Front cover -- The Impact of International Achievement Studies on National Education Policymaking -- Copyright page -- Contents -- List of Contributors -- Introduction: The Advantages and Disadvantages of National Education Policymaking Informed by International Achievement Studies -- The worldwide expansion of international achievement studies -- Definitions and dilemmas -- Critiques and misconceptions about international testing -- The role of the media -- The impact of international achievement studies on national education policymaking -- References -- Part I: Opportunities and Limitations of International Achievement Studies -- Chapter 1. Monitoring the Quality of Education: Exploration of Concept, Methodology, and the Link Between Research and Policy -- Introduction -- Concept of quality of education -- Assessments to measure the quality of education -- Methodological issues in measuring quality of education -- Impact of research on educational plan implementation -- Weak Link Between Policy Suggestions and National Education Plans -- Improving the communication and dissemination of assessment research results -- Conclusion -- Notes -- References -- Appendix. Fast-track initiative (FTI) country endorsement schedule (as of February 2009) -- Chapter 2. Why Participate? Cross-National Assessments and Foreign Aid to Education -- Introduction -- Conceptual framework -- Data and model specifications -- Findings -- Conclusion -- Areas for further research -- Notes -- References -- Chapter 3. Does Inequality Influence the Impact of Schools on Student Mathematics Achievement? A Comparison of Nine High-, Medium-, and Low-Inequality Countries -- Objectives -- Conceptualizing inequality and its relationship with student achievement -- Data and methods -- Variables -- Methods -- Results -- Discussion -- Conclusion -- Notes -- References.

Chapter 4. New Directions in National Education Policymaking: Student Career Plans in International Achievement Studies -- Introduction -- Prior research and our theoretical framework -- Theoretical framework and three levels of influences on students' career plans -- Hypotheses -- Data, measurement, and methods -- Results -- Multivariate analyses -- The relationship between inequality and career plans: A function of selectivityquest -- Discussion -- Note -- References -- Appendix. Details of measurement-country characteristics -- Chapter 5. Analyzing Turkey'S Data from TIMSS 2007 to Investigate Regional Disparities in Eighth Grade Science Achievement -- Introduction -- Methodology -- Data analysis -- Results -- Conclusions and policy implications -- Notes -- References -- Part II: Comparative Contributionsof Internationalachievement Studies Toeducational Policymaking -- Chapter 6. The Impact of Standardized Testing on Education Quality In Kyrgyzstan: The Case of the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2006 -- Introduction -- Contextual background -- Methodology -- Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) -- Kyrgyzstan's participation in PISA 2006 -- PISA 2006 Results in Kyrgyzstan -- The 2007 National Sample-Based Assessment -- Impact of the PISA 2006 Results in Kyrgyzstan -- Analysis and discussion -- Conclusions -- Notes -- Acknowledgments -- References -- Chapter 7. From Equity of Access to International Quality Standards for Curbing Corruption in Secondary and Higher Education and Closing Achievement Gaps in Post-Soviet Countries -- Introduction -- Methodology and theoretical grounding -- Section 1: Corrupt legacies and examinations -- Section 2: Standardized examinations fighting corruption -- Section 3: Moving from national equity to international quality -- Conclusions and policy recommendations -- Notes.

References -- Web Sources on Individual Countries -- Chapter 8. A Comparative Analysis of Discourses on Equity in Education in the OECD and Norway -- Introduction -- Objectives -- Theoretical framework -- Modes of Inquiry -- Evidence Sources -- Description of the Networks -- The Norwegian Education System -- Analysis of Equity Discourses in the OECD and Norway -- Centralization or Decentralizationquest -- Standardization or Destandardizationquest -- Specialization or Despecializationquest -- Discussion: The OECD's role in Norwegian policymaking -- Note -- References -- Chapter 9. The Impact of International Achievement Studies on National Education Policymaking: The Case of Slovenia - How Many Watches Do We Need? -- Introduction -- International comparisons as a process of education and knowledge globalization -- National and international assessments -- International and national education assessments in Slovenia -- Comparison as a ranking -- Why do we need comparison at allquest -- Knowledge globalization -- Is local knowledge consequentially being reducedquest -- Research objectives, methods, and modes of inquiry -- Sample and instrument -- Instrument -- Results -- Concrete impacts of international large-scale student assessments -- Summarizing and additionally interpreting the results -- Instead of conclusion -- Notes -- References -- Chapter 10. Finland, PISA, and the Implications of International Achievement Studies on Education Policy -- Introduction -- PISA -- Criticisms of PISA -- German PISA shock: an example of PISA's impact on national education policy -- Policy borrowing -- Cases of policy borrowing -- Cases of cross-national attraction -- Finland, PISA, cross-national attraction, and policy borrowing -- Reasons behind Finland's PISA success -- Borrowing from Finland -- Influence on education policy -- Conclusion -- References.

Part III: Critical Frameworks for Understanding the Impact of International Achievement Studies -- Chapter 11. Why the Fireworks?: Theoretical Perspectives on the Explosion in International Assessments -- Introduction -- Development, assessments, and participants -- Theoretical frameworks -- Definitions -- Explanatory mechanisms, decision factors, related environmental factors -- Case studies -- Implications -- References -- Chapter 12. Standardized Tests an an Era of International Competition and Accountability -- Introduction -- The political past and present of standardized testing: Some highlights -- The political past and present of standardized testing: Some highlights -- Assessments to Measure the Quality of Education -- Standardized tests and teachers -- Standardized tests and learners -- Whose knowledge is of most worthquest A call for collaboration and rethinking curricula and assessments -- Methodological Issues in Measuring Quality of Education -- Beyond the zero percent achievement -- Conclusions -- Notes -- References -- Index.

Discusses the uses of international achievement study results as a tool for national progress as well as an obstacle. This title provides recommendations for ways that international achievement data can be used in real-world policymaking situations. It also discusses what the future of international achievement studies holds.

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Electronic reproduction. Ann Arbor, Michigan : ProQuest Ebook Central, 2018. Available via World Wide Web. Access may be limited to ProQuest Ebook Central affiliated libraries.