March 2012 ~ Global perspectives on education

Women’s outcomes in education and employment: strong gains, but more to do

3:07 AM boys, EAG, education at a glance, education indicators, education indicators in focus, education policies, employment, gender, gender gap, girls, graduates, higher education, outcomes, upper secondary, women

by Éric Charbonnier and Corinne HeckmannInnovation and Measuring Progress Division, Directorate for EducationThere’s no denying it: when it comes to education and employment, women are on a roll, all over the world. As described in the latest issue of the OECD’s new brief series Education Indicators in Focus, the achievement gap between boys and girls has narrowed so much at lower levels of education that the focus of concern is now on the...

Teachers Summit highlights need for collective leadership

5:25 AM International Summit on the Teaching Profession, school leadership, schools, TALIS, teachers

by Kristen WeatherbySenior Analyst, Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS)Yesterday was the first day of the International Summit on the Teaching Profession in New York City, co-hosted by the US Department of Education, Education International and the OECD. I was lucky enough to be an attendee, along with government and union representatives, teachers and school leaders from 24 countries around the world.The theme of this year’s summit...

A View from the Teachers’ Summit

1:00 AM International Summit on the Teaching Profession, leadership, schools, teacher policies, teachers, unions

By John BangsSpecial consultant on OECD issues forEducation International, the global body for all teachers’ organisationsI have two hopes for this summit: The fact that thenumber of countries and unions participating in the summit this year is up by athird compared with last year reflects the increasing understanding that it isteacher policies that matter. Their ability, their confidence and theirself-efficacy are crucial. I hope that the kind of...

Lessons in learning, amid the rubble

12:00 AM earthquake, Japan, parents, PISA, skills, strong performers, teachers, Tokohku, tsunami

by Barbara IschingerDirector for EducationA school band played for us. It was the best school band I’ve ever heard—and I’ve heard many. It was the true image of hope, team spirit and positive attitudes. For the students, it was the welcome experience of normality.A brass band playing in the midst of vast devastation; a landscape that reminded me of street scenes from my childhood in Germany after the war. But this was just one week ago, in Japan,...

Knowledge and skills are infinite – oil is not

9:21 AM economy, knowledge, labour market, PISA, schools, skills; human capital, social outcomes, wealth

by Andreas SchleicherDeputy Director and Special Advisor on Education Policy to the OECD's Secretary-GeneralAs the bible notes, Moses arduously led the Jews for 40 years through the desert – just to bring them to the only country in the Middle East that had no oil. But Moses may have gotten it right, after all. Today, Israel has an innovative economy and its population enjoys a standard of living most of its oil-rich neighbours don't offer....

How do we keep new teachers teaching?

12:00 AM International Summit on the Teaching Profession, new teachers, schools, TALIS, teachers

by Kristen WeatherbySenior Analyst, Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS)In many countries, we read stories in the media about large numbers of teachers – up to half in some countries – leaving the teaching profession before their first five years of teaching are finished. This statistic, exaggerated or not, is often followed by questions such as these:Why are new teachers leaving the profession – seemingly in droves?Does...

Great (Career) Expectations? A Tale of Two Genders

1:52 AM boys, careers, gender, girls, International Women's Day, PISA, TALIS, teachers

by Marilyn AchironEditor, Directorate for EducationInternational Women’s Day (March 8) is always a great occasion to focus on the obvious: that some women have made great strides in recent decades in fulfilling their potential; that there is still a long way to go before all women enjoy true equality in all societies. This month’s edition of PISA in Focus decided to dig a little deeper: given that girls are doing as well as, if not better than,...

Let’s learn a new language

12:00 AM CERI, culture, diversity, globalisation, language, linguistics

by Lynda HaweCommunications Officer, Centre for Educational Research and Innovation (CERI), Directorate for Education How many of you have experienced while travelling, in a country which hosts a foreign language and a different culture, the desperate need to wholeheartedly express yourself? As frantically you watch your intrigued interlocutor return your inadequate efforts with blank looks of total incomprehension! Then, with the support...

Global perspectives on education