National Differences, Global Similarities: World Culture and the Future of Schooling (Stanford Social Sciences) - Softcover

"TIMSS represented a quantum leap over previous cross-national surveys of education achievement. The United States and other countries wanted to provide high-quality data that could be used to compare their education systems beyond the initial "horse-race" results. Baker and LeTendre's far-ranging analyses offer clear evidence that this goal was achieved." -- Laura Salganik, Director, Education Statistics Services Institute * American Institutes for Research * "Reading this book is like cycling through Tuscany on tree-shaded lanes-the ride is smooth, the going is easy, and the eye is repeatedly pleased by both great vistas and striking close-up views." -- Contemporary Sociology "National Differences, Global Similarities is filled with cogen insights, counter-intuitive findings, convincing policy recommendations, and lucid predictions....Maybe Baker's and LeTendre's greatest accomplishment will be inspiring readers to think more deeply about seemingly well understood education topics."--Teachers College Record "In this collaboration with several colleagues, David Baker and Gerald LeTendre provide their readers with a lucid, thoughtful report and interpretation of several cross-national indicators....a major merit of this book is the many questions it raises, inviting exciting discussions in educational foundations classrooms."

Using American schools as a reference point, this book provides a comprehensive, comparative description of schooling as a global institution.