research Coordinators Meeting was hosted by Skolverket, the National Agency for Education. Representatives of all participating countries spent the week reviewing mathematics and science items and problem solving and inquiry tasks, as well as scoring guides.

Gustav Fridolin, Minister of Education, delivered opening remarks and welcomed all participants to the meeting. "TIMSS enables us to learn from each other," he said. "It is important to see what characteristics countries that have improved their results in TIMSS and increased equity have. TIMSS provides us with a sound base for making informed policy decisions."

Read our Spotlight feature on Sweden »

Dirk Hastedt, IEA Executive Director, with Swedish Minister of Education Gustav Fridolin and TIMSS & PIRLS International Study Center at Boston College Executive Directors Ina V.S. Mullis and Michael O. Martin, welcomed countries’ representatives to the TIMSS 2019 5th National Research Coordinators Meeting in Stockholm, Sweden.

Minister of Education Gustav Fridolin discussed the usefulness of TIMSS in his opening remarks.

Executive Director Ina V.S. Mullis of the TIMSS & PIRLS International Study Center presented highlights of the TIMSS 2019 assessment schedule.

Pierre Foy, Director of Sampling, Psychometrics, and Data Analysis at the TIMSS & PIRLS International Study Center, delivered an analysis of the TIMSS 2019 Field Test.

Sylvie LaRoche of Statistics Canada gave a presentation on sampling in TIMSS 2019.

Ieva Johansone, Associate Research Director of Operations and Quality Control at the TIMSS & PIRLS International Study Center, discussed survey operations and quality assurance.

Heiko Sibberns, IEA Hamburg Director, discussed EU General Data Protection Regulations.

David Ebbs, an IEA Senior Research Officer, gave a presentation on translation and translation verification.

Swedish Minister of Education Gustav Fridolin with IEA Executive Director Dirk Hastedt.

Ina V.S. Mullis and Michael O. Martin, Executive Directors at TIMSS & PIRLS International Study Center, and Kerry Cotter (center), TIMSS Mathematics Research Specialist, led a review of mathematics items.

Duygu Savaşcı, Aiden Clerkin, Rachel Perkins

Duygu Savaşcı (left) of IEA Hamburg with Aiden Clerkin and Rachel Perkins of Ireland.

Khattab M.A. Abulibdeh of Jordan with Roeland Burgers of IEA Amsterdam.

Grace Grima, David Ebbs, Mohammed Mazheruddin

Grace Grima of England with David Ebbs of IEA and Mohammed Mazheruddin of Dubai.

Badreya Ali Abdullah Alshehhi and Moza Rashid Ghufli of the United Arab Emirates, Nada Abu Baker Husain Ruban of Abu Dhabi, Hessa Al Wahhabi of the UAE, Shaikha Ali Al Zaabi of Abu Dhabi, and Mai Fawzi Khalaf of the UAE.

Katrin Schulz-Heidorf, Christin Beese, Andrea Netten

Katrin Schulz-Heidorf and Christin Beese of Germany, with IEA Amsterdam Director Andrea Netten.

From left: Lydia Malley, Ebru Erberber, Chris Averett, and Laura Egan, all of the United States, with Ina V.S. Mullis and Michael O. Martin of the TIMSS & PIRLS International Study Center.

Sylvie LaRoche, Victoria Centurino, Pierre Foy

Sylvie LaRoche of Statistics Canada with Victoria Centurino, Assistant Research Director, TIMSS Coordinator, and Pierre Foy, Director of Sampling, Psychometrics, and Data Analysis, both of the TIMSS & PIRLS International Study Center.

Caroline Klingenstierna and Maria Axelsson coordinate the administration of TIMSS in Sweden.

IEA's TIMSS & PIRLS International Study Center at Boston College thanks our generous hosts at Skolverket.

—By Shirley Goh, Assistant Director, Communications and Media Relations
—Photos by Victoria Centurino, Assistant Research Director, TIMSS Coordinator
TIMSS & PIRLS International Study Center