Formative assessment - the frequent assessments of student progress to identify learning needs and shape teaching - has become a prominent issue in education reform. The achievement gains associated with formative assessment have been described as "among the largest ever reported for educational...

Reallocation is about major adjustments of public expenditure away from its current patterns. In recent years, reallocation has become increasingly important as a means to finance new needs in the sphere of internal and external security, integration of immigrants, education, health and...

Social policy is often disparaged as being a burden on society, but this book attempts to show that well-designed social protection can be an asset that is critical for sustaining social development. It maintains that to fulfill that potential, however, social protection now needs to recognize...

The terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001 revealed the need to re-examine the security of transport systems. In this context, maritime shipping containers have emerged as an area of particular concern for transport authorities.Until now, initiatives to enhance security in container transport...

The countries of Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia (EECCA) are at an environmental cross-road. While they are still immersed in a process of economic and political transition that has brought distinctive environmental impacts, new opportunities for improving environmental conditions are...

As we move further into the 21st Century, the Asia-Pacific region is expected to play an increasingly crucial role in the evolution of the world's economy and polity. Closer co-operation among countries in the region would greatly strengthen that role

This report presents an overview of performance-related pay policies (PRP) for government employees in selected OECD member countries over the past two decades. Both the strengths and the weaknesses of PRP policies are assessed. The report explores the various paths of reform in each country,...

This publication examines the relationship between innovation policy and economic performance in six OECD countries. In-depth analyses highlight countries' strengths and weaknesses in innovation, as well as the effectiveness of their innovation policies in driving economic performance. Taken...

Following the burst of the dot-com bubble in 2000, scepticism about e-learning replaced over-enthusiasm. Rhetoric aside, where do we stand? Why and how do different kinds of tertiary education institutions engage in e-learning? What do institutions perceive to be the pedagogic impact of...