ERIC Number: EJ1017709
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2013
Pages: 23
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1443-1475
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
NAPLAN, MySchool and Accountability: Teacher Perceptions of the Effects of Testing
Thompson, Greg
International Education Journal: Comparative Perspectives, v12 n2 p62-84 2013
This paper explores Rizvi and Lingard's (2010) idea of the "local vernacular" of the global education policy trend of using high-stakes testing to increase accountability and transparency, and by extension quality, within schools and education systems in Australia. In the first part of the paper a brief context of the policy trajectory of National Assessment Program--Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) is given in Australia. In the second part, empirical evidence drawn from a survey of teachers in Western Australia (WA) and South Australia (SA) is used to explore teacher perceptions of the impacts a high-stakes testing regime is having on student learning, relationships with parents and pedagogy in specific sites. After the 2007 Australian Federal election, one of Labor's policy objectives was to deliver an "Education Revolution" designed to improve both the equity and excellence in the Australian school system (Rudd & Gillard, 2008). This reform agenda aims to "deliver real changes" through: "raising the quality of teaching in our schools" and "improving transparency and accountability of schools and school systems" (Rudd & Gillard, 2008, p. 5). Central to this linking of accountability, the transparency of schools and school systems and raising teaching quality was the creation of a regime of testing (NAPLAN) that would generate data about the attainment of basic literacy and numeracy skills by students in Australian schools.
Descriptors: Accountability, Teacher Attitudes, High Stakes Tests, Global Education, Educational Policy, Foreign Countries, Teacher Surveys, Educational Change, Numeracy, Literacy, Testing Programs, Policy Analysis, Program Effectiveness, Interprofessional Relationship, Parent Attitudes, Politics of Education, Program Implementation
Australian and New Zealand Comparative and International Education Society. ANZCIES Secretariat, Curtin University, Box U1987, Perth, WA Australia. Tel: +61-8-9266-7106; Fax: +61-8-9266-3222; e-mail: editor@iejcomparative.org; Web site: http://openjournals.library.usyd.edu.au/index.php/IEJ
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Australia
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A