Comparing Learning Outcomes provides an insider's look at the policy and practical issues in conducting and using the information from international assessments of education and is a key resource for researchers and policymakers in education. This book covers a variety of important topics related to international comparative assessment including: * History of international assessment, the factors contributing to its growth and the impacts of such growth * What it means to assess different domains * How information form international assessments has been used by policy makers in different countries * Technical considerations in analysing and using assessment data. Reflecting the increasing involvement of policy makers in the field of international education assessment Comparing Learning Outcomes brings together the collaborative research of professionals in 11 countries working on a project for the OECD (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development), gathering cross-national, comparative information on education for use for governments.