Presents a large representative sample of the literature on Japanese education with an emphasis on its psychosocial aspects. Many discussions compare the Japanese educational system with that of the United States and other countries. The citations cover most of the 1990s including a few earlier and later references. Includes extensive discussions about Japanese educational reform movements and their consequences. Also cites published and unpublished dissertations and theses. Updates the last comprehensive English language bibliography on Japanese education published by Ulrich Teichler in 1974. The citations were taken from many online databases. Suitable for students, teachers, scholars and the general public.

Examining the Examinations looks at the required advanced science and mathematics examinations taken by university-bound students in seven countries. This research focuses on topics covered, types of questions used, and performance expected from students. The book concentrates on comparisons of the examinations, illustrating their similarities and differences with selected questions taken from the actual examinations. The international comparisons presented offer a window on educational `laboratories' in seven countries.

The education reform movement of the past two decades has focused on raising academic standards. Some standards advocates attach a testing mechanism to gauge the extent to which high standards are actually accomplished, whereas some critics accuse the push for standards and testing of impeding reform and perpetuating inequality. At the same time, the testing profession has produced advances in the format, accuracy, dependability, and utility of tests. Never before has obtaining such an abundance of accurate and useful information about student learning been possible. Meanwhile, the American public remains steadfast in support of testing to measure student performance and monitor the performance of educational systems. Many educational testing experts who acknowledge the benefits of testing also believe that those benefits have been insufficiently articulated. Although much has been written on standardized testing policy, most of the material has been written by opponents. The contributing authors of this volume are both accomplished researchers and practitioners who are respected and admired worldwide. They bring to the project an abundance of experience working with standardized tests. The goal of Defending Standardized Testing is to: *describe current standardized testing policies and strategies; *explain many of the common criticisms of standardized testing; *document the public support for, and the realized benefits of, standardized testing; *acknowledge the limitations of, and suggest improvements to, testing practices; *provide guidance for structuring and administering large-scale testing programs in light of public preferences and the "No Child Left Behind Act" requirements; and *present a defense of standardized testing and a vision for its future. Defending Standardized Testing minimizes the use of technical jargon so as to appeal to all who have a stake in American educational reform.

A glossary and bibliography are also provided, The Standardized Testing Primer is an ideal text for teaching this subject to undergraduate and graduate students."--Jacket.