A critical overview of the current debate and topical thinking on international comparative investigations in mathematics education. The contributors are all major figures in international comparisons in mathematics. The book highlights strengths and weaknesses in various systems worldwide, allowing teachers, researchers and academics to compare and contrast different approaches. A significant contribution to the international debate on standards in mathematics.

Chapter 1 International Comparisons in Mathematics Education Under the Perspective of Comparative Education, Gabriele Kaiser; Part 1 Recent International Comparative Studies in Mathematics Education; Chapter 2 The Second International Mathematics Study, Kenneth J. Travers, Avrum I. Weinzweig; Chapter 3 An Overview of the Third International Mathematics and Science Study, Albert E. Beaton, David F. Robitaille; Chapter 4 Explaining TIMSS Mathematics Achievement, Curtis C. McKnight, Gilbert A. Valverde; Chapter 5 An Examination of Instructional Practices in Six Countries, Leland S. Cogan, William H. Schmidt; Chapter 6 Studying Mathematics Classrooms in Germany, Japan and the United States, Takako Kawanaka, James W. Stigler, James Hiebert; Chapter 7 The Case Study Project of TIMSS, Harold W. Stevenson; Chapter 8 Some Findings of the US-Japan Cross-cultural Research on Students' Problem-solving Behaviours, Jerry P. Becker, Toshio Sawada, Yoshinori Shimizu; Chapter 9 Comparative Studies on Teaching Mathematics in England and Germany, Gabriele Kaiser; Chapter 10 Applications of Arithmetic in US and Chinese Textbooks, Lianghuo Fan; Part 2 What Can We Learn from International Comparative Studies in Mathematics Education?; Chapter 11 The Value of Comparative Studies, Geoffrey Howson; Chapter 12 School Mathematics, Thomas A. Romberg; Chapter 13 International Benchmarking as a Way to Improve School Mathematics Achievement in the Era of Globalization, Bienvenido F. Nebres; Chapter 14 Gender Differences in Mathematics Achievement-Here Today and Gone Tomorrow?, Gilah C. Leder, Christine Brew, Glenn Rowley; Chapter 15 Measurement Obstacles to International Comparisons and the Need for Regional Design and Analysis in Mathematics Surveys, Richard G. Wolfe; Chapter 16 The Rationality and Irrationality of International Comparative Studies, Christine Keitel, Jeremy Kilpatrick;