Missing links in international education studies: Can we compare the U.S. with East Asian countries in the TIMSS?

The initial findings from the TIMSS strongly suggest that substantial differences in the quality of curriculum and instruction account for the learning gap between the U.S. and East Asian countries, particularly Japan. First of all, the exclusive focus on formal schooling may ignore the supplementary function of informal education. At the same time, the exclusive attention to national comparisons may obscure the size of local variation in different countries. Finally, the exclusive concern with the current status of educational practices and outcomes may detract our attention from an examination of dynamic changes in each country. Implications for international education studies and policies are discussed.