Trend scaling methods: Linking recent and older IEA studies on mathematics and science

Abstract

One of the international large-scale assessments administered by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) is the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), which has been measuring mathematics and science achievement in grades four and eight since 1995. TIMSS was preceded by four IEA surveys, the results of which were not linked to the TIMSS scale. This study describes possible trend scaling methods and, to illustrate the achieved linkage, presents the rescaled mathematics and science performance and motivation for mathematics of Hungarian students.