A World-Class Education: Learning from International Models of Excellence and Innovation

by Vivien Stewart

Designed to promote conversation about how to educate students for a rapidly changing, innovation-based world, this comprehensive and illuminating book from international education expert Vivien Stewart focuses on understanding what the worldOCOs best school systems are doing right for the purpose of identifying what U.S. schoolsOCoat the national, state, and local levelOComight do differently and better."

Genres: Education, Nonfiction, Politics, Science

200 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 2, 2012

Reviews

[Douglas Armstrong · Rating 4 out of 5]

Startling to learn that two of the world's leaders in education, as measured by international test scores, are a world apart in almost every sense. Finland's decentralized approach (students are not given an external assessment until the end of high school at grade 12) and Singapore's assessment-driven approach nonetheless produce superior results. But what should we take away from this? Perhaps that both countries appear to be more committed at a national level to rethinking and supporting education than is the US, which pays the idea lip service but fails to make the kind of important structural changes needed.

[Cathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book in preparation for my Fulbright Teachers for Global Classrooms Fellowship. It’s a bit dated (already) but provides good comparisons of US and high-performing school systems throughout the world. Somehow everything that my home state has enacted goes against the grain of what high-performing systems do. That’s Arizona for you. 😕

[Random · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author's main objective is to provide a summary of the international educational systems in order to draw inferences for how one might improve educational outcomes through improved processes.

I think this book is worth reading but I did have a few quibbles:

1. The book describes the educational systems of Singapore, Canada, Finland, and China with passing references to Australia, England, and a few others. I don't know why these countries happen to be the right ones to highlight apart from them having high/improved PISA scores.

It would have been more helpful for the author to explain why PISA is the right international benchmark or why other alternatives are worse. It would also have been helpful for the author to not focus on average differences in the PISA score as averages obfuscate substantial within-country heterogeneity. I would also have been more interested in learning whether particular practices/processes are more effective towards different parts of the student distribution.

2. The paper is aimed at making policy recommendations but does not sufficiently separate evidence that is correlation vs causation. For example, the book describes teacher autonomy in Finland as a contribution factor to its success. But that might not work in the US as well given the lack of relative population homogeneity. In other words, the educational systems we observe across the world are not random.

3. For a policy book, the research is poorly sourced. Many claims are stated without attribution. There are only 120 references which really isn't a lot for a 180 page book where each paragraph makes 2-3 factual claims.

[Postscriptum · Rating 3 out of 5]

Temat przewodni "A World-Class Education" jest ultra ważny i naglący. Dobrze, że książki na ten temat trafiają na rynek, chociaż mam wobec nich troszkę więcej do życzenia. Zaznaczę, że jest to pozycja z roku 2012, także postarzała się o dekadę. Wiele spraw zostałoby teraz zapewne inaczej zinterpretowane przez autorkę (np. Kwestię nauczania zdalnego), choćby przez wzgląd na pandemię COVID, nie wspominając już o całej reszcie zmian naturalnych, społecznych, naukowych i kulturowych. Jednak nawet pomimo upływu lat, wciąż wspomniane są tu alarmującego potrzeby współczesnej edukacji, które... Po 10 latach, dalej nie są rozwiązane. Wciąż żyjemy starym systemem nauki, skupiamy się na uczeniu dzieci nazw rzeczy, zamiast pomóc im zrozumieć JAK coś działa. Lista jest dłuższa. Z tego też powodu uważam, że jest sens czytać nawet te lekko przedawnione książki. Mam też jeden podstawowy zarzut, ale na tyle istotny, że ocena musiała znacząco spaść - książka jest skupiona tylko na wynikach i efektywności nauki, bez zastanowienia się jak dane podejście do ucznia, wpłynie na jego psychikę i samopoczucie. A przyznam szczerze - część z argumentów, które autorka wysnuła jako pozytywne dla wyników w testach, miałyby katastrofalny wpływ na dzieci i jestem pewna, że zgotowałyby niejednemu traumę. Także odczucia mam lekko mieszane.

[Mason Gatewood · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think that this book accomplishes exactly what it sets out to do: inform educators about the education systems of countries that are currently outperforming the U.S. in international benchmarks, and what U.S. educators and policymakers can learn from these systems. Nothing more, nothing less. Certainly, a dense book that covers a lot of information, but still a relatively quick read.

[Connor Oswald · Rating 4 out of 5]

a great, quick handbook on comparative international education systems.

[NAOMI POINDEXTER · Rating 4 out of 5]

Used in Analysis of Teaching

[Gwen · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author points out models from around the world that address current issues in education. While at times it seems there is something not being said, the overall conclusions and ideas that Americans could draw from the models are great. The world is becoming more global, and we cannot live in our past "glory" without realizing we may need to change and continually seek improvement in the field of education.

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was introduced to this read through WorldView at UNC and Global Studies. The book highlights other countries who are making positive strides with their education system. I was able to pick a little and even a lot from the countries mentioned-Finland, Singapore, Shanghai, Canada, and it definitely made me think of ways we could improvise to get our education system headed in the right direction again.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some good fodder for planning and envisioning the future of education in the United States. The author looks at the education systems in Singapore China Canada Finland and some developing countries. The need for a career ladder for teachers is one thing that strikes me as important for us to move forward .

[Joe Thacker · Rating 1 out of 5]

Too high level, too broad, didn't find myself learning anything. I wouldn't recommend reading this, I am wondering if I should even keep in on my bookshelf, I have a rule that if a book is so bad I toss it in the garbage, l prune my library garden!

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have more to add about this book at a later time.

[Janine]

I read this for my doctoral program. It was really easy to read and understand and take information away from it.