Math and Science Lesson Videos from Seven Countries

In this article in Independent School, Connecticut educators Douglas Lyons and Andrew Niblock recommend the videos on the TIMSS (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study) website. These classroom videos from seven countries show how the same subject matter is taught in dramatically different ways in other countries – and get teachers thinking about unconsciously held cultural assumptions about teaching and learning. 

The videos show seventh- and eight-grade math and science lessons in Australia, the Czech Republic, Hong Kong SAR, Japan, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and the United States. Each lesson is accompanied by:

• A detailed written transcript of the lesson;
• A lesson graph showing the type of activity in the classroom and duration of each segment of the lesson;
• Minute-to-minute streaming comments on the lesson by a trained observer/researcher;
• Comments and reflections on the lesson by the classroom teacher.

“Watching the videos is truly a cross-cultural, comparative experience,” say Lyons and Niblock. “Watching and analyzing them in faculty teams as part of a planned professional growth program could be a uniquely fascinating and informative experience… It’s hard to imagine how these would not help us improve our own practices and strengthen our missions.” 

To access the videos, go http://timssvideo.com (free registration), click on the subject, then the country, and then choose one of the lessons.

“Our Global Mirror: Comparing Student Achievement and Teacher Practice Around the World” by Douglas Lyons and Andrew Niblock in Independent School, Spring 2014 (Vol. 73, #3, p. 64-69), www.independentschool.org 

From the Marshall memo #528