The study evaluated a recently postponed national test policy on the use of external agencies' English tests measuring four skills for Japanese university admission purposes. Using Kunnan's principles of fairness and justice, we generated and evaluated three claims regarding the test policy: vocabulary coverage of the tests, the justifiability of…

Currently, large-scale testing in Japan faces conflicting requirements derived from principles of education on the one hand, and measurement, on the other. Issues of affective ambivalence towards tests (i.e. test aversion and dependence) are also observed. The seemingly conflicting government discussions regarding the national assessment of…

Despite the influence of changing demographics in Japan, the National Center Test for University Entrance Exams continues to assert an ever increasing role in the process of university admissions. In preparation for this examination, the majority of senior high school students learn from textbooks approved by the Japanese Ministry of Education,…

College-bound students in Japan undergo a process of intense preparation known as "examination hell." An extreme manifestation of "examination hell" is the "ronin" phenomenon. Typically 30% of students choose the "ronin" option under which they spend years in addition to high school preparing for the next…

The stiff competition among Japanese students for the limited number of spaces in the nation's most prestigious universities is described. Recent reforms in the entrance examination system and suggestions for further reforms are presented. (JMF)

This document is an English-language abstract (appropriately 1,500 words) of a thesis answering the arguments against adopting the tests from the national Educational Test Research Institute (ETRI). The author gives an account of the committees on selection methods in his own university and also analyzes responses to an opinion survey conducted on…

Discusses (1) Japan's use of a combination of the National Uniform Test and locally administered exams as the sole criteria for university admission and (2) China's use of a National Entrance Examination, experimental examinations administered in Shanghai and Guangzhou, and a Qualifying Test for students over age 25 as university admissions…

This document is an English-language abstract (approximately 1,500 words) of a series of research papers on the selection of college and university students. One paper compared the scores gained by three different types of entrants to six universities attracting applicants of high quality. It was found that a candidate has almost no chance of…

University admission requirements and achievement levels at the time of secondary school graduation are compared for five countries: the United States, the Soviet Union, France, Japan, and West Germany. Emphasis is placed upon the structural and cultural differences in the educational systems of these countries. In addition to college admission…

In September 1984, the Chinese government asked the Economic Development Institute of the World Bank to assist the officials of the Chinese Ministry of Education in thinking through some policy options for examinations and standardized testing. This document summarizes the descriptions of testing programs and advice provided to these Chinese…

The relation between secondary and higher education is considered by 10 different authors in 10 country/area profiles: United States, England and Wales, France, West Germany, Sweden, Japan, the People's Republic of China, Latin America, and Africa. The systems of secondary and higher education are detailed for each country. The question of how the…