Learning by heart may not be best for your mind

by Alfonso EchazarraAnalyst, Directorate for Education and SkillsPISA 2012 Released Mathematics Item (Proficiency Level 6)Some of the greatest geniuses had remarkable memories. Mozart, according to legend, sat and listened to Allegri’s “Miserere”, then transcribed the piece of music, entirely from memory, later in the day. Kim Peek, the savant who was the inspiration for the blockbuster film,...

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Is international academic migration stimulating scientific research and innovation?

by Dirk Van DammeHead of the Innovation and Measuring Division, Directorate for Education and SkillsHigher education and academic research are among the most rapidly globalising systems. Today, around 5 million students study and do research in a country other than their own, attracted by the quality of overseas universities and willing to complement their education portfolio with international experience....

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We can do better on education reform

by Andreas SchleicherDirector, Directorate for Education and SkillsA generation ago, teachers could expect that what they taught would equip their students with the skills needed for the rest of their lives. Today, teachers need to prepare students for more change than ever before, for jobs that have not yet been created, to use technologies that have not yet been invented, and to solve social problems...

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