Imagining school autonomy in high-performing education systems: East Asia as a source of policy referencing in England

You, Yun; Morris, Paul

doi:10.1080/03057925.2015.1080115

Cited by 56 publications

(30 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…These reflections are consistent with numerous portrayals of the process of policy borrowing in England, which describe the approach there as a highly expedient and opportunistic enterprise designed to legitimise a preferred policy direction (e.g. Alexander 2012;Morris 2012;You and Morris 2015).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 51%

Referencing and borrowing from other systems: the Hong Kong education reforms

Forestier

Adamson

Han³

et al. 2016

Educational Research

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Background: This paper analyses the role of, and approach to, policy referencing and borrowing in Hong Kong's recent reforms that culminated in the creation of its New Academic Structure and the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education. Main argument: It argues that Hong Kong has gone further than most jurisdictions not just in responding to global influences on education reform, but in taking explicit steps to internationally benchmark its curriculum and assessment, and in involving the global community at multiple levels in the process of education policy planning and implementation. Sources of evidence and method: The paper is based on the documentary analysis of policy documents in Hong Kong, and 23 interviews with key stakeholders in the policy network, including policy-makers, practitioners and community leaders. Discussion and conclusions: While policy referencing and borrowing in the Hong Kong context can, in part, be traced to a colonial legacy, the Special Administrative Region of China demonstrates a collaborative approach to education reform involving local and international engagement that may be relevant to other systems. Its approach was informed by a measured use of policy referencing that involved 'horizon scanning' of other systems' policies and practices; international benchmarking; and engaging international expertise to facilitate implementation.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 51%

Referencing and borrowing from other systems: the Hong Kong education reforms

Forestier

Adamson

Han³

et al. 2016

Educational Research

Self Cite

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“…Hong Kong's education system allured and seduced English policymakers (Sellar and Lingard 2013;You and Morris 2015;Forestier and Crossley 2015). It was first signalled as a possible source of reference in the preliminary report of the International school effectiveness research project (1995), led by David Reynolds, and in a subsequent publication, Worlds apart?…”

Section: Hong Kong As Fairytalementioning

confidence: 99%

“…School autonomy and accountability in Hong Kong had been subject to reform from the mid1990s as school-based management was phased in, transferring management from sponsoring bodies (primarily religious groups) to Incorporated Management Committees, and creating new processes of school review and self-evaluation (You and Morris 2015). The promotion of school autonomy involved two distinct strands.…”

Section: School Autonomymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It also needs to be recognized, as You and Morris (2015) note, that autonomy consisted of conferring greater power on principals for differing reasons in England and Hong Kong. In the latter, autonomy was associated with (a) emasculating certain school managing bodies, while also allowing school principals greater managerial power and space for curricular innovation;…”

Section: School Autonomymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Such references provided the basis for the Government's decision to 'dramatically increase the number of academies and free schools -and give heads more control over teacher training, continuous professional development and the improvement of underperforming schools'. You and Morris (2015) identify reforms in three areas related to autonomy that were legitimized by this rhetoric:…”

Section: School Autonomymentioning

confidence: 99%

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PISA, policymaking and political pantomime: education policy referencing between England and Hong Kong

Adamson

Forestier

Morris

et al. 2017

Comparative Education

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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 two policy communities in their perceptions of Hong Kong education is explored using documentary analysis and semistructured interviews with policymakers and other key stakeholders. We analyse the ways in which features of Hong Kong's education system are reconstructed in policymaking in England and argue that the referencing is political theatre, reminiscent of a pantomime, with stereotyped villains and heroes, narratives of good conquering evil, and comical set-pieces. However, there is a darker side to this form of comparative education that involves the manipulation of an unwitting audience.3 PISA, policymaking and political pantomime: education policy referencing between England and Hong Kong

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Is exam hell the cause of high academic achievement in East Asia? The case of Japan and the case for transcending stereotypes

Komatsu

Rappleye

2018

British Educational Res J

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High student achievement across East Asia is often explained as an outcome of highly competitive, stress‐inducing college entrance exams across the region. This ‘exam hell’ drives students to study longer and harder than their peers worldwide, a race that leads—unsurprisingly—to higher marks in international comparisons such as the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). Yet, the race comes at a considerable cost: psychological pressure, forfeited childhoods, regimes of rote memorisation, lack of creativity and private outlays for cram schools. In this article, we seek to refute this outdated narrative by focusing on changes in Japanese education over the past three decades. We first analyse quantitative data for learning time based on three longitudinal surveys conducted by researchers in Japan to show that learning time for Japanese upper secondary students declined during 1980–2000 (Study 1). We then turn to analyse PISA 2015 data to show that now Japanese students study less than their peers in major Anglo‐American countries: the USA, the UK and Australia (Study 2). These findings run counter to well‐worn images frequently rehearsed in both the academic and popular literature. In helping to remove one of the most persistent stereotypes about East Asian education, we seek to help make visible other explanations for East Asian student achievement.

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Imagining school autonomy in high-performing education systems: East Asia as a source of policy referencing in England

Cited by 56 publications

References 38 publications

Referencing and borrowing from other systems: the Hong Kong education reforms

Referencing and borrowing from other systems: the Hong Kong education reforms

PISA, policymaking and political pantomime: education policy referencing between England and Hong Kong

Is exam hell the cause of high academic achievement in East Asia? The case of Japan and the case for transcending stereotypes

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