This article is a commentary on Australia's involvement in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) tests. It provides a rationale for Australia's participation in the PISA programme, the influences of PISA involvement on education policies and practices, and considerations and implications for school leaders and education…

Mathematics education seen both as a field of research and as a field of practice is a multicultural field. For a while, this essential characteristic of the field has been underestimated but this is no longer the case. Both theoretical frameworks and empirical research help us today better approach this phenomenon, understand its impact on the…

To provide the conditions for a lasting equality of educational opportunity and results, schools should: (1) enter into a partnership with each family for the educational and social development of the child; and (2) lead a cooperative effort involving other agencies and organizations to create an educative community. (RDN)

This paper discusses the rationale for international comparisons in educational achievement, presents factors which affect the validity of such comparisons, and makes recommendations for the role of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) with respect to international studies. International comparisons are of interest in policy…

As the authors look ahead toward the World Forum on May 2005, they consider prospects of coming together with international, multilingual leaders in early care and education. They asked some questions to stimulate thinking and to share cross-cultural perspectives on the topic of "Culture and Leadership". In this article, the authors…

The importance of international trade and investment to the achievement of economic diversification objectives has increased need for professionals skilled in trade policy development and negotiation, a field known as commercial diplomacy. A severe shortage of these professionals limits developing countries' abilities to take full advantage of…

As the world becomes more interdependent, cross-cultural communication also becomes more important. Fundamental differences in values and perceptions, which cannot easily be translated, can cause misunderstanding. Learning about other cultures can help us understand them better and, in doing so, teach us more about how our own system works. (IS)

This paper outlines the origins and development of the European Community Educational Indicators Project that began in 1992. It reviews past literature relating to the various definitions of an indicator that have been used and the conceptual models that have been adopted. A description of the objectives of the project is followed by an analysis…

Exploring ways in which a successful worldwide civic culture can be achieved, this book stresses the need to stay rooted in local communities and traditions while cooperating with and respecting those whose lives follow other patterns. The first part of the book deals with the current state of worldwide civic culture, setting a context within…

The paper examines how collaboration might occur when research in comparative education employs ethnographic techniques. Following a brief review of the literature, a set of principles and a model for collaborative ethnography in school-based research are presented in order to provide direction for future research where the active involvement of…

Addressed primarily to library educators and to public librarians who have responsibility for disseminating general information to the public, this paper proposes to make a link between the absence of general lifelong learning about Pacific Rim countries among the general public, and the congruent requirement which that absence implies for the…

The growth of educational cooperation among nations in the European community is discussed, as is the difficulty of balancing national interests with the pursuit of common purposes in the development of curriculum about Europe. Efforts to conduct multilateral research and to develop curriculum models for education about Europe are recounted. (PP)

Future directions for international education and school reform are discussed, noting ways in which assumptions about the need for global literacy and proposed policies fit into the nationwide school reform movement. Imperatives include national security, economic competitiveness, environmental interdependence, the increasing ethnic and religious…

A plea is made for interprovincial cooperation in renewing the French core curriculum by widening its scope so that it becomes a viable alternative to the popular immersion programs. A multidimensional language curriculum consisting of four syllabi (language, culture, communicative activities, and general language education) is outlined.…

This article reviews the book "Helping Individuals with Disabilities and Their Families: Mexican and U.S. Perspectives," edited by Todd V. Fletcher and Candace S. Bos (1999). An interview with Todd V. Fletcher is presented in which he discusses the importance of U.S. understanding and collaboration with Mexico. (CR)