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This study analyzes the learning expectations related to grades 1-8 algebra across several U.S. states and high performing TIMSS Asian countries and regions, including Singapore, Taiwan and Japan. In order to narrow and focus the investigation, only one topic within the strand is carefully reported. Based on the official curriculum documents, results of this study indicate that the mathematics content, grade placement and cognitive level of learning expectations related to selected topic vary markedly across documents. Thus, these differences in learning expectations result in striking differences in students' opportunity to learn. (Contains 2 figures and 10 tables.)

The authors seek to find common PLC structures and actions among global educational systems to enhance understanding and practice. Six international researchers formed the Global Professional Learning Community Network (GloPLCNet), conducted literature reviews of each country's involvement with PLC actions, and noted similarities and common practices among the school improvement initiatives in five countries. Major constructs were identified, research was conducted (interviews and observations), and themes emerged. A literature review of the constructs led to outcomes. A definition of the Global PLC process, revision of constructs, and further clarification of descriptors were established. External influencing factors were also identified as essential. Finally the awareness that the PLC reculturing effort is guided and influenced by the phases of change was noted. The following are conclusions and implications. In an interdependent world, we recognize the importance of considering viewpoints of multiple global systems. An inclusive knowledge base can develop which prepares educators and citizens for more collaborative international understanding. These conclusions can lead to changes in practice at the school and middle level (district, city, province), and policy changes at the state, province, and national levels.

This study investigates the similarities and differences of mathematics-related teaching competencies between the future secondary school teachers of Taiwan and Singapore by using data from the international Teacher Education and Development Study in Mathematics (TEDS-M), organized by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement. Taiwan and Singapore are identified as the only two Asian countries integrating the Chinese/Confucian tradition in their education regarding TEDS-M. The relative strengths and weaknesses of these two countries, as compared to other TEDS-M higher-achieving Western countries, such as Germany, Poland, Russia, Switzerland, and the USA, are examined after reselecting and reclassifying the achievement items based on Niss' (2003) mathematics competence and Hsieh's ("Secondary Education," 63(3), 2012) mathematics teaching competence structures. This study shows that Singaporean future teachers are weaker in the competence of devising formal mathematical arguments and transforming heuristic ideas into valid proofs than Taiwanese future teachers. Taiwan and Singapore demonstrate relative strengths at primary, lower-, and upper-secondary levels in mathematics competencies but show relative weaknesses at the tertiary level than do other higher-achieving Western countries. Comparing these two countries, Taiwan shows relative strengths at upper-secondary and tertiary levels, and Singaporean strengths are at primary and lower-secondary levels. This distinction is primarily because of the thought-oriented category of mathematics competencies. This study also finds that Taiwan and Singapore belong to different clusters compared with the higher-achieving Western countries regarding their future teachers' relative strengths and weaknesses in either mathematics or mathematics teaching competence.

Background: We examine the relationship between people's personal values and their attitudes toward older adults. In addition to the two conventionally-used measures of personal values (agency subdimension and communion subdimension), we distinguish across 10 different value types and explore how each impacts attitude. Methods: We use data from the World Values Survey for three aging Asian societies, namely Japan (N = 2448), Singapore (N = 1972), and Hong Kong PRC (N = 1000). For each sample, we perform regression-based analyses to assess the relative importance of the 10 value types in explaining people's attitudes towards older adults. Results are then compared against regressions based on the two aggregate value measures. Results: In all three economies, the agency subdimension was a more consistent predictor of unfavorable attitudes toward older adults, as compared to the communion subdimension. Our disaggregated analysis reveals two additional insights. First, the positive association between agentic values and attitudes was driven predominantly by the power (wealth) and stimulation (excitement) value types. Second, the lack of association between the communion subdimension and attitudes must be interpreted with caution since certain value types within this subdimension may act in opposite directions causing effects to cancel each other out at the aggregate level. Conclusions: Disaggregating personal value types provides greater prognostic power than the two aggregate measures, as well as insights on ways to improve people's attitudes toward older adults. Interventions aimed at reducing ageist attitudes in aging societies can target individuals with agentic traits by emphasizing notions of power (e.g., older adults' economic success) and stimulation (e.g., positive images of older adults learning new things). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transnational policy transfer through cross‐border government‐to‐government collaboration projects has been widely adopted as a tool to facilitate economic growth, especially by developing countries. Why did some transnational projects of policy transfer succeed while others fail? What are the facilitating and constraining factors in shaping their fates? What are their theoretical and policy implications for public administration and economic development in a globalizing world? This article examines the case of the China–Singapore Suzhou Industrial Park which has been in operation since its establishment in 1994. Challenging the previous studies and adopting a mixed research method utilizing a wide range of quantitative and qualitative data, we identify three major factors affecting the results of policy transfer: (1) a systemic combination of "hardware" and "software" in the conceptualization of transnational policy transfer; (2) localization of transnational policy and its enforcement; and mostly importantly, (3) institutionalization of key processes in both ends of policy exchanges and implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past three decades, China has shown tremendous interest in the "Singapore model" through its sending of tens of thousands of cadres to Singapore for executive training and graduate education. Although this phenomenon has been studied, no attention has been drawn to the perspectives of those mid-level cadres who took part in the training and what those perspectives might imply. Utilizing a unique dataset of over 1,350 mid-level cadres graduating from the "Mayors' Class" in Singapore from 1995 to 2016 and follow-up surveys and interviews, this article intends to fill this gap. We found that the most appealing characteristics of the "Singapore model" for these mid-level officials lay in practical governance lessons and their potential transferability rather than in ideologies. This finding challenges conventional wisdom that the most plausible rationale of China's learning from Singapore is political. We also examine Xi Jinping's view of Singapore and its relevance to China's latest national agendas in building a "learning nation" and strengthening the CCP's resilience through anti-corruption and intra-party regeneration. The conclusion places the China–Singapore case within the context of the changing trend of transnational knowledge transfer in the non-Western world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]