January 2012 ~ Global perspectives on education

Improving equity in education: a critical challenge

1:38 AM disadvantaged, disadvantaged schools, education, equity, failure, grade repetition, Inequality, policies, policy, quality, school choice, school leadership, schools, students

by Ben LevinProfessor University of Toronto and Canada Research Chair in Education Leadership and PolicyImproving equity in student outcomes remains a critical challenge for every country in the OECD. Even those countries with the lowest levels of inequity must still be concerned with gaps in outcomes that are not related to students’ motivation and capacity, while in other countries the inequities are so large as to pose a fundamental challenge...

Higher education: an insurance policy against global downturns

11:32 PM EAG, economic crisis, education at a glance, education indicators, education indicators in focus, figures, global recession, jobs, statistics, tertiary education, unemployment

by J.D. LaRockSenior Analyst, Innovation and Measuring Progress Division, Directorate for EducationDuring the first two years of the economic crisis, unemployment was higher among adults with less education, on average across the OECD zone.With all the economic turmoil of the past several years, have you ever wished you could buy an insurance policy to protect against the effects of a global recession? Well, such a insurance policy already...

Early Childhood Education and Care: a priority investment

8:12 AM children, early childhood, investment, Kristen Halvorsen, Norway, policy, quality, Starting Strong

by Kristin HalvorsenMinister of Education, NorwayAs Minister of Education in Norway I am happy to be hosting the OECD roundtable conference Starting Strong: Implementing policies for high-quality Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC). Providing all children with high quality early childhood education and care is an investment in the future and provides a great benefit for both the individual and society.The conference brings together ministers...

Boys, girls and hypertext

2:41 AM boys, computers, cyber, digital literacy, gender, girls, hypertext, information, internet, PISA, reading, students, technology

by Marilyn AchironEditor, Indicators and Analysis Division, Directorate for EducationComputers, cell phones and tablets are now so much a part of our lives that we can’t even remember what life was like before them—much less figure out how we managed to get through the day without consulting them. The youngest students now surf the Net with the skill of cyber beach boys and text friends as easily as waving at them.Or do they?In 2009 PISA conducted...

Starting Strong: The people helping to raise young children

12:30 AM care givers, children, development, early childhood, ECEC, education, learning, Norway, qualifications, skills, staff, Starting Strong, training

by Kelly MakowieckiAssistant to the Early Childhood Education and Care Project, Directorate for EducationFor my generation, the concept of a stay-at-home parent seems like something of the past. And even if you want to stay home for the first few years of your child’s life, who can afford not to work these days? So what are kids up to during those precious, formative early years after their parents go back to work and before compulsory...

Starting Strong: what should children learn?

12:13 AM care, child care, children, development, early childhood, ECEC, education, learning, Norway, skills, Starting Strong

by Matias EgelandConsultant, OECD Directorate for EducationIn Norway, where I’m from, we believe children have the right to progress at their own speed, and enjoy a childhood of pleasure and freedom. The fundamental idea, shared by several Nordic countries, is that childhood is the time to have fun, as opposed to being in school (or anything resembling school for that matter). Admittedly, this sounds very nice, if not a bit idealistic.While it is...

Making education reform happen

7:35 AM Canada, education, Finland, literacy, New York Teacher's Summit, numeracy, performance, PISA, reform, students, teachers

by Marilyn AchironEditor, Indicators and Analysis Division, Directorate for EducationThis is the time of year when a lot of us resolve to commit ourselves to self-improvement plans of greater or lesser magnitude. Spend more time reading? On the list. Eat better? Ditto. Reform the education system? Whoa—nice idea; but isn’t that a bit too ambitious? What is it about education reform that all-too-often turns resolve into sighs and resignation?...

Global perspectives on education