In collaboration with the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), the Graduate School of Education will head an international effort to expand research in math and science education.
Researchers from both the United States and 14 of APEC’s 21 member economies aim to improve math and science education in their respective countries by conducting curriculum comparisons, routine evaluations, data collection and teacher testing.
Teams will also conduct education research, both while teachers are in training and after they have assumed positions in schools to learn more about standards of education in each member economy, particularly in the context of national policy.
“We’re working with international teams in the APEC economy,” said Vice Dean for International Programs and Development Cheng Davis. “Their national research centers, key faculty researchers and Ministry of Education policymakers will all be collaborating with us in this project.”
The U.S. research team is composed of faculty from the nation’s top four education graduate schools: Penn’s GSE, Michigan State University’s College of Education, Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education and the Columbia University Teachers College.
“We are concerned with all the evidence for international comparison, particularly in math and science,” Davis said.
Asian countries are performing especially well, she said. “We would like to find out how their math and science teachers have been trained and how we can learn from each other.”
Characterizing international education as a “two-way street,” Davis explained that while other countries may currently demonstrate superior performance in math and science, they can still benefit from this initiative.
“Countries in Asia may place too much emphasis on memorization and testing,” Davis said. “However, like us, they are looking for change and we can provide that kind of instruction.”
The project was initially conceived last fall, but remained in the planning stages until this June, when it was approved by the APEC education board. Last year was dedicated to set-up, planning, logistical support, raising funds and communicating with international teams, said former GSE student J. Peter Letteney, now involved with the project as program coordinator.
The initiative has since received significant financial support from the U.S. Department of Education and individual APEC member economies.
Davis added that GSE’s presentation at the APEC education board also succeeded in winning the participation of more member economies, including Peru, Chile, Vietnam, Malaysia and Taiwan.
“This is a very interesting model that we’ve created,” she said. “It’s incredible that we’re getting the top scholars in this country and the world to work with us.”
In November, the GSE research team will attend the initiative’s first international conference in Moscow.
