Views from the Classroom: Teachers' Opinions of Statewide Testing Programs

Abrams, Lisa; Pedulla, Joseph J.; Madaus, George F.

doi:10.1207/s15430421tip4201_4

Cited by 199 publications

(148 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…Although prescribed programs and the increase of standardized testing often results in the narrowing of curriculum and even instructional practices (Abrams, Pedulla, & Madaus, 2003;Holloway, 2001;Madaus, 1988;Miller, 2001), we found these teachers would use collaboration time as a means for discussing instructional strategies and literature related to best practices in education. However, the tension remained over defining curriculum and the freedom of educators to implement instructional strategies they feel most comfortable with as opposed to instruction geared toward a state, federal, or district mandated end.…”

Section: Curriculum and Instruction As An External And Internal Tensionmentioning

confidence: 81%

Which Path to Educational Equity? How External Policy Influences Internal School Goals

Snow-Gerono

Gregory

2009

Interchange

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In this manuscript, we will share an experience where our own research with/in teacher education was highly influenced by public policy and narrowed by an outcomes–based approach to learning. We began working in a United States Title I elementary school to understand and describe literacy practice – teaching and learning – through a lens of social justice. However, our effort was largely overshadowed by a new program that was being implemented, without input from school faculty and staff, in all classrooms in this Title I school. This primarily qualitative research study explored the perceptions of elementary school teachers connected to literacy and social justice, determined literacy and social justice practices in elementary school classrooms, and examined the process of teachers’ engaging in a newly implemented, prescriptive program. We focus on the influence of a new school–wide program on literacy teaching and learning practice and the resulting phenomenon of collaboration time and narrowed curriculum and instruction

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Section: Curriculum and Instruction As An External And Internal Tensionmentioning

confidence: 81%

Which Path to Educational Equity? How External Policy Influences Internal School Goals

Snow-Gerono

Gregory

2009

Interchange

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“…Research studies involving accountability measures such as end of course testing, cite teaching to the test (Shaver, Cuevas, Lee, and Avalos, 2007), eliminating non-tested material (Abrams, Pedulla, & Madaus, 2003), and minimizing student-centered instruction (Bianchini & Kelly, 2003) as concerns (Donnelly & Sadler, 2009). To better reconcile this difference between beliefs and practice, teachers should understand how components of the PBL strategy encourage reform-based constructivist practices and can increase student performance on high-stakes tests by increasing student gains in cognition, development of skills, independent learning, cooperation, and motivation (Chiappetta & Koballa, 2005;Smith, Powell, & Wood, 1995;Sonmez & Lee, 2003;Weller & Karp-Boss, 2007).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Beyond Beliefs: Teachers Adapting Problem-based Learning to Preexisting Systems of Practice

Pecore¹

2012

Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning

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Problem-based learning (PBL) is a constructivist method of instruction aligned with the science educational reform movement to increase scientific literacy for all Americans. As such, PBL instruction is an increasingly popular topic for professional development workshops offered to teachers in secondary learning environments. This research presents a case study of four teachers' alignment of classroom practice with constructivist principles after participating in a one-week PBL workshop. Teachers assimilated PBL instruction into their current system of teaching; therefore, despite congruent beliefs, those teachers without a constructivist system of practice taught the PBL method with less alignment to constructivist principles. This discrepancy between beliefs and practice could be addressed by helping PBL workshop participants contemplate how components of PBL encourage reform-based constructivist practices and by assisting teachers with modifying preexisting routines to better assimilate PBL instruction.

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“…Teachers are immediately connected to test-takers and the impacts of IUEE are not limited to end of the course scores, but to lifelong repercussions that determine the university one should attend, the major one is presumably qualified for, and the jobs one can obtain. Regarding national high-stakes testing programs, the bulk of the studies related to teaching and testing come to the conclusion that teachers focus higher attention on previously tested parts (e.g., McMillan, Myran, & Workman 1999;Abrams, Pedulla, & Madaus, 2003;Ballard & Bates, 2008). Some studies end in suggestions for Studies which have acknowledged teachers' power in language testing and their role in the interpretation of the results are limited in number.…”

Section: Language Teachers and Evaluation Issuesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Teachers’ Interpretations and Power in a High-Stakes Test: A CLA Perspective

Tahmasbi¹,

Yamini²

2012

ELR

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As one of the high-stakes tests known world-wide, Iranian University Entrance Exam (IUEE) influences the lives of a range of people including EFL teachers. This study, conducted within the framework of Critical Language Assessment (CLA), examined the power of EFL teachers in IUEE and their interpretations of language scores therein.The results of factor analysis demonstrated that high-school teachers have no power in IUEE development and administration processes. Teachers also interpreted tests not as indicators of language ability or knowledge but as test-taking skills. Finally, the study reserves the rights for teachers to be involved in the process of IUEE and suggests interpretive approaches to assessment that allow for different meanings and interpretations rather than a single score.

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Views from the Classroom: Teachers' Opinions of Statewide Testing Programs

Cited by 199 publications

References 4 publications

Which Path to Educational Equity? How External Policy Influences Internal School Goals

Which Path to Educational Equity? How External Policy Influences Internal School Goals

Beyond Beliefs: Teachers Adapting Problem-based Learning to Preexisting Systems of Practice

Teachers’ Interpretations and Power in a High-Stakes Test: A CLA Perspective

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