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Early years are a critical period for skill development. In this sense, the Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) programmes have an important role in promoting children's learning during this period. This study aimed to explore the effectiveness of ECEC programmes by analysing the relationship between students' ECEC attendance and their later academic proficiency using PISA 2015 data. PISA results show that across the OECD countries, students who had attended ECEC tend to have higher scores in academic proficiencies at the age of 15. However, these differences in academic proficiencies between those who attended ECEC versus those who did not attend are almost nil when students' socio-economic status (SES) is considered. This relationship reflects differential access to learning opportunities for children from deprived contexts. Furthermore, results show that entering ECEC programmes earlier than the typical time is associated with lower proficiencies at the age of 15. Therefore, earlier entry to ECEC is not necessarily beneficial. Learning benefits of ECEC provision vary considerably across PISA countries illustrating the importance of a country-specific policy context and the quality of their ECEC provision. The analyses of several quality indicators point out that the improved quality of ECEC programmes is associated with higher academic skills at later stages. These results highlight that mere attendance to ECEC programmes is not enough to ensure better academic performance. The quality of the educational provision, especially concerning those students from disadvantaged backgrounds, should be ensured.

This paper makes an in-depth comparison of the PISA (OECD) and TIMSS (IEA) mathematics assessments conducted in 2003. First, a comparison of survey methodologies is presented, followed by an examination of the mathematics frameworks in the two studies. The methodologies and the frameworks in the two studies form the basis for providing explanations for the observed differences in PISA and TIMSS results. At the country level, it appears that Western countries perform relatively better in PISA as compared to their performance in TIMSS. In contrast, Asian and Eastern European countries tend to do better in TIMSS than in PISA. This paper goes beyond making mere conjectures about the observed differences in results between PISA and TIMSS. The paper provides supporting evidence through the use of regression analyses to explain the differences. The analyses showed that performance differences at the country level can be attributed to the content balance of the two tests, as well as the sampling definitions--age-based and grade-based--in PISA and TIMSS respectively. Apart from mathematics achievement, the paper also compares results from the two studies on measures of self-confidence in mathematics. Gender differences are also examined in the light of contrasting results from the two studies. Overall, the paper provides a comprehensive comparison between PISA and TIMSS, and, in doing so, it throws some light on the interpretation of results of large-scale surveys more generally. (Contains 21 figure, 28 tables, 7 boxes and 25 footnotes.)

The Education Working Paper Series is produced by the Education Unit at the World Bank (HDNED). It provides an avenue for World Bank staff to publish and disseminate preliminary education findings to encourage discussion and exchange ideas within the World Bank and among the broader development community. This Guide seeks to help those who design and manage innovation funds to do a better job. It strives to capture practical lessons and good practice associated with half a dozen World Bank financed innovation funds for higher education in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Staff who manage these innovation funds were brought together for this purpose in a workshop organized by the World Bank and hosted by the Ministry of Education and Culture of Mozambique in October 2005. For readers interested in more extensive exploration of worldwide experience with innovation funds, a list of additional references is provided at the end of this publication. Attached are: (1) World Bank Funded Higher Education Projects Containing Innovation Funds; and (2) Broad Impact Indicators for Innovation Funds. (Contains 5 tables.) [This publication was produced in conjunction with the World Bank's Africa Region Human Development Department (AFTHD) as part of the Africa Region Human Development Working Paper Series (Number 107).]

The main objective of this Working Paper is to show a set of indicators on the knowledge-based economy for China, mainly compiled from databases within EAS, although data from databases maintained by other parts of the OECD are included as well. These indicators are put in context by comparison with data for the United States, Japan and the EU (or the G7 countries in case no EU totals are available) and data for some of the Asian neighbours of China (Korea, Singapore, Chinese Taipei and Hong Kong) where data for these countries were readily available. This document draws heavily on the Science, Technology and Industry Scoreboard, copying many of the indicators presented there and borrowing a substantial amount of contextual and methodological explanations. After listing the main outcomes of this study, the paper starts with a section on the economic structure of China and the other economies, followed by a set of trade indicators, showing the opening up of China's economy and the growing importance of trade in high-technology products. Two indicators of foreign investment in China are examined: foreign affiliates and foreign direct investment. Recognizing the importance of human resources to a knowledge-based economy, a range of human resources indicators is presented. Final sections present indicators on R&D (as one of the inputs to the innovation process), and patents (as one of the outputs). A statistical annex brings together a selection of tables of the main indicators shown in the document. OECD database information is also annexed. (A bibliography is included. Contains 11 footnotes, 60 figures, 5 boxes and 26 tables.)

Parents, educators, government ministers and policymakers in all contexts and countries around the world are concerned with learning and how to improve it. There are many reasons for this, but none is more important than the fact that learning is at the heart of success at the individual, community and global levels. Learning First is the title of this report, with the strong implication that learning should be the foremost goal of education policies worldwide. The present review seeks not only to explain why this is the case but also focuses on what education stakeholders need to know--that is, what research is needed--in order to improve learning in the decades to come, particularly among those children most in need. This question is addressed in the following six sections: (1) Learning Goals and Research; (2) Learning Definitions and Contexts; (3) Global Change and the Contexts of Learning; (4) Five Domains of Research on Learning; (5) Learning: A Proposed Research Agenda; and (6) Conclusions: Learning to Make a Difference. Appended are: (1) Boundary Constraints: Methodological Considerations for Cross-Cultural Research on Learning; (2) Research Proposal Sketches Based on three learning stories; and (3) Abbreviations used. (Contains 16 figures, 3 tables, and 199 endnotes.)

Major cultural differences impeded the smooth transfer of a 14 day management education program, which had been very successfully used in Western settings, to an Asian situation. Thirteen Chinese and two Caucasians, all of whom worked in Southeast Asia and had management degrees, attended the program to improve their skills in influencing those with whom they worked. The Positive Power and Influence Program, described in the first section of the publication, has a conceptual base that distinguishes discrete kinds of behavior for influencing others. Ten erroneous assumptions underlying the trainers' behavior include the following: trainers need not have lived in Asia; Asians who attended a training workshop will operate optimally; teasing is a put-down; average second-language competency in English is sufficient; things are more or less as they seem; and a sensitive trainer will always be aware of conflict. Also examined are nine erroneous assumptions underlying the management training model. For example, role-playing is a universally useful learning method; tangible achievements are what matters; and learning is an individual matter and it is optimized when tailored to the individual and when it springs from his or her own felt needs. (RM)

This paper provides statistics on women and graduate management education for 2012. This paper contains two parts: (1) Women in the Business School Talent Pipeline; and (2) Women in Business. "Women in the Business School Talent Pipeline" discusses: (1) GMAT[R] Examinees; (2) B-School Demand from Younger Women; (3) MBA, Masters & Other Intended Degrees; and (4) Female Quants (Interest in Quantitative and Specialized Degrees). "Women in Business" discusses: (1) Jobs; (2) Value of Graduate Management Education; (3) Industry Preferences; (4) Study-Work-Life Balance; and (5) Geographic Focus and Regional Comments. (Contains 7 resources.)

The Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) is a system of international assessments that allows countries to compare outcomes of learning as students near the end of compulsory schooling. PISA core assessments measure the performance of 15-year-old students in mathematics, science, and reading literacy every 3 years. Coordinated by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), PISA was first implemented in 2000 in 32 countries. It has since grown to 65 education systems in 2012. PISA's goal is to assess students' preparation for the challenges of life as young adults. PISA assesses the application of knowledge in mathematics, science, and reading literacy to problems within a real-life context (OECD 1999). Mathematics was the major subject area in 2012, as it was in 2003, since each subject is a major subject area once every three cycles. In 2012, mathematics, science, and reading literacy were assessed primarily through a paper-and-pencil assessment, and problem solving was administered via a computer-based assessment. In addition to these core assessments, education systems could participate in optional paper-based financial literacy and computer-based mathematics and reading assessments. The United States participated in these optional assessments. This report presents performance on PISA 2012 in mathematics, science, and reading literacy from a U.S. perspective. Results are presented for the 65 education systems, including the United States, that participated in PISA 2012 and for the three U.S. states--Connecticut, Florida, and Massachusetts--that participated as separate education systems. These three states opted to have separate samples of public-schools and students included in PISA in order to obtain state-level results. In this report, results are presented in terms of average scale scores and the percentage of 15-year-old students reaching selected proficiency levels, comparing the United States with other participating education systems. For proficiency levels, results are reported in terms of the percentage reaching level 5 or above and the percentage below level 2. Higher proficiency levels represent the knowledge, skills, and capabilities needed to perform tasks of greater complexity. At levels 5 and 6, students demonstrate higher level skills and may be referred to as "top performers" in the subject. Conversely, students performing below level 2 are below what the OECD calls "a baseline level of proficiency, at which students begin to demonstrate the literacy competencies that will enable them to participate effectively and productively in life" (OECD 2010, p. 154). This report also presents U.S. trends over time in mathematics, science, and reading literacy, and overall results for the computer-based mathematics and reading assessments. Results for the problem-solving and financial literacy assessments will be released in 2014. Appended are: (1) Methodology and Technical Notes; and (2) International and U.S. Data Collection Results. (Contains 9 tables, 3 figures, 9 footnotes, and 3 exhibits.) [This report was prepared for the National Center for Education Statistics under Contract No. ED-IES-10-C-0047 with Westat.]

This paper provides Appendix D, Standard Error tables, for the full report, entitled. "Literacy, Numeracy, and Problem Solving in Technology-Rich Environments among U.S. Adults: Results from the Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies 2012. First Look. NCES 2014-008." The full report presents results of the Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC). Results are reported for a representative sample of adults in the United States age 16 to 65 and are compared to an international average of adults in countries/regions that participated in the PIAAC 2012 assessment. The full report presents average score results for three separate scales: literacy, numeracy, and problem solving in technology-rich environments and percentages of adults performing at different proficiency levels for each scale. Literacy and numeracy results are reported at Below Level 1, Level 1, Level 2, Level 3, and Level 4/5; problem solving in technology-rich environments is reported at Below Level 1, Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3. The report includes results for groups of adults as defined by various demographic characteristics (e.g., gender, age, race/ethnicity, and level of educational attainment) and level of skill use in and outside of work. Overall results in literacy and numeracy are compared to results from previous international assessments. (Contains 35 tables.) [To view the full report, "Literacy, Numeracy, and Problem Solving in Technology-Rich Environments among U.S. Adults: Results from the Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies 2012. First Look. NCES 2014-008." see ED544452.]

This paper presents the results from the 2012 Corporate Recruiters Survey conducted by the Graduate Management Admission Council[R] (GMAC[R]). Conducted annually since 2001, this survey examines the job outlook for recent graduate business students as well as employer needs and expectations. The objectives of this study are to obtain a picture of the current employment landscape, gauge the demand for master's-level business graduates, better understand employer needs, and provide insight into hiring practices and trends across industries and world regions. Responses to this 11th annual survey of graduate business student employers were collected from mid-February to mid-March 2012. Data reflect the responses of 1,096 recruiters representing more than 800 companies in 40 countries worldwide. Respondents in the United States represent firms in 37 states plus the District of Columbia. This broad representation of the employer spectrum was possible through the efforts of the 128 business schools in 30 countries that facilitated the survey administration. Key findings include: (1) Not only are more companies planning to hire recent MBAs in 2012 (79%, up from 72% in 2011), but they expect to increase the number of new hires from 13 in 2011 to 17 per firm in 2012, on average; (2) Growth is most notable in the Asia-Pacific region, where 54 percent of companies plan to hire Master of Accounting graduates in 2012, up from 38 percent in 2011; (3) Small companies (fewer than 1,000 employees) account for the largest proportional increase in demand for MBAs; (4) MBA graduates will continue to command higher starting salaries compared with other master's graduates in the United States in 2012; (5) Regional job placement data provide insight into where graduate business students might work beyond company headquarters; (6) When selecting which job candidates to interview from business schools, recruiters most often consider the candidates' previous work experience; and (7) Employers predominantly seek new graduate business hires with leadership skills in 2012. (Contains 8 tables, 21 figures and 19 footnotes.)

This handbook consists of 24 papers addressing various aspects on health care and health care systems and services for foreign students from the Asia Pacific Region. The papers are: "Providing Health Care for International Students" (Donald F. B. Char); "Major Health Care Systems in Asia and the Pacific: Mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong" (Julia J. Tsuei); "The Health Care System of Korea" (Chai Bin Park); "Characteristics of Burma's Medical/Health Care System" (Burmese students in Hawaii); "Tips on Health Care for Indochinese Students" (An T. Nguyen); "Health Care in the Cultural System of Indonesia" (Agus Suwandono); "Malaysian Health and Cultural Beliefs" (Farida H. Che Din); "The Student from the Phillipines" (Divina A. R. Telan-Robillard); "Health and Culture in Thailand" (Chamnan Prasertchoung); "Health Care for Micronesia Students" (Donald H. Rubinstein); "The Health Care System of Papua New Guinea" (Georgeda Buchbinder); "The American Health Care System: Its Organization and Operation" (Robert E. Mytinger); "Preventive Assistance and Health Care" (Nancy Stockhert); "Counseling Asian and Pacific Island Students" (Nancy Stockhert; June Naughton); "Nutrition" (Jan Pachelbel); "Sexuality and Sexual Harassment" (Nancy Stockhert); "Academic Problems" (June Naughton); and, "Crisis Information" (June Naughton). Appendices include a checklist for foreign student advisers handling death-related events for international students/scholars, 46 chapter references, and an evaluation form requesting comments and suggestions about the handbook. (LPT)

This curriculum module presents information for an introductory course designed to develop a cross-cultural awareness and appreciation of the rich opportunities for growth in interior design and related fields that has resulted from the expansion of the global marketplace. First, the instructional goals of the course are outlined, suggesting that students should develop an awareness and appreciation of cross-cultural interplay, recognize the ways in which geographic, climatic, and socio-economic factors impact architecture and design, expand their knowledge of the design elements used in various countries, adapt American structural and interior furnishing materials to the living environments of foreign countries, and develop their understanding of the global economy. Next, the instructional objectives, assignments, activities, and evaluation methods are detailed, indicating that course readings, library research, field trips, a research paper, design projects, and pre- and post-tests would be included as part of students' activities. A description of the audiovisual resources that are to be used as an introduction to the module, the course pre-test, and a list of expected connections to be made beyond the classroom by students are included as well. The final sections contains annotated bibliographies and lists of additional resources for both students and instructors. (MAB)

This paper presents the facts and figures of the whole UK higher education sector in 2009. The data is derived from a variety of sources, and is updated on a yearly basis.

This paper presents the facts and figures of the whole UK higher education sector in 2007. The data is derived from a variety of sources, and is updated on a yearly basis.

This monograph, one of four in a series, contains materials on a particular aspect of literacy training. Developed from reports, papers, and case studies from the Regional Literacy Workshop (November 29-December 20, 1979) held in Udaipur, India, the monographs are suggested for use in training programs for literacy personnel as background materials, an exercise in materials production, or a course of lectures. This monograph focuses on development of followup materials for adult literacy programs. The need for followup materials and the functions and objectives of such materials are discussed. Concepts and principles of followup materials are then addressed, including the role of followup materials in adult literacy programs, types of materials, and the language factor in the production of followup materials. The process of developing materials is considered in terms of the agencies for the development of followup materials, media available for material development, advantages and disadvantages of television and radio, need analysis and problem identification, draft formulation, audiovisual materials, and materials testing. Research, evaluation, and followup activities are also discussed. Sample followup materials are appended. (YLB)

This monograph, one of four in a series, contains material on a particular aspect of literacy training. Developed from reports, papers, and case studies from the Regional Literacy Workshop (November 29-December 20, 1979) held in Udaipur, India, the monographs are suggested for use in training programs for literacy personnel as background materials, an exercise in materials production, or a course of lectures. This monograph focuses on the questions of motivational materials in an adult literacy program. The different clientele for which motivational materials are needed and the various kinds of motivational materials are first discussed. A panel discussion on the topic of development of motivational materials is summarized. Other areas covered include the process of developing motivational materials, implications of this process, and research, evaluation, and followup. Seven sets of sample motivational materials developed by workshop participants are provided. Each set of materials is accompanied by a brief description about format, purpose, use, and other helpful information. (YLB)

This monograph, one of four in a series, contains material on a particular aspect of literacy training. Developed from reports, papers, and case studies from the Regional Literacy Workshop (November 29-December 20, 1979) held in Udaipur, India, the monographs are suggested for use in training programs for literacy personnel as background materials, an exercise in materials production, or a course of lectures. This monograph focuses on developing instructional materials for an adult literacy program. The need for instructional materials, the need for their development, and the types of material needed are discussed. Concepts and principles that must be incorporated into the materials developed are then addressed. These include national policy, learners' individual needs, individualization of materials and teaching, and the choice of language variety. The process of developing instructional materials is considered in terms of agencies to be involved, need analysis, setting up objectives, organization of the materials, draft formulation, materials testing, teachers' guides, and workbooks. Evaluation, followup, and research of the materials are also discussed. Sample instructional materials are appended. (YLB)