Learning from Comparing: Policy, Professionals and Development v. 2

"Learning from Comparing" is a major two-volume study which reassesses the contribution of comparative educational research and theory to our understanding of contemporary educational problems and to our capacity to solve them. At a time when educational research is under attack on the grounds of "bias" and "irrelevance", and under pressure to address only those questions which are acceptable politically (as good a definition of bias as any), this is a serious attempt to bridge the worlds of research, policy and practice. The editors have put together a collection - in terms of both perspective and nationality - which ensures contrasting viewpoints on each topic. CONTENTS: Robin Alexander. Preface. PART ONE: THE COMPARATIVE STUDY OF EDUCATIONAL POLICY: David Phillips. Introduction: the comparative study of educational policy; Val D. Rust. Education Policy Studies and Comparative Education; Joanna Le Métais. Snakes and Ladders: learning from international comparisons; Mary-Louise Kearney. Higher Education: polemic and policy imperatives. PART TWO: RESEARCH, EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENT: Robin Alexander. Introduction: research, education and development; Michael Crossley. Research, Education and Development: setting the scene; Cheng Kai-Ming. Education and Development: the neglected mission of cross-cultural studies; Terry Allsop. The Department for International Development: knowledge generation after the White Paper; Colin Brock & Nadine Cammish. Developing a Comparative Approach to the Study of Gender, Education and Development; Rosemary Preston. Learning from Development Research in Educational Contexts; Michele Schweisfurth. Postscript: perspectives from the fourth seminar. PART THREE: EDUCATION PROFESSIONALS COMPARED: Marilyn Osborn. Introduction: education professionals compared; Harry Judge. Comparing Education Professionals: an introductory essay; Theodor Sander. The Politics of Comparing Teacher Education Systems and Teacher Education Policy; Lynn Davies. Chao