The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) -- often called "The Nation's Report Card" -- is the largest nationally representative and continuing assessment of what students in public and private schools in the United States know and can do in various subjects and has provided policy makers and the public with invaluable…

This case study is based on a research project the first author conducted for his master's thesis under the guidance and supervision of the second author, his academic adviser. In this case study, we highlight some of the most important aspects of the project. Specifically, we explain how our research was prompted by the lack of empirical testing…

Speech and language are central to the human experience; they are the vital means by which people convey and receive knowledge, thoughts, feelings, and other internal experiences. Acquisition of communication skills begins early in childhood and is foundational to the ability to gain access to culturally transmitted knowledge, organize and share…

Higher Education and Civic Engagement provides an original and challenging contribution to contemporary debates on the civic purpose of higher education. It explores teaching and learning, research, and service in a range of international contexts. This book is essential reading for higher education leaders, faculty, administrators, and members of…

How are professors paid? Can the "best and brightest" be attracted to the academic profession? With universities facing international competition, which countries compensate their academics best, and which ones lag behind? "Paying the Professoriate" examines these questions and provides key insights and recommendations into the current state of…

This first "OECD Skills Outlook" presents the initial results of the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC), which evaluates the skills of adults in 22 OECD member countries and two partner countries. The PIAAC survey was designed to provide insights into the availability of some key skills and how they are used at work and at home through the…

Global student mobility is one of the fastest growing phenomena in higher education in the twenty-first century. Over three million students are currently mobile, crossing geographic, cultural, digital, and educational borders in the pursuit of an international education--a movement that has significant consequences for higher education…

Enrollment at America's community colleges has exploded in recent years, with five times as many entering students today as in 1965. However, most community college students do not graduate; many earn no credits and may leave school with no more advantages in the labor market than if they had never attended. Experts disagree over the reason for…

Long term trends in non-Maori family formation, growth, and dissolution in New Zealand were investigated with data mainly derived from the statistical reports of government departments. Sources included census reports; vital, justice, medical, and migration statistics; life tables; and official yearbooks. To augment official statistical data, an…

PIRLS is the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study. This rigorous international survey compares the reading attainment and attitudes to reading of over 200,000 9- and 10-year-old children in 41 countries. It is the only international study to provide information on the reading habits of primary-aged children: the survey collects…

The global status of comparative education from the 1960s to the present is presented in three parts. Part 1 comprises a general review of the background to seven regional studies. The review provides a picture of the overall historical development; the modifications in the concept of comparative education that have occurred; the general…

Perspectives on research in comparative education are presented in 17 articles originally published in the "Comparative Education Review." The objective is to present an array of new viewpoints, orientations, and approaches. Titles and authors are: "Introduction: Perspectives on Comparative Education" (Philip G. Altbach, Gail P. Kelly); "Critical…

This book examines surveys based on government information dealing with economic factors and education factors in the United States and how those factors affect policy initiatives. Chapters include: (1) "Recent Trends and Prospects" where particular emphasis is placed on assessing the risks of higher inflation; (2) "Macroeconomic…

The Barrie Public Library was studied as part of a larger commission authorized by the Georgian Bay Regional Library Board. Analysis was restricted to local policies and procedures which were under the full control of the Barrie Public Library board and staff. Aspects of library services provided on a cooperative basis--interlibrary loan, 16mm…

Changes have occurred in the geographic concentrations of elderly people in the United States between 1950 and 1970. The paper examines these trends and identifies the factors which influenced them. Census data from 1950 and 1970 were analyzed as a basis for the study. In 1950, 8.1% of the population was classified as older. States with high…