ERIC Number: EJ1135709
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2017
Pages: 17
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0305-0068
EISSN: N/A
PISA, Policymaking and Political Pantomime: Education Policy Referencing between England and Hong Kong
Adamson, Bob; Forestier, Katherine; Morris, Paul; Han, Christine
Comparative Education, v53 n2 p192-208 2017
Since the mid-1980s, a number of East Asian societies have consistently performed well in international tests, and their education systems have emerged as models of "best practice", including Hong Kong, which has been extensively referenced by politicians and their advisers in England. In parallel, local dissatisfaction with the education system in Hong Kong has prompted major education reforms. This mismatch between the perceptions of the Hong Kong education system of the two policy communities is explored using documentary analysis and interviews with policymakers and other key stakeholders. We analyse the ways in which features of Hong Kong's education system are reconstructed and projected in policymaking in England and argue that the referencing to Hong Kong in England is akin to a form of political theatre, reminiscent of a pantomime, with stereotyped villains, heroes and fairy godmothers, narratives of good conquering evil, and comical set-pieces. We argue that these elements provide the means for both constructing and validating simple causal claims and their associated policy actions.
Descriptors: Educational Policy, Foreign Countries, Achievement Tests, International Assessment, Secondary School Students, Best Practices, Educational Change, Interviews, Stereotypes, Public Officials, Policy Formation, National Curriculum, Academic Standards, Educational Quality, Institutional Autonomy, Teacher Effectiveness, Technology Transfer
Taylor & Francis. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Hong Kong; United Kingdom (England)
Identifiers - Assessments and Surveys: Program for International Student Assessment
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A