Compares the Japanese educational system with that in England. Discusses the structure of school levels and examinations, the curriculum, and informal educational practices and cultural expectations. Notes the place of science study in the Japanese system. (Author/WRM)

Through examining the concept of rights in emergent South Africa policy, this article illustrates how philosophy can serve democratic policy in pursuit of the public good. Although the South African Schools Act establishes some institutional conditions for a right-based educational system, curriculum inadequacies may undermine this objective.…

Proposed changes toward a more flexible, less prescriptive curricular framework in England attempt to address student disaffection--a significant problem haunting educational policy interventions aimed at driving up standards. These revisions may not be radical enough to meet challenges presented by turn-of-the-century social changes. (Contains 10…

Observes that changes in European education since the late 1970s have been conditioned by internal and external forces. Argues for viewing educational restructuring as part of a general pattern of response to an intensified drive for globalization and competitiveness, albeit with national idiosyncrasies. Compares restructuring in nine European…

Compares standards in primary school mathematics in England and Cyprus, drawing upon national curricula, textbook content, and international comparisons of attainment. Finds that "expected" and planned standards were higher in Cyprus than England but were not associated with higher student achievement. Explores four possible…

The primary focus of this paper is two case study schools, one in Singapore and one in Australia, which have both been actively pursuing an agenda to build a unique internationally-oriented curriculum, in a context of globalization, but also within the constraints set by national/State curriculum frameworks, examinations and league tables.…

In policy-level discussion, the assumption is common that multi-faceted topics such as Health, Environment and Citizenship would benefit from (or "should" be experienced through) pedagogical approaches that bring together and draw on different curriculum traditions. While there is certainly some continuing interest in a range of such…

There has been relatively little empirical research on the impact of stage of fluency in English of bilingual pupils. However, this issue is increasingly important given growth in the bilingual school population in England of over one-third between 1997 and 2004 to around 10% of the school population. This study evaluates the relationship between…

Within education policy in England the principle of inclusion has been established as a goal and a factor on which improvements in overall standards are seen to depend. Prominent within the drive to raise standards has been a demonstrable need to improve the National Curriculum attainment of members of certain minority ethnic groups, some of which…

Most studies of school development have taken a one-dimensional point of view. This booklet presents findings of a study that used triangulated methods to measure compulsory school development in Sweden. It compares curriculum texts, the effects of curriculum change, and the metaphors used in the curriculum policies. The first part describes the…

This report analyzes contradictions in policies of equal educational opportunities, using Finland and Britain as examples. The analysis focuses on the relation of intended to actual policy and considers policies within the context of 1980s curriculum development. During that period, Finland gradually decentralized educational decision making, and…

High stakes summative assessment has been a significant element of educational policy in England and Wales for more than a decade. However, research evidence indicates that formative assessment is more likely to raise student achievement. Although some students are able to use summative assessment formatively, devising their own self-regulated…

This paper begins with the following quote from Michel Foucault: "People know what they do; they frequently know why they do what they do; but what they don't know is what what they do does." The context of the paper and the policy directions considered encompass the past decade and take the National Curriculum as an intervention in…

Analyzed the sixth and seventh national curricula of Korea and middle school English textbooks that were adopted on the basis of both curriculums to critically compare the differences between the two the curriculums. Also compares Korean curricula with those of Japanese, considering the situation concerning English education is similar in Japan…

Issues involved in adapting Britain's National Curriculum for students with special educational needs are discussed. Outlined are the official position on modification and disapplication of the curriculum, the lack of adequate guidance in this area, the need to distinguish between modifications and disapplications, and possible patterns of…