In 2014, an international, interdisciplinary group of experts came together under the auspices of the PISA Governing Board to consider a novel question: can an international assessment evaluate, the global competence of 15-year-old students? The experts recognized the need for data to understand how well students are prepared for life in…

There is widespread agreement that collaboration, teamwork and intercultural competence, among others, are essential 21st century skills. Higher education teaching and learning initiatives tend to have a significant focus on developing these skills through assessments and other in-class activities, and yet often do not take advantage of…

Elementary teachers face the challenging task of meeting state curriculum standards while at the same time attempting to expand ideas that are inclusive of the wider world. True inquiry is "experienced when those involved [do] not know the answers that lay at the end of their exploration". Guiding children into true inquiry is difficult…

The worldwide problems of disability, poverty, and unemployment stem out of the interaction of multiple factors including social stigma, stereotypes, lack of access to physical infrastructure, information, and enabling environments. Given this, a singular approach toward tackling these interrelated issues falls short. This article attempts to…

In the era of globalization, the trend towards learning Chinese as a foreign language (CFL) has become increasingly popular worldwide. The increasing demand in learning CFL has raised the profile of the Chinese proficiency test (CPT). This study will analyze in depth the inadequacy of current CPT's utilizing the common European framework of…

This article introduces the essential features of the science component of 2006 Program for International Student Assessment (PISA). Administered every 3 years, PISA alternates emphasis on Reading, Mathematics, and Science Literacy. In 2006, PISA emphasized science. This article discusses PISA's definition of scientific literacy, the three…

During the next ten years, colleges of agriculture will be challenged to transform their role in higher education and their relationship to the evolving global food and agricultural enterprise. If successful, agriculture colleges will emerge as an important venue for scholars and stakeholders to address some of the most complex and urgent problems…

A significant trend in technology education has shown internationally widespread acceptance with the increasing needs of developing students' technological literacy on both the elementary and secondary level from manual training to basic competency. Therefore, more and more countries have developed their national technology standards in order to…

Explains the efforts of the ICSTI (International Council for Scientific and Technical Information) Group on Interdisciplinary Searching to identify and describe problems of interdisciplinary searching and to propose solutions. Problems are summarized in six areas: database coverage and technical content, bibliographic information, textual content,…

Schools are central, public institutions. On any given day, about 20 percent of the Canadian population spends at least part of its day in a school building. By age 18, students will typically have spent about 15 percent of their lives in schools. Administrators and teachers in contemporary schools face significant challenges. Globalization…

The Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), the largest international comparative study of educational achievement to date, is a study of classrooms across the country and around the world. This brief information booklet describes the design and development of TIMSS, its coordination and schedule, and its components including…

Describes a simulation that was used in an English as a second language class designed for Southeast Asian government officials enrolled in an English for International Communication program in conjunction with Canadian cultural immersion. Discusses results of a questionnaire that investigated students' responses to and perceptions of the…

Discusses the appropriate education for engineers in the global workplace and focuses on the need for bilingual and cross-cultural training. A questionnaire was designed and distributed among engineering professionals in Germany, Spain, France and England in one division of a company which makes fastening components for many of the world's major…

More than 8,000 secondary school students participated in the AFS International exchange programs in 1983, and this document examines some of the research that investigates the impact of travel abroad and intercultural experiences on personality development. Cigdem Kagitcibasi, in a study of the effects of a 10-month program on student…

Presented is a discussion of an intercultural orientation seminar for foreign and U.S. university students at Colorado State University. This 1-day retreat is held each semester at a lodge in the Rocky Mountains. It is designed to bring together the students and community people to experience an international environment where the goal is to…