Educational practices have rapidly changed in the last few decades, especially in how exchanges of information and learning are delivered and processed. Yet, while the field of international comparative studies has grown, there has not been an extensive study on the relationship between educational practices, students, and how practitioners are prepared and trained. This handbook explores international educational practices and behaviours through new research and a review of existing research, with chapters spread across six parts: Part I: Introduction to Research Practices in Comparative Studies of Education Part II: Research Methods Part III: Policy Transfer Research through International Comparisons Part IV: Use of Student time in Formal and Informal Settings Part V: School Practices from Early Childhood through Secondary School Part VI: Conclusion - Lessons from Large Scale Studies

Preface - Larry E. SuterMethods and Practice in Comparative Education Research: Models, Ontologies and Epistemologies - Larry E. Suter, Emma Smith and Brian DenmanPart 1: The Status of Comparative Education ResearchChapter 1: The Status of Comparative Education Research in the 21st Century: An Empiricists View - Larry E. SuterChapter 2: Critical Challenges in Approaches and Experience in Comparative Education Research - Brian D. DenmanChapter 3: Enduring Issues in Education: Comparative Perspectives - Wing On LeeChapter 4: Riddled with Gaping Wounds: A Methodological Critique of Comparative and International Studies in Education: Views of a Professor - Rui YangPart 2: Measurement Methods in Comparative Education ResearchChapter 5: Challenges in International Large-Scale Educational Surveys - Fons J. R. van de Vijver, Nina Jude, Susanne KugerChapter 6: Non-Cognitive Attributes: Measurement and Meaning - Mary Ainley and John AinleyChapter 7: Methodological Challenges to Measuring Heterogeneous Populations Internationally - Leslie Rutkowski and David RutkowskiChapter 8: The Participation of Latin American Countries in International Assessments: Assessment Capacity, Validity, and Fairness - Guirimo Solano-FloresChapter 9: Validity Issues in Qualitative and Quantitative Research of Cross-National Studies - Jae ParkChapter 10: Mixed Methods in Education: Visualising the Quality of Quantitative Data - David A. TurnerPart 3: Research Practices in Comparative Studies of EducationChapter 11: Growth and Development of Large-scale International Comparative Studies and their Influence on Comparative Education Thinking - Larry E. SuterChapter 12: The Meaning of Motivation to Learn in Cross-National Comparisons: A Review of Recent International Research on Ability, Self-concept, and Interest - Ming-Te Wang, Jessica L. Degol, Jiesi GuoChapter 13: Examining Change over Time in International Large-Scale Assessments: Lessons Learned from PISA - Christine Salzer and Manfred PrenzelChapter 14: Qualitative Comparative Education Research: Perennial Issues, New Approaches and Good Practice - Michele SchweisfurthChapter 15: Methodological Challenges in Conducting International Research on Teaching Quality Using Standardized Observations - Anna-Katharina Praetorius, Wida Rogh, Courtney Bell and Eckhard KliemeChapter 16: The Measurement and Use of Socioeconomic Status in Educational Research - J. Douglas Willlms & Lucia TramontePart 4: Lessons from International Comparisons of Student BehaviorsChapter 17: Early Childhood Care and Education in the Era of Sustainable Development: Balancing Local and Global Priorities - Abbie Raikes, Dawn Davis and Anna BurtonChapter 18: Equity of Access to Pre-Primary Education and Long-Term Benefits: A Cross- Country Analysis - Gerard Ferrer-Esteban, Larry Suter and Monica MincuChapter 19: Primary Education Curricula across the World: Qualitative and Quantitative Methodology in International Comparison - Dominic Wyse & Jacob AndersChapter 20: Outside-School-Time Activities and Shadow Education - Siyuan Feng & Mark BrayChapter 21: Measuring Opportunity: Two Perspectives on the "Black Box" of School Learning - Leland S. Cogan and William H. SchmidtChapter 22: What Can International Comparative Tests Tell Us about the Future Supply of Highly Skilled STEM Workers? - Larry E. Suter and Emma SmithPart 5: International comparisons of InstructionChapter 23: Comparative Research on Teacher Learning Communities in a Global Context - Motoko Akiba, Cassandra Howard and Guodong LiangChapter 24: Teaching Instructional Practices: Play-Based Learning - Supporting the Transition from Early Years to Primary Education - Tanya HathawayChapter 25: Challenges in Practice: A Critical Examination of Efforts to Link Teacher Practices and Student Achievement - Laura O'Dwyer and Catherine PaolucciChapter 26: Global Higher Education Trends: Implications for Policy and Practice - Christopher C. Blakesley, Donna J. Menke and W. James JacobChapter 27: Digital Technologies and Educational Transformation - Nancy Law and Leming LiangChapter 28: International Large-scale Student Assessments and Their Impact on National School Reforms - Gustavo E. Fischman, Pasi Sahlberg, Iveta Silova and Amelia Marcetti TopperPart 6: Influence of Large-Scale Assessments on PolicyChapter 29: Changes in the World-wide Distribution of Large-Scale International Assessments - Larry E. SuterChapter 30: The Uneasy Relation Between International Testing and Comparative Education Research - Martin CarnoyChapter 31:Global and Local Dissonance when Comparing Nation-States and Educational Performance - Colin PowerChapter 32: Building Learning Assessment Systems in Latin America and the Caribbean - Adriana Viteri and Pablo Zoido