Politics & Policy Within The International Context of Advanced Achievement
The 10th UKFIET International Conference On Education And Development
Oxford September 2009
Political and cultural variance exists in the perceived need to implement formal education policy to address advanced potential. A transnational analysis of formal program descriptions across countries supports the influence of factors of social justice that affect the level of participation of countries in policy and programs that maximize human capabilities through high academic achievement.
The presentation will include a worldwide demographic data comparison as well as the country’s level of participation in international organizations that specifically support the education of highly able students. Added to the comparison will be data related to the powerful competitive pressures for high achievement manifest in the international assessments of PISA (Program for International Student Assessment), TIMSS (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study, and PIRLS (Progress in International Ready Literacy Study).
There are efforts in the United States to empower minority populations by broadening the identification of students for advanced programming through assessments of ability that extend beyond traditional standardized testing. Some of these alternative strategies may be helpful for nurturing the human capabilities of advanced students from culturally and linguistically diverse populations in global environments struggling with the limitations of poverty and reduced levels of literacy. The presentation goes beyond the political dynamics of equity versus excellence and strives to balance and support a foundation in policy that will nurture the advanced potential found in students of every race and culture.