The Learning Gap: Why Our Schools Are Failing and What We Can Learn from Japanese and Chinese Education

Stevenson, Harold W.; Stigler, James W.

ISBN 10: 0671709836 / ISBN 13: 9780671709839

Published by Summit Books, 1992

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Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Learning Gap: Why Our Schools Are Failing and What We Can Learn from Japanese and Chinese Education
• Publisher: Summit Books
• Publication Date: 1992
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0671709836
• ISBN 13: 9780671709839
• Binding: Hardcover
• Condition: New

About this title

Synopsis

Compares United States elementary education practices with those in Asia and comes to some surprising conclusions

Reviews

Stevenson (psychology, Univ. of Michigan) and Stigler (psychology, Univ. of California, Los Angeles) offer a comparison between American (Chicago, Minneapolis) and Asian (Taiwan, China, Japan) elementary schools. Quantifiable variables include instruction time, test data, length of school year, curriculum studied, and instruction strategies. Another factor the authors consider is attitude (e.g., parental attitudes toward schooling, children toward learning, society toward educators, etc.). The writing style is informal, and sufficient statistical data is presented to support the findings. Some challenges are offered: "The American educational system as it currently exists is producing an educationally advantaged minority and a disadvantaged majority." The authors conclude that "Americans are proud of their individualism; Asians are proud of their group orientation." For large public and academic libraries.
- Lois F. Roets, Drake Univ., Des Moines
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.