Investigate the idea that "non-school factors" such as student poverty are among the strongest predictors of learning. Examine how two of the largest of these factors-culture and economics-play out in South Africa, which is experiencing an HIV/AIDS crisis, and in China, where test scores and national economics are thought to go hand-in-hand..

Which is more important-gaining knowledge or new skills? Is standardized testing the best measure of what someone knows? What is the purpose of going to school-to prepare for college or a career? Address such questions as you probe Americans' views on education and how it can be improved using internationally comparable information..

How should we measure academic success? By standardized tests and school grades? By transition and mobility within an education system? See how true success in education is a delicate balance between school factors and non-school factors, which can look quite different depending on the context..

Accountability culture varies from country to country and region to region, but three common elements appear in most educational systems. Compare and contrast how access, achievement, and a combination of standards and assessments play out in the U.S. and Finland, and look at one notable exception-the consensus culture of Japan..

Trace how the ideologies of mass education emerged in the U.S. and became central tenets of education around the world. Survey the ideas of key educational thinkers such as Horace Mann and James Bryant Conant, then consider why, despite its strengths, the U.S. might be ranked low relative to international standards..

Love Hate Love weaves together the stories of three families whose lives were torn apart by some of the most notorious terrorist attacks of the 21st century, yet refused to succumb to despair or hate.. Liz Alderman's son Peter was murdered in the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center. Esther Hyman's only sister and a gifted artist was killed in the 2005 bus bombings in London. Australian business owner Ben Tullipan lost both his legs when a one-ton...

Explore ways that teachers and students behave in classrooms across the globe, focusing on what seems to work in a few key systems. Discover why practices that produce a great outcome in one place-such as lengthening the school year-don't necessarily lead to success in another..

Do the achievement rankings paint an accurate picture of what's happening in schools, or is the crisis politically manufactured? Get answers as you analyze common criticisms of national education systems through the lens of three recurring phenomena-achievement envy, the accountability expectation, and access entitlement-and look at approaches to shifting school culture..

Using the story of the most successful commercial brand in world history, The Cola Conquest is a revealing examination of popular culture in America and the exportation of American commercialism around the globe. Beginning its inquiry in 1895, The Cola Conquest traces the evolution of commercial supply and demand, and how this dynamic was birthed and shaped through a century of mass urbanization and industrialization. An eye opening critique of the...

Most educational systems around the world have four general goals. Explore each of them here as you get a framework for finding what works to improve student achievement on standardized tests in countries worldwide. Also, look closely at some of the chief concerns regarding these tests..