Multilevel analysis of achievement in mathematics of Malaysian and Singaporean students

Abstract

This article explored the variation in mathematics achievement of Malaysian and Singaporean eighth-graders as a function of student- and school-level differences. The data obtained from 5314 students nested within 150 schools from Malaysia, and 6018 students nested within 164 schools from Singapore who participated in the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) in the 2003. Multilevel linear modeling was employed to analyze the data. The results indicated that 57.28% of the total variance in mathematics achievement in Malaysia accounted for school-level differences. Meanwhile, the results showed that classroom-level differences contributed to 74.6% of the total variance in achievement of Singaporean students. Only 5.9% of the variance in achievement in Singapore accounted for school-level differences. At the student level, mathematics self-concept was the most influential factor on achievement of students from both countries. At the school level, school climate as perceived by the school principals was the most influential factor on achievement of students from both countries.