Networked Education Systems and the Flow of PISA-Induced References

International large-scale assessments (ILSAs) contribute to the internationalization of the education policymaking process. As they initiate and design education reforms, stakeholders worldwide make implicit and explicit references to the experience/achievement of foreign countries. This chapter analyzes the social structure that emerges from the flow of these references. We draw on an original dataset of texts published in newspapers in 23 countries following the release of the 2012 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). Using network analysis techniques, we demonstrate the centralized and hierarchical nature of the PISA-Induced Reference Societies Network (PIRS Network). Comparisons with other global networks suggest that the flow of references is closely related to cultural relations (co-membership in international governmental organizations) and to some extent to economic relations (trade import/export). We discuss these patterns and call for more research that focuses on relations between countries and their implications for education policy and practice