Researchers have long known that teachers and their instruction matters (Baumert et al., 2010; Klieme, Pauli, & Reusser, 2009; Seidel & Shavelson, 2007), and that school climate sets the premises for learning and instruction (Wang & Degol, 2015).

However, establishing this importance empirically, and especially across nations, calls for research that takes into account:  1) the complexity of educational systems with many hierarchical layers and interwoven relationships ; 2) the complexity of relationships within each layer with direct and indirect effects; 3) the variation of these relationships across countries; and 4) their dynamic development over time (Creemers & Kyriakides, 2008). Taking these perspectives into account, it becomes obvious that serious research gaps exist with respect to the relation between school climate, teachers, teaching, and student outcomes.

To this end, International Large Scale Assessment (ILSA) provides golden opportunities. TIMSS is the only ILSA that allows researchers to investigate all three levels; student, class and school level.

Using data from TIMSS, this symposium aims to study the relations between School climate, Teacher Quality (TQ), Instructional Quality (InQua) and student outcomes across cohorts, time and countries from all continents.

Theory
TQ may be seen to comprise teacher qualifications (e.g. education, experience, and professional development) and teacher characteristics (e.g. motivation, confidence, self-efficacy, and beliefs)(e.g. Goe, 2007). In mathematics, TQ is important to both InQua and to student achievement in mathematics (Baumert et al., 2010; Darling-Hammond & Youngs, 2002).

InQua is a concept that reflects the aspects of teachers’ instruction that are known to be positively related to student outcomes, both achievement and motivation (Fauth, Decristan, Rieser, Klieme, & Büttner, 2014; Seidel & Shavelson, 2007). It is argued that the four dimensions clarity of instruction, cognitive activation, classroom management, and supportive climate, are essential features of high teaching quality (Klieme et al., 2009; Seidel & Shavelson, 2007). 

While InQua may influence students learning and motivation directly, school climate set the premises for instruction and may hence influence learning both directly and indirectly (Creemers & Kyriakides, 2008; Wang & Degol, 2015).  In a recent review of school climate Wang and Degol (2015) observed that certain aspects may be said to be key aspects. In this symposium we include the key aspects “Academic climate” and a “Safe and Orderly climate” as these are found to be positively related to learning outcomes (Wang & Degol, 2015).

Methodology:
The studies in this symposium use data from TIMSS 2011 and 2007. All countries who participated are included, and the studies use student (grade 4 and 8) and teacher questionnaires.  The methods of analysis are two-level (student and classes) structural equation modelling with CFA, and Differences in Differences.

Structure of the symposium:

In the present symposium we include 3 studies presented in the following order:

1. Effects of teacher quality and instructional quality on student achievement
2. The Impact of School Climate and TQ on Student Achievement: A Difference-in-Differences Approach using country-level longitudinal data
3. The Relations among School Climate, InQua, and Achievement Motivation: A Case for the Mediating Role of Instructional Quality?

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