This paper illustrates similarities and differences between two international surveys that assess adults' skills: the Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) and the Skills Towards Employment and Productivity (STEP) survey. In particular, the paper highlights the issues that can arise for researchers interested to…

Qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) is gaining ground in evaluation circles, but the number of applications is still limited. In this article, we consider the challenges that can emerge during a QCA evaluation by drawing on our experience of conducting one in the field of development cooperation. For each stage of the evaluation process, we…

This report reviews the major international and regional large-scale educational assessments, including international surveys, school-based surveys and household-based surveys. The report compares and contrasts the cognitive and contextual data collection instruments and implementation methods used by the different assessments in order to identify…

This document attempts to state in simple terms what is necessary as a minimum to ensure the adequate provision of educational statistics in developing countries. It has been developed for the use of Ministries of Education and other interested departments in developing countries to help them develop the basic set of statistics necessary for…

The welfare and treatment of children is a key test of society's commitment to human and social development. This report details a study of the implementation of the 1989 United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child in the United Kingdom (UK) and contrasts the U.K. approach with those adopted in other states, focusing on those at…

Examines the methodology of a comparative study by Tuppen and Deutrom of student performance in Third World countries and challenges its conclusions by providing a rationale for redefining retentivity as the proportion of the original enrollment retained rather than the proportion of the age group enrolled. (MM)

In Nepal, Girls' and Women's Education Initiative and the Girls' and Women's Education Policy Research Activity (GWE-PRA) investigated the impact of women's integrated literacy programs in the country's development by examining measures of socio-economic status, as well as indicators of women's social and economic development, including" (1)…

A critical need remains for a practical and low-cost methodology to bridge the gap between methodologies for assessment of literacy at the national survey level. At the program level, it must be able to be used effectively by those in developing countries with limited funds but major literacy problems. Etic (external, quantifiable,…