The PISA Phenomenon: Analysis of its Ascendancy in Media, Policymaker and Academic Discourses in Education
Field | Value | Language |
dc.contributor.author | Davis, Edward Rock | |
dc.date.accessioned | 2019-12-04 | |
dc.date.available | 2019-12-04 | |
dc.date.issued | 2019-01-01 | |
dc.identifier.uri | https://hdl.handle.net/2123/21469 | |
dc.description | Includes publications | en_AU |
dc.description.abstract | Since its initiation in 2000, the OECD Programme for International Student Assessment known as PISA has generated considerable attention in the media and public discussions, becoming an important international educational phenomenon. Much of the initial research into PISA focused on the performance of successful nations, including Finland and certain Asian countries, and analysed why these nations outperformed other countries. Countries which participated in PISA also conducted research on their national results. Limited research has examined the discourses surrounding PISA and discourse has tended to be analysed only at the national level. Few studies have compared PISA related discourse internationally or from a longitudinal perspective. This thesis used a range of methods to examine the discourses related to PISA over 15 years, at both an international comparative level, including Japan and South Korea with improving PISA performance and Finland and Australia with deteriorating PISA performance, and also at an Australian domestic level using both media discourse analyses and interview surveys of 30 education policymakers and academic researchers. Media discourse analysis was used to consider orientations in educational discourse in three ways: first, by examining the role of PISA in cross-national policy attraction and borrowing; second, by considering international discourses of ‘competition’; and third, by analysis of the depth and orientation of PISA media discourse on Australian Indigenous PISA performance. To complement the media analysis, senior Australian education policymakers and academic researchers were interviewed on their perspectives on the impact of PISA on Australian educational policy and research from 2000 to 2015. In relation to the international comparative discourse, the study showed a dominant discourse reflecting international attraction to Finnish educational culture which focuses on aspects of educational culture beyond what is measured in PISA. This discourse flourishes despite Finland’s strong but deteriorating performance in PISA. Analysis highlighted how some countries with improving performance (Japan and South Korea) had outward looking discourse with much cross-national attraction evident, while others with deteriorating performance (Australia and Finland) had a stronger inward, domestic focus. The competitive nature of PISA discourse led to analysis examining how this was reflected in different countries. Educational competitiveness and economic competitiveness are strong discourses in Japan and South Korea, while in Australia and Finland the focus is only on educational competitiveness, again reflecting the outward and inward looking trends. In relation to Australia’s discourse on PISA, although the large gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous performance is perhaps the most outstanding feature of Australia’s PISA data, the analysis showed bias with a continued lack of media reporting on this issue and commensurate dearth of research attention. Interview data highlighted mostly contrasting perspectives between Australian education policymakers and academic researchers, although both suggested that the public and media discourses are largely superficial, with an unhelpful focus on rankings and unrealised aspirations toward Finland’s education and culture. Both groups reported PISA was highly influential in their work, but while academics reported PISA had directly impacted their research, policymakers reported PISA had not directly impacted policy. The lack of translation into policy in Australia is in contrast to research documenting PISA’s policy impact in other countries. While constrained by a focus on media in English language newspapers and purposive sampling of experts, this study makes a contribution to our understanding of the way the media, policymaker and academic discourses have been impacted by PISA’s ascendancy, from both domestic and international standpoints. Future research is needed to further understand the inconsistent and paradoxical patterns in cross-national attraction between countries; the different national perspectives on education and how educational competition is positioned within them; and strategies to redress the noticeable neglect of Indigenous education in Australian education. Further research is also needed to strengthen understandings of policymakers’ and academics’ perspectives on how influential phenomenon like PISA contribute to the shaping of modern education. The extensive discourse surrounding PISA both reflects and attracts power and, as such, it deserves continued analysis, careful monitoring and both academic and public interrogation. | en_AU |
dc.rights | The author retains copyright of this thesis. It may only be used for the purposes of research and study. It must not be used for any other purposes and may not be transmitted or shared with others without prior permission. | en_AU |
dc.subject | PISA | en_AU |
dc.subject | cross-national attraction | en_AU |
dc.subject | policy borrowing | en_AU |
dc.subject | media discourse | en_AU |
dc.subject | education | en_AU |
dc.subject | Australia | en_AU |
dc.title | The PISA Phenomenon: Analysis of its Ascendancy in Media, Policymaker and Academic Discourses in Education | en_AU |
dc.type | Thesis | en_AU |
dc.type.thesis | Doctor of Philosophy | en_AU |
usyd.faculty | Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences | en_AU |
usyd.degree | Doctor of Philosophy Ph.D. | en_AU |
usyd.awardinginst | The University of Sydney | en_AU |
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