Convergent and Divergent Trends in National Educational Systems

We here undertake a systematic assessment of whether and how far the educational systems of nations are becoming more alike. The elements of educational systems may conveniently be grouped into the Ideational and Legal, Structural, Demographic, Administrative and Financial, and Dynamic realms. For each of these realms we review the evidence with regard to a number of specific dimensions, presenting both historical and contemporary data to assess the pattern of cross-national change. Some thirty such dimensions are briefly assessed here, including such topics as teacher-pupil ratios, the spread of the comprehensive school, and the level of expenditures for education. Divergence, parallel change, and invariance appropriately describe the pattern observed in some instances. But the overwhelming weight of evidence, both quantitative and qualitative, indicates that the tendency for national educational systems to converge on common structures and practices is pervasive, deep, and often accelerating. Such convergence is manifested at all levels of the educational system, and it affects virtually every major aspect of that system. In conclusion we sketch the elements of causal model suggesting lines of investigation needed to explain the observed regularities.