Session Information
23 SES 02 A, Research/Evidence-based Approaches to Policy Making (Part 1)
Paper Session continued in 23 SES 03 A
Contribution
Data now proliferates across education systems globally. In this regard, data not only represents the outcomes of education but also drives educational ventures. International comparisons such as PISA abound and are used regularly to comment on the state of play vis-à-vis national standards and quality. Added to this, national testing is a feature of many systems, and this in turn drives the work of schools and teachers (c.f. Adams, 2008). But the use of data is not unproblematic. It is notable that commentators across jurisdictions cite both in favour of or in opposition to the use of data as a means to direct educational development. Such discussions are woven into the fabric of commentary on education and such data commentary can often be found in media outlets which regularly discuss the ways and means by which social problems can be dealt with more effectively. Matters such as educational attainment are paraded as an issue to be discussed and debated ideologically and politically.
One aspect of this debate is the means to which educational, and other, data are put. At the national level, certain jurisdictions (for example England, Australia, USA) regularly utilise quantitative data outputs to create policy imperatives which drive the development of national and local systems and so convey meaning on an international stage; in such endeavours, associations are found, assumptions are drawn and causation is inferred. But the problems and issues that this use of data seeks to solve are often quite intractable and beyond simplistic understanding or comment. Problematically, what often follow such ‘issues identification’ are simplistic measures designed to alleviate problems and build on strengths. In short, a rational policy-making approach is often to be found, dealing, as it does, with the most efficient means to get from situation A to solution B. These technical-rational solutions rest on the assumption that information, goals and targets and associated methods will efficiently and effectively achieve objectives (Head and Alford, 2013). Notably, though, such technical approaches to social policy problem solving overlook the values, perspectives and lived experiences of those involved (Head, 2008).
What this often leads to are performance measures designed to identify and track improvement in reductionist ways: performance measures are set; appropriate behaviours to demonstrate success are identified; and, measures are taken to audit behaviour and outputs. These measures are then used to signal success or otherwise. However, as Rittel and Weber (1973: 159) state ‘As we seek to improve the effectiveness of actions in pursuit of valued outcomes, as system boundaries get stretched, and as we become more sophisticated about the complex workings of open societal systems, it becomes ever more difficult to make the planning idea operational.’
In operation, though, policy is much more difficult to pin down. Problems, although seen to be ‘tame’, are in fact far more ‘wicked’ (Rittel and Weber, 1973) in their nature and require different solutions. This paper, then, uses the work of Rittel and Weber (1973) to identify the ways in which the use of data has become ‘tamified’ that is, subject to simplistic, rational decision-making at the expense of an approach that explicitly acknowledges and works with the problematic and difficult. The paper identifies the problems with ‘tame’ data use, and instead proposes that data and associated educational approaches and policy be seen through the lens of the ‘wicked’; that is, through an approach that sees policy problems as highly divergent, uncertain and complex. Convergence around these three themes gives rise to wickedity (Bore and Wright, 2009).
Method
Expected Outcomes
References
Adams, P. (2008). Considering 'best practice': the social construction of teacher-activity and pupil-learning as performance. Cambridge Journal of Education, 38(3), 375-392. Bore, A. and Wright, N. (2009). The wicked and complex in education: developing a transdisciplinary perspective for policy formulation, implementation and professional practice. Journal of Education for Teaching: International research and pedagogy, 35(3), 241-256. Head, B.W.(2008). Wicked Problems in Public Policy. Public Policy, 3(2), 101-118 Head, B.W. and Alford, J. (2013). Wicked Problems: Implications for Public Policy and Management. Administration & Society, OnlineFirst, published on March 28, 2013 as doi:10.1177/0095399713481601, 1-29. Rittel and Weber (1973). Dilemmas in a General Theory of Planning. Policy Sciences, 4, 155-169. Wexler, M.N. (2009). Exploring the moral dimension of wicked problems. International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy, 29(9/10), 531-542
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