As countries, schools and individuals look to improve education systems and practices, we often "borrow" and "lend" education policies and ideas from and to one another. This week we look at a variety of education systems and ponder the benefits and drawbacks of "education borrowing and lending".

Videos:

Please watch the following videos this week:

Strong Perforners and Successful Reformers: A video series profiling policies and practices of education systems that demonstrate high or improving performance in the PISA tests, Pearson Foundation. (~20 minutes/video)

Please select 2 or 3 videos to watch from this series. The series features videos about education in China, Brazil, Canada, Finland, Germany, Singapore, Portugal, Poland, Korea and Japan.

Schooling the World Trailer (~3 minutes) 

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Readings(s), Optional:

The following optional readings build upon this week's topic:

• How the World's Most Improved School Systems Keep Getting Better (Executive Summary), McKinsey & Company. For a copy of the full report, click here. 
• What the U.S. Can't Learn from Finland About Ed Reform by Valerie Strauss, Washington Post
• If you want to explore this topic in depth in the future, you may want to read The Global Politics of Education Borrowing and Lending by Gita Steiner-Khamsi (editor)

Discussion Questions:

Please discuss the following questions below. Then throughout the week, try to respond to at least two other comments from your colleagues.

1. After watching this week's videos, complete the following sentences:
   1. I think...
   2. I wonder...
   3. My ideas about... are changing...
2. Based on your own life experiences which education systems and practices do you most want to learn from? Please explain.
3. Global standardized assessments such as the PISA and TIMMS tests are often used to benchmark and compare education systems. How do you feel about this? 
4. What are the benefits and drawbacks of "educational borrowing and lending"?
5. What skills, knowledge or ideas do you have that others would benefit from? How do you "lend" these assets?"
6. What else?
7. Please respond to at least 2 other comments from your colleagues this week.

Skype Discussion, Optional:

• The optional 1-hour Skype discussion this week will be:

  • June 17th (Sunday): 12:30pm Eastern Standard Time ("New York" time).

  • To calculate what time this is in your time zone, Google "Time in New York". Then calculate the time difference between New York and your own time zone. For example, 12:30pm EST is 8:30pm Dubai time.

• Please RSVP for this week's Skype call here. It is helpful of you RSVP at least one day in advance of the call.

• If you cannot make the optional Skype discussion time, you are welcome to organize and facilitate another group call with your colleagues.