Determination of predictive variables of 4th and 8th grade students' on TIMSS 2015 mathematics achievement

In this study, predictive variables of mathematics achievement that the fourth and eighth grade students who participated TIMSS 2015 Turkey were examined. These variables are grouped in three dimensions as student, school and class characteristics. The variables in the dimension of student characteristics are liking of learning math, self-confidence in mathematics, opinions about mathematics and value of mathematics. The variables in the dimension of school characteristics are considered as belonging to the school and bullying. In the class properties dimension, variables were taken as computer activities and job satisfaction. The type of this research, which examines the variables related to mathematics achievement, is the relational screening model. Turkey participated in the study group of the research TIMSS 2015 survey of 6456 students in the 4th grade level; 6079 students participated in the 8th grade. The data were collected through the TIMSS 2015 mathematics achievement test, student questionnaire, and teacher questionnaire. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to investigate the predictive level of variables in the 4th and 8th grade students' TIMSS 2015 mathematics achievement.. According to the results of the research, in the dimension of student characteristics 27% of the mathematics achievement of fourth grade students' explains about liking of learning math, self-confidence in mathematics, opinions about mathematics. These variables are insufficient to explain mathematics achievement of eighth grade students. In the dimension of school characteristics 17% of the mathematics achievement of the fourth grade students' explains the school belonging, bullying and school attendance variables. The predictive power of eighth grade students mathematics achievement of this variables is very low.. Class activities: computer activities and job satisfaction do not explain the mathematics achievement of fourth and eighth grades students. The mathematics achievement is mostly explained by the self-confidence and bullying variables of mathematics.