Benjamin Franklin, in addition to his various other pursuits, was not only a diplomat but also a scientist. Therefore, it is safe to say that he would have been pleased to witness a recent conference held at the university he helped establish. The conference marked the culmination of an extraordinary project that involved education researchers and policymakers from six different countries working together in the pursuit of scientific inquiry.
Over the past seven years, researchers from the Six-Nation Education Research Project collaborated on a wide range of studies aimed at exploring the connections between education and the economy. The topics encompassed various aspects such as career-apprenticeship programs in Switzerland, English-language instruction in Singapore, and American universities.
Equipped with their drafts and charts, the researchers congregated at the University of Pennsylvania from October 7th to 10th to share the findings of their investigations. What makes this project noteworthy is not only its results but also the manner in which it was conducted. Each of the six nations financed their own research endeavors using government and private funding. Furthermore, five out of the six projects involved researchers from both Eastern and Western countries collaborating. The prerequisite for participation was the involvement of policymakers who dealt with the programs and systems being studied by the researchers.
Susan H. Fuhrman, the dean of the university’s graduate school of education, expressed her opinion on this project, stating, "There is a significant amount of international research available, but it often lacks visibility because policymakers are not involved. This project is exceptional in that regard." The conference was organized by the university’s office of international programs and development, operating under the graduate school of education.
The six participating nations in this endeavor were China, Germany, Japan, Singapore, Switzerland, and the United States. Each country was responsible for leading one study, and the topics investigated were determined collectively by both the researchers and policymakers.
To provide an example, the Swiss delegates chose to focus on vocational education, aiding an ongoing debate in their country concerning the future direction of their century-old apprenticeship system. This system currently serves a significant percentage of students in Switzerland, but after a recession in the early 1990s, many students struggled to find apprenticeship positions. Jean-Etienne Berset, the head of international affairs for the Federal Office for Professional Education and Technology in Bern, Switzerland, stated, "The findings and criticisms presented here, along with the insightful perspectives from experts in other countries, can contribute to our ongoing discussion."
Concerned about the average performance of American students in international mathematics and science tests, the U.S.-led study team focused on identifying factors that might account for the achievement differences between countries. The Singaporean researchers chose to investigate English-language instruction, as language holds great significance in their multiracial, multiethnic, and multilingual society.
From the onset, it was crucial to involve both Asian and Western nations, according to Cheng Yan Davis, the executive director of the University of Pennsylvania education school’s international office. Ms. Davis, originally from China, stated, "The curriculum in the East is often complex, while in the West, it can sometimes be too lax. The question is, how do we strike a balance?"
Mr. Berset acknowledged that the cross-national perspective provided valuable insight. He remarked, "When you are faced with people questioning the practices in your own system, it opens your eyes to alternative perspectives that you may not have considered before."
Furthermore, the research methodologies employed by each project were as diverse as the countries involved. For example, the Swiss-led team conducted visits to vocational education systems in the United States, Switzerland, Singapore, and Japan, resulting in qualitative descriptions of the programs in each respective country. On the other hand, the American-led study on math and science achievement relied on statistical analyses of data collected for the Third International Mathematics and Science Study, which encompassed 41 countries.
In their study utilizing TIMSS data, the researchers analyzed over 170 variables, ranging from teacher training to homework, that they believed might account for differences in 8th graders’ performance. Ultimately, they identified three variables that appeared to explain 84% of the international variation in math-test scores and four variables that accounted for 85% of the differences on the science tests. For instance, when it came to math, the researchers found that countries with a higher proportion of students reporting high proficiency in the subject tended to have lower average test scores. In comparison to the top-scoring nations of Singapore, Japan, and Hong Kong, 8th graders in Germany, Switzerland, and the United States were more likely to claim proficiency in math.
Unveiling Common Patterns
An important discovery from the Swiss-led project on vocational education highlighted that, across all four countries examined, these programs appeared to be increasingly stigmatized compared to programs for students pursuing a college education. To address these perceptions, the researchers recommended establishing closer connections between vocational programs and general education curricula. Interestingly, the researchers found that the quality of vocational programs had minimal correlation with economic downturns in the countries studied.
In Singapore’s investigation of English-language education, which focused on programs in China, Japan, Singapore, Switzerland, and the United States, it was revealed that the significant variations in these programs were influenced by the economic requirements of individual countries, the composition of their student populations and labor forces, and teachers’ beliefs about language acquisition. For example, Singapore’s English-language programs were more extensive and emphasized communication skills to a greater extent compared to Japan, which has a more homogeneous population. However, across all five countries, teachers displayed limited knowledge of current language teaching theories.
A fourth study, conducted on higher education, concluded that as university enrollments increase and become more diverse, the traditional role of faculty members in governing their institutions has begun to diminish.
The final study focused on China, Singapore, and the United States and examined the quality and availability of systematic approaches to measure the connection between education and the economy in these countries. The research team discovered a universal lack of such methods.
Attendance at the final meeting was negatively affected by the aftermath of the September 11th terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Of the 70 foreign researchers and policymakers originally planning to attend, only 38 were present. For instance, Singapore’s education minister, who also serves as their defense minister, canceled his attendance. However, Rod Paige, the U.S. Secretary of Education, did address the participants on October 10th regarding the education agenda of the Bush administration.
Looking ahead, the group is preparing for a second round of studies, and France and South Korea have expressed interest in joining this effort. Additionally, a book detailing the results of the initial studies is currently being developed. The attending researchers at this conference predicted that similar endeavors would become more commonplace as international education databases become more accessible and technology continues to improve.
"Twenty years ago, we had nothing," remarked Simon Field, a principal administrator for the Paris-based Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. "We have increasingly recognized that we can learn from one another."
Interested in contributing ideas? Please send any suggestions for possible research section stories to Debra Viadero at Education Week, 6935 Arlington Road, Suite 100 Bethesda, MD 20814, or email her at dviadero@epe.org. Research coverage is partially supported by a grant from the Spencer Foundation.