PISA DEBATES AND BLAME MANAGEMENT AMONG THE NORWEGIAN EDUCATIONAL AUTHORITIES: PRESS COVERAGE AND DEBATE INTENSITY IN THE NEWSPAPERS

The Programme for International Student Achievement (PISA) has become the most influential comparative assessment in our time, as PISA has induced media debate and triggered reform measures in the education systems of several countries. The programme has caused shockwaves in the educational landscape in Norway, and led to a reorganisation of educational policies. This research sought, first, to explore press coverage and debate intensity in Norwegian newspapers in the wake of PISA releases, and second, to discuss the use of media strategies among Norwegian officeholders to investigate how the media portray cases in which they are involved. Blame management is an example of how officeholders can attempt to avoid blame or displace it onto political opponents. Using their media responses as data, the nature and value of blame management were analysed in relation to a game theoretical framework. Patterns and themes emerging from the data were described quantitatively and qualitatively, and illustrated by direct quotations from political and bureaucratic officeholders. It is important to gain a better understanding of the dynamics in media coverage of educational matters, and how participants in the game use strategic tools. This study contributes to the understanding of the media's shaping of education policies and debates. The significance of the media and the media strategies in use suggest that educational research should expand its perspectives towards how the media influences public opinion on educational quality.