The next round of TIMSS (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study) hits the street a week from today. A TIMSS staffer tells me I will find them "interesting." No further revelations.
It might be good to keep a few things in mind when considering the data:
1. The Institute for Management Development rates the U. S. #1 in global competitiveness.
2. The World Economic Forum ranks the U. S. #1 in global competitiveness.
3. The U. S. has the most productive workforce in the world.
4. "The fact is that test-score comparisons tell us little about the quality of education in any country." (Iris Rotberg, Education Week June 11, 2008).
5. "That the U. S., the world's top economic performing country, was found to have schooling attainments that are only middling casts fundamental doubts on the value, and approach, of these surveys." British economist, S. J. Prais, PISA According to PISA, p. 154 (a terrible title since the chapters, all by European researchers, severely criticize PISA).
In 2003, 3 African nations, Ghana, s. Africa, and Botswana participated in TIMSS physics. The average score for the 5,150 students in Botswana who took the test was 443, seven of whom scored over 505, and none of whom scored over 549. The average score for the 8,952 students in South Africa who took the test was 244, thirteen of whom scored over 447, and none of whom scored over 514. So also in Ghana, where the average score for their 5,100 students was 239, seven of whom scored over 427, and none of whom scored over 514.
Conversely, the average score for the 6,018 students in Singapore was 579, eight of whom scored lower than 462, and none of whom scored lower than 423. At best we can say that eight students in Singapore MAY have scored lower than SEVERAL of the thirteen highest scoring students in South Africa and SEVERAL of the seven highest scoring students in Ghana. No student in Singapore scored 4 standard deviations higher than their mean, or 735, much less 5 standard deviations higher, at 774.
So needless to say, no student in Botswana, South Africa, nor Ghana ever scored four standard deviations higher, or 549, 514, or 489, respectively, either, much less five standard deviations higher, or 593, 581, or 551 respectively. Such scores are in the range of the average for Taipei and Korea, whose IQs are in the range of 105 IQ points.