The Benefits of XTXS for Education Researchers and Policy Makers

• In Event: Cross-Time Cross-System Database: A Demonstration and Discussion

Abstract

As a resource XTXS shares several of the benefits offered by other international comparative data resources. Concerning the utility and advantages of XTXS as an international comparative database, the system in itself is sufficiently compact allowing for a relatively quick and easy download process for most electronic devices. As with other data resources, XTXS combines several surveys into one convenient package permitting researchers to effectively browse or combine several survey variables with more feasibility. Similar to other international data resources, this flexibility in viewing variables from various surveys thus permits policymakers and education researchers to review economic, political, social, and education characteristics across various country contexts with greater efficacy. The benefits that XTXS shares with other similar databases coupled with its relative accessibility and easily comprehensible interface permits XTXS to be an effective tool for comparative education research.
In addition to these features XTXS also elevates the utility of international comparative analysis for comparative education researchers through the following characteristics. With regards to cross country comparisons, XTXS makes data from a diverse list of 223 countries available to comparative education researchers. Concerning the specific variables, aside from offering a wide array of economic, political, social, and education variables, XTXS also offers a large historical base for these variables with several being available from the 1970s to the present. This allows for convenient and effective longitudinal cross-country analysis over overlapping or contrasting educational spheres. Specific to education data, XTXS houses data from all the major assessments covering 4th grade through adulthood (e.g., PIRLS, TIMSS, PISA, IALS, ALL, PIAAC), in conjunction with data and information maintained through the OECD, UNESCO Institute for Statistics, and the World Bank. Also, when additions or changes are made to the data, registered users are contacted and informed by email of the changes allowing researchers to stay abreast of information contained within the database. Finally, XTXS is not run by a government agency, which means it is not limited by governmental requirements. This means that XTXS can (and does) include variables that might otherwise be left out for political reasons. One such variable is the human rights related variable of strength of the legal rights index across countries.
The availability of information and data from country specific characteristics and contexts is an exciting and innovative feature offered by XTXS in the comparative education realm. Numerous international comparative education databases and data sources allow for cross-country comparisons over several political, economic, or educational variables (i.e. the type of government, the socioeconomic standing of its students, etc.) without specific regard to articulating the country contexts via variables available for this purpose (i.e. the GNI/GDP of the country, health facts regarding the country overall, political corruption level, etc.). With these specific country context features, cross-country analysis could be more tailored to describe the educational reality of a nation in light of detailed country context features. This in turn offers comparative education researchers the advantage of utilizing more precision in their comparative education analysis.

Authors

• Andrea Arce-Trigatti, Vanderbilt Peabody College

• Richard Blissett, Vanderbilt Peabody College

• Ngaire Honey, Vanderbilt University