Impact of external examinations (Matura) on school lessons

Accounting for Quality

“…A substantial body of research suggests that when accountability is tied to testing, the curriculum narrows to minimize untested areas (Chudowsky and Behuniak, 1998;Resnick and Resnick, 1992). This is evident in many classrooms, where the priorities of the teacher influence the approach students take in the classroom and therefore the kind of knowledge that students attain (Grmek and Krecic, 2004). A teacher whose concern is to have students pass a standardized test will have succeeded when the students do so, but this approach may not develop other abilities in students, such as critical thinking, creativity, or collaboration with others.…”