School leaders' reflexive mode in their internal conversations on PISA

Abstract

This chapter centres on the increasing use of standardized tests in Norwegian schools – with emphasis on PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) – and how the PISA test is viewed by school leaders 1 in lower secondary school. PISA results and national rankings have been confirmed as having had considerable influence on educational policy in many countries, including Norway. However, research on how the PISA test influences educational practices at the level of the individual school and the individual teacher has been missing. This study represents an attempt to start bridging the gap in our knowledge about PISA effects at the micro level. Using Margaret Archer's concepts of reflexivity and reflexive modes, the three cases explore how PISA is engaged in three Norwegian school leaders’ internal conversations about their work. Do PISA issues ‘trigger’ specific modes of reflexivity among school leaders? The findings suggest that the dominant reflexive mode of each of the school leaders when engaging with PISA was autonomous reflexivity. They made autonomous decisions aimed at obtaining results for their school. They upheld the legitimacy of the PISA test as relevant in the Norwegian context although not all considered it useful for their own school.