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The Challenge and Benefit of Comparative Research in Education Systems and the Impact of PISA

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German-Australian Encounters and Cultural Transfers

Part of the book series: Global Germany in Transnational Dialogues ((GGTD))

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Abstract

The increasing prominence of comparative work in education exemplified by the OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) has influenced policymaking in many countries, particularly in Australia and Germany. However, much analysis and reporting of PISA tends to be highly abstract and sweeps aside complex questions and contextual understanding. This chapter adopts a comparative approach which emphasises the Australian and German context and exposes the education system structures which significantly impact student achievement and their experiences of school . The character of comprehensive provision within Australia’s secondary or high schools and Germany’s Gesamtschule or comprehensive schooling and ‘Schularten mit mehreren Bildungsgängen’ or schools with various learning pathways will be explored. The chapter concludes by reaffirming the benefit and explanatory power of comparative education research which takes the complexities of context into account and uses this to meaningfully inform education policymaking and reform.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia

    Esther Doecke

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  1. Esther Doecke
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Correspondence to Esther Doecke .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Languages and Cultures, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

    Benjamin Nickl

  2. School of Languages and Linguistics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia

    Irina Herrschner

  3. Institute for the Study of International Migration, Washington, District of Columbia, USA

    Elżbieta M. Goździak

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Doecke, E. (2018). The Challenge and Benefit of Comparative Research in Education Systems and the Impact of PISA. In: Nickl, B., Herrschner, I., Goździak, E. (eds) German-Australian Encounters and Cultural Transfers. Global Germany in Transnational Dialogues. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-6599-6_7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-6599-6_7

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore

  • Print ISBN: 978-981-10-6598-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-981-10-6599-6

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