Introduces the articles of this special section on the evaluation of educational technology and provides an overview of each paper. Calls for adjustments to, rather than replacement of, existing evaluation frameworks. (SLD)

Introduces the articles of this theme issue, which cover a wide variety of questions and problems relevant to research using findings of the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). The articles have in common that most try to determine the degree to which certain factors influence student achievement. The focus is on five…

Analyzes and summarizes "The Expansion of International Society" (A. Watson; H. Bull). Compares the volume to others by highlighting the book's three major advantages: (1) a global approach; (2) a comparative analysis as opposed to a historical approach; and (3) the emphasis on the importance of "rules" in international…

In the volume reviewed, papers from 15 international experts address how government can use evaluation to guide (or control) education while attempting to decentralize administrative structure and pedagogical content. Thoughtful analysis is provided in highly integrated coverage of theory and practice. (SLD)

Discusses the strengths of the Third International Mathematics Study (TIMSS) and the TIMSS--Repeat (TIMSS-R) and considers the impact of this impressive achievement in international cooperation that will enhance the level of information about schooling in the United States and elsewhere. (SLD)

Review states that two well-known evaluators have assembled a collection of essays on emerging issues in evaluation. These include global political perspectives, qualitative and quantitative research, the relationship between auditing and evaluation, performance assessment, international evaluation, and methodological issues. (SLD)

Reviewing the results of the Third International Mathematics and Science Study-Repeat (TIMSS-R) shows that U.S. eighth graders are about average in mathematics and science when compared to students in other countries. The primary lesson from the TIMSS-R is that children learn what they are taught. (SLD)

Presents reviews of five books dealing with the origins, development, and contemporary role of the United Nations. Categorizes the books into "general" and "academic" publications. Asserts that these books will help dispel the cynical attitudes about public service, international politics, and the United Nations itself. (CFR)

In "The Manufactured Crisis," D. Berliner and B. Biddle argue that there has been no decline in achievement test scores, that today's students outperform their parents and do well in international examinations, and that the supposed crisis in American education does not exist. This review refutes all these claims. (SLD)

In their arguments that there is actually no crisis in American education and that students are achieving more than previous generations, David Berliner and Bruce Biddle have ignored or dismissed extensive data on student achievement that demonstrate the failings of the American system. (SLD)

Presents findings from this condensation of major studies of the differences among U.S., Chinese, and Japanese education. Explanations for the superior performance of Chinese and Japanese students are explored in the areas of home and parents, effort and ability, organization of schooling, and teachers and teaching. (SLD)

Lawrence C. Stedman's comments on the book "The Manufactured Crisis" focus on a small portion of its arguments and ignore the real evidence in support of the achievements of America's schools. The schools are more the victims, than the perpetrators, of American social problems. (SLD)