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What content is available in Bloomsbury Education and Childhood Studies?
What content is available in Comparative and International Education?
Find out more about the content
Is the content included in Bloomsbury Education and Childhood Studies available online anywhere else?
All articles, Education Level Overviews and Country Overviews are entirely exclusive to Bloomsbury Education and Childhood Studies and cannot be purchased elsewhere.
The Education Around the World reference series and a limited number of other eBooks are available in other Bloomsbury digital products, including Bloomsbury Collections. All eBooks books have all been indexed by key taxonomy terms so that they will be discoverable alongside our exclusively commissioned articles and relevant policy reports. The content is also discoverable via useful interactive resources including the world map which help students better access the country or area of education and childhood they are studying. In this way, the product will be the authoritative, up to date, one stop research resource for international education and comparative education.
All World Bank reports are part of the World Bank Group Open Knowledge Repository
The titles in the Comparative and International Education are not exclusive to Bloomsbury Education and Childhood Studies and are available via other digital platforms.
Will the resource be updated?
Bloomsbury Education and Childhood Studies will be updated with hundreds of new and exclusive articles every year. These updates will add to the existing country coverage but will also include at least three new countries with article coverage every year, as well as brand new Country Pages. Other updates will include new eBooks and government policy-related reports.
Who is the resource for?
Upper level undergraduate and graduate students and instructors of education, childhood studies and youth studies.
How have you defined the six educational levels in Bloomsbury Education and Childhood Studies?
Childhood
From birth to the age of 12
Youth
From the age of 13 to the age of 21
Early Childhood
ISCED 0
ISCED level 0 refers to early childhood programmes that have an intentional education component. ISCED level 0 programmes target children below the age of entry into primary education (ISCED level 1). As the school starting age varies between countries, the ages of children covered by ECE programmes will also differ from one country to the next. Typically, ECE programmes aim to develop cognitive, physical and socio-emotional skills necessary for participation in school and society. Programmes classified at ISCED level 0 may be referred to in many ways, for example: early childhood education and development, playgroup, reception, pre-primary, child care, early childhood education and care, pre-school or educación inicial. For international comparability purposes, the term ‘early childhood education’ is used to label ISCED level 0.
Primary Education
ISCED 1
Primary education usually begins at age 5, 6 or 7, and has a typical duration of six years. Programmes at ISCED level 1 are normally designed to give pupils a sound basic education in reading, writing and mathematics, along with an elementary understanding of other subjects such as history, geography, natural science, social sciences, art and music. Programmes classified at ISCED level 1 may be referred to in many ways, for example: primary education, elementary education or basic education (stage 1 or lower grades if an education system has one programme that spans ISCED levels 1 and 2). For international comparability purposes, the term ‘primary education’ is used to label ISCED level 1.
Secondary Education
ISCED 2 and 3
Programmes at the lower secondary education level are designed to lay the foundation across a wide range of subjects and to prepare children and young people for more specialised study at upper secondary and higher levels of education. The beginning – or the end – of lower secondary education often involves a change of school for young students and also a change in the style of instruction. Programmes classified at ISCED level 2 may be referred to in many ways, for example: secondary school (stage one/lower grades), junior secondary school, middle school or junior high school. If a programme spans ISCED levels 1 and 2, the terms elementary education or basic school 3 (second stage/upper grades) are often used. For international comparability purposes, the term ‘lower secondary education’ is used to label ISCED level 2.
Programmes at the upper secondary education level are more specialized than those at lower secondary and offer students more choices and diverse pathways for completing their secondary education. The range of subjects studied by a single student tends to be narrower than at lower levels of education, but the content is more complex and the study more in-depth. Programmes offered are differentiated by orientation and often by broad subject groups. Programmes classified at ISCED level 3 may be referred to in many ways, for example: secondary school (stage two/upper grades), senior secondary school or (senior) high school. For international comparability purposes, the term ‘upper secondary education’ is used to label ISCED level 3.
Higher Education
ISCED 6, 7, and 8
Programmes at ISCED level 6, or Bachelor’s or equivalent level, are longer and usually more theoretically-oriented than ISCED level 5 programmes. They are often designed to provide participants with intermediate academic and/or professional knowledge, skills and competencies, leading to a first degree or equivalent qualification. They are traditionally offered by universities and equivalent tertiary educational institutions. Programmes classified at ISCED level 6 may be referred to in many ways, for example: Bachelor’s programme, licence or first university cycle. For international comparability purposes, the term ‘Bachelor’s or equivalent level’ is used to label ISCED level 6.
Programmes at ISCED level 7, or Master’s or equivalent level, have a significantly more complex content than programmes at ISCED level 6 and are usually more specialised. The content of ISCED level 7 programmes is often designed to provide participants with advanced academic and/or professional knowledge, skills and competencies, leading to a second degree or equivalent qualification. Programmes at this level may have a substantial research component but do not yet lead to the award of a doctoral qualification. The cumulative duration of studies at the tertiary level thus lasts from usually five to eight years or even longer. Programmes classified at ISCED level 7 may be referred to in many ways, for example: Master programmes or Magister studies. For international comparability purposes, the term ‘Master’s or equivalent level’ is used to label ISCED level 7.
Programmes at ISCED level 8, or doctoral or equivalent level, are designed primarily to lead to an advanced research qualification. Programmes at this ISCED level are devoted to advanced study and original research and are typically offered only by research-oriented tertiary educational institutions such as universities. Doctoral programmes exist in both academic and professional fields. Programmes classified at ISCED level 8 may be referred to in many ways, for example: PhD, DPhil, D.Lit, D.Sc, LL.D, Doctorate or similar terms. For international comparability purposes the term, ‘doctoral or equivalent level’ is used to label ISCED level 8.
What is the full list of article topics for each Education Level?
Early Childhood
Primary Education
Secondary Education
Higher Education
Childhood
Youth