Managing performance evaluation uncertainties in schools: When teachers become struggling performers

Abstract

Performative technologies are increasingly relied upon as a means of controlling the work of teachers. As noted in the literature, one possible outcome of this trend is the performer, a teacher identity that presupposes the internalization of, and adaptation to, a performative logic. Based on the findings from an empirical study of a Swedish upper secondary school, we suggest that teachers who actually submit to the underlying logic of performative technologies – i.e. who intentionally strive towards a performative identity – will encounter a number of performance evaluation uncertainties, due to how performative technologies may: (a) reflect and recognize teacher performances based on qualitative judgements, (b) fail to take into account their entrepreneurial endeavours, (c) depict essentially collective effects as individual performances, and (d) reflect and recognize performances in a relativizing way. Such performance evaluation uncertainties will, in turn, provoke perceived tensions as performative teachers want to be (perceived as) performers but become uncertain as to when and why they did (not) perform well. And importantly, we find that such tensions tend to turn the ongoing reproduction of a performative identity into a cognitive struggle. Based on this, we introduce and elaborate on a particular type of performative teacher identity; the struggling performer.

Performative technologies and teacher subjectivities: A conceptual framework

“…In a similar manner, Page (, ,,) and others (see e.g. O'Leary, ; Englund & Frostenson, ) have discussed how formalised observations, appraisals and student voice come to work as a normalised form of visibility. Another related stream of research includes scholarly work in which notions like accountability and transparency are mobilised to discuss how the quantitative representations produced by performative technologies allow for a particular form of visibility (see e.g.…”

Teachers, performative techniques and professional values: how performativity becomes humanistic through interplay mechanisms

“…However, given the now relatively long history of performativity within the educational system, signs are evident that at least some teachers embrace the logic of performativity and its corresponding techniques, and even strive towards performing the practices that the techniques invoke (e.g. Englund & Frostenson, 2017). Schools become populated by teachers whose ideals have developed in an education system permeated by neo-liberal norms (Englund & Frostenson, 2017;Wilkins, 2011).…”

“…Englund & Frostenson, 2017). Schools become populated by teachers whose ideals have developed in an education system permeated by neo-liberal norms (Englund & Frostenson, 2017;Wilkins, 2011). Some teachers become true performers (Jeffrey & Troman, 2011), adopting the logic of performativity and internalising its demands and functionality.…”

Examination of teachers’ views on organizational uncertainity: A qualitative research

“…Alanyazın incelendiğinde örgütsel belirsizlik ile ilgili çeşitli çalışmaların yapıldığı görülmektedir (Allen, Jimmieson, Bordia, & Irmer;Arslan, 2013;Bakioğlu & Demiral, 2013;Başar-Neyişçi, 2008;Bodde, van derWel, Driessen, Wardekker & Runhaar, 2018;Campbell, 2007;Demiral, 2014;Englund & Frostenson;Erguvan, 2015;Ersanlı & Uysal, 2015;Gordon, 2006;Helsing, 2007;Hui & Lee, 2000;Oswald, 2013;Roelofs & Nieuwenhuis, 2016;Twyford, Le Fevre & Timperley;Smithson, 2008;Schechter & Asher, 2012;Polat;Rast, Hogg & Giessner, 2013;Uysal, 2015). Bakioğlu ve Demiral (2013) yapmış oldukları araştırma sonucunda okul yöneticilerinin belirsizliklerin sebeplerinden birisinin planlamadaki hatalar olarak değerlendirdikleri, belirsizlik durumlarında öncelikle mevzuata danıştıkları, bazılarının belirsizlik anında karamsarlığa kapıldıkları ve belirsizliğin yöneticiler üzerinde stres ve baskı yarattığı sonucuna ulaşmışlardır.…”