Research On Educational Policy Implementation From The Perspective Of Complexity Theory

For a long time, in educational policy implementation research, influenced by modern scientific rationality, quite a few scholars have been used to "simplified handling" thoughts. In pursuit of uncovering the necessary connection among various implementation factors, they overemphasized the "truth" of implementation. When exploring the relationship between the cause and effect of educational policy failure, they have neglected to clarify the complexity of educational policy implementation in the belief of pluralism. However, in terms of rather complex educational policy implementation, we are not able to observe and grasp it in the simplified perspective. With China's entry into the transformation period, some problems that long disturbed educational policy implementation have increasingly become prominent. For the complex process and degree they have shown, it is impossible to describe and handle them with simplicity and simple methods. In the case of malfunction of educational policy implementation simplification, postmodern policy movement have realized, traditional simplified way of thinking is prostrated in examining educational policy implementation problems. As a result, it is necessary to use multiple and integrated complexity paradigm. Through incorporating all the relative elements into the complexity system of educational policy implementation, we may achieve an integrity grasp of the complexity of educational policy implementation.Complexity theory that rose in the 1970s has opened up a new route of research on the complexity of educational policy implementation. Complexity science methodology has inspired us, changing from simplified to complex thinking would be the thinking path of research on the complexity of educational policy implementation. The form of educational policy process should be "flexible revision", rather than the traditional view of "linear control". The process of educational policy implementation is filled with unpredictable variables, so the scientific analysis of these variables should be placed on the agenda of educational administration scholars. Therefore, I choose "Research on Educational Policy Implementation from the Perspective of Complexity Theory" as my dissertation topic, seeking to develop research on the complexity of educational policy implementation from the perspective of complexity theory. I have tried to rediscover the complexity of educational policy implementation in complex thinking. From the dimension of connecting complexity theory and educational policy implementation, I expect to provide a conscious and limited response to research in this field. Through sound research, I strive to comprehensively examine various variables, e.g., the subject, object and content of educational policy implementation; the relationship among them and the hidden law, so that the complexity of educational policy implementation may be uncovered. Furthermore, with the means of complexity theory, on the basis of emphasizing implementation complexity, the paper analyzed the problems of educational policy implementation in the transformation period; provided suggestions of weakening and controlling implementation complexity, seeking to inject new breath into research of educational policy implementation.The paper is composed of eight sections:introduction, literature review, complex policy issues of educating migrant workers'children, examination of implementation of new curriculum reform, a new perspective of research on educational policy implementation: introduction of complexity theory, complexity analysis of educational policy implementation, strategies of controlling the complexity of educational policy implementation, conclusion. Based on the analysis of two cases, the paper mainly analyzed and discussed in the following aspects.First, it raised the questions:" Is the educational policy implementation simple or complex?" "whether thinking is changing or not?" This is the logical premise of research on implementation complexity. Through the factual analysis of two cases:educational policy issues of migrant workers'children and policy implementation of new curriculum reform, the paper sought to recognize and analyze complexity from the elements that influenced the implementation efficiency, and sought to integrate the complex elements and their effect, so that the connection among them may emerge. In the author's perspective, educational policy implementation is a complex and highly contingent phenomenon, which may include mutual dependency, degree of choice, behavior change and other various components. In addition, the system structure of educational policy implementation has been in an unstable state of fluctuation. And it reflects a complex concatenation of space network, which is difficult to grasp only through simplified research. Therefore, it is necessary to apply complex thinking to understand it comprehensively and deeply.Second, it introduced a new perspective of research on the complexity of educational policy implementation——complexity theory, which laid the theoretical basis of applying complex thinking to implementation complexity research. In the author's view, using complexity idea as the direction, and applying the principles of complexity science to implementation complexity research, is fit to the complex phenomenon of educational policy implementation. In the case of current literature shortage, approaching complexity theory may deepen the field's understanding of instability and unpredictable randomicity of educational policy implementation. It will help us cope with the fetters of simplified thinking, macroscopically get the ideas of implementation complexity research into shape, grasp the system complexity of educational policy implementation on the whole, so that we may analyze and summarize effective strategies and methods, in order to guide the implementation complexity research and various specific practice of educational policy implementation. Third, it used the complexity theory to reexamine the complexity of educational policy implementation. Why the educational policy implementation is a complex phenomenon? In the author's view, besides the implementation details, the complexity of policy system has more impact on its operation, while it is difficult to predict and solve. Rather than a negative inference from the features of educational policy implementation, it is the resultant effect of many elements shown by the implementation process, e.g., uncertainty and emergency. From the perspective of complexity theory, the complex issue in educational policy implementation refers more to the multifactorial, multilayered, polytropic characteristics of implementation system, and the whole behavior and evolution caused by interaction.Four, through connecting the research perspective and complex issues, it focused on the conditions forming the implementation complexity, which may include the mediator, the environment of joint activity, and the interactive means among various subjects in the common environment. This section explored the means of solving problems of implementation complexity by complexity theory in the judgmental aspect. Through analyzing the emergency and self-organizing criticality of implementation complexity, the author tried to provide the strategies of weakening and controlling implementation complexity:first, we may understand the implementation system as a complex adaptive system, and weaken its complexity by the connections in educational policy chains; second, we may see the complexity as a motivational factor of innovation and improvement, and control its complexity in school reforms.