Steering Dynamics in Complex Education Systems. An Agenda for Empirical Research

Abstract

Many policy systems and education systems have grown more complex in the last three decades. Power has moved away from central governments in different directions: upwards towards international organisations, sideways towards private institutions and non‐governmental organisations and downwards towards local governments and public enterprises such as schools. Where once we had central government, we now have governance, which can be defined as the processes of establishing priorities, formulating and implementing policies, and being accountable in complex networks with many different actors. Steering in such complex education systems emerges from the activities, tasks and responsibilities of state and non‐state actors, operating at different levels and from different positions and often has un‐deliberate, un‐intentional and un‐foreseen consequences. There are many conceptual models that encapsulate this complexity, but this article suggests that there is a real need for empirical research. Without empirical research it remains unknown whether and how steering in complex networks works out in practice, what are its effects and for whom. Moreover, it is only through empirical research that we can find out whether central government has become less dominant, or rather whether its appearance has changed and it has become less visible, but not necessarily less influential. Foucault's governmentality perspective is a useful notion on which to build such a framework for empirical research which allows for a careful study of the interactions that signify steering. Inspired by Foucault, this article develops a trilogy of assumed conditions for steering to take effect in modern societies. Following this reasoning, ‘something' first needs to be made thinkable, calculable and practicable by different actors for steering to occur. This trilogy is a promising starting point for empirical research into very specific phenomena which can help us to understand how steering in complex education systems works.

Steering in complex education systems. Why similar aims can have dramatically different results.

“…In all, our study underscores the need for systematic and detailed empirical studies if we are to really understand how steering processes work in contemporary complex education systems, and how these processes work out in schools' daily practices (Theisens, Hooge, and Waslander 2016).…”

“…In public administration this development is referred to by concepts such as 'New Public Governance' (Osborne 2010), multilevel governance (Pierre and Peters 2005) or network governance (O'Toole and Meier 2004). Knowing what kind of steering processes emerge in such complex education systems is crucial for our understanding of power relations, but they are as yet largely unknown (Theisens, Hooge, and Waslander 2016).…”

Evaluation for What Purpose? Findings From Two Stakeholder Groups

“…The changing face of the public sector and form that governance takes may also have implications for evaluation. Greater private-public partnerships have stimulated a fundamental rethink on how governance is assured and the notions of 'co-governance' and 'new public governance' have emerged as a result (Osborne, 2000;Theisens et al, 2016). 'New forms of horizontal governance' (Klijn, 2008, p.506) have embedded more polycentric and participative forms of public sector decision-making and are structured around greater citizen involvement.…”

Evaluation and decentralised governance: Examples of inspections in polycentric education systems

“…The government still has a role in governance, according to Joseph (2010), but primarily through producing the legislation and regulatory framework which define 'a broader configuration of state and key elements in civil society' (p. 5). Theisens et al (2016) similarly talk about a rise of New Public Governance, which followed an era predominated by New Public Management until approximately the year 2000. New Public Governance is based on horizontally organized systems with multiple centres of power which collaborate through networks.…”