A comparison of the socialization and skill development of engineers in France and Japan reveals clear differences in the education/training, status, and professional/career development of engineers in the two countries. In France, engineers complete more than 5 years of initial training after the baccalaureate degree and subsequent entry into…

The eight chapters of this theme issue use quantitative and qualitative methods to explore the nature and nurture of young participants in the mathematics Olympiad from five countries. Parallel studies are presented of winners from China, Taiwan, and the United States, along with descriptions of programs in Japan and Russia. (SLD)

The study describes ten discussion activities designed to improve the communicative abilities of Japanese learners of English based on cultural instruction goals. The activities target intermediate and advanced students, but teachers can modify the lessons for false beginners. All exercises stress speaking and listening. They focus on topics…

Transformations in the French metalworking industries have given rise to numerous studies on employment and job content in metallurgy over the past decade. One study related technical transformations to changes in the skills content of certain categories of workers. Although automation results in the elimination of certain know-how belonging to an…

Six papers review international issues in educational opportunity, with emphasis on Europe and Japan. The various contributions provide confirmation that, although the connection between school success and social background continues to resist educational measures, an increase in the average level of education is becoming apparent. (SLD)

Technology provides a new and effective tool for accelerating economic growth, and developing countries are embracing technology and education as the means toward attaining economic parity with the United States and other developed nations. Evidence suggests that this strategy is paying off. Developing countries are building a technology…