Issues Surrounding Performativity In Education Education Essay

Issues Surrounding Performativity In Education Education EssayWhen attempting to compreh turn back the mixed nature of performativity, it may be at first useful to view it in a historical and philosophical context. According to Munday (2010), performativityhas come to denote the systemic relations within the social order of postmodernity. Through technological progress, the grand narratives of the enlightenment which adhered to either the emancipation of the individual subject or to the speculative progression to knowledge go through been superseded by an economy that privileges utility oer truth, success over justice and discipline over knowledge. (Munday, 20101)The spirit of this assertion, the final reference to information over knowledge is especially pertinent to issues in contemporary pedagogy refine and is echoed in the works of education scholars- including the authors discussed in this strain Ball (2003), burn mark (2008), Chua (2009), **** and sets the tone for the discourse that follows.In Balls paper, The teachers soul and the terrors of performativity (2003) the debate of performativity is brought to the foreground through his study of an encompassing and influential exposition of performativityPerformativity is a technology, a culture and a mode of regulation that employs judgements, comparisons and displays as means of incentive, control, attrition and change based on rewards and sanctions (both material and symbolic). The effects (of individual subjects or organizations) serve as measures of productivity or output, or displays of quality, or moments of promotion or inspection. As much(prenominal) they stand for, encapsulate or represent the worth, quality or value of an individual or organization within a field of judgement. (Ball, 2003 216)This important statement also serves as a starting point to which suntans Globalisation, the Singaporean state and educational illuminates towards performativity (2008) and Chuas conservation the teachers soul exorcising the terrors of performativity (2009) both allude to in the process of developing their own arguments. In establishing a position on the qualities of technologies of performativity, Chua interprets Balls definition by surmising that Policy technologies of performativity define performance indicators and evaluate members of the organization based on their capacity to fulfil these indicators. (Chua, 2009 160). Tan uses Balls idea to derive a to a greater extent pragmatic interpretation, making a straight link to neo-liberal reforms in educationPerformativity contributes to a devolved environment where schools are to take responsibility for transforming themselves by making themselves different from one an separate(prenominal), improving themselves and competing with one an other(a) The state employs monitoring systems for the school leaders and teachers through the mechanics of performativity such as league tables, the appraisal meeting, the annual revie w, report writing, site visits, inspections and peer reviews In other words, they are expected to organise themselves as a response to targets, indicators and evaluations under state regulation. (Tan, 2008 113)To arrive at such conclusions as to the interpretation and definition of performativity in their respective studies, the above authors had to at first adopt an analytical design research approach with concept analysis and explore issues of globalisation and performativity and the implications for educational reform. construct their theories using research methodologies that involved the surveying of primary sources, including statistical and historical data and secondary sources such as work by other researchers (which include each other). For example, Tan (2008) argues that the rise of the culture of performativity is an inevitable by-product of Singapores strategic embrace of neo-liberal policies through globalisation and Chua (2009) cites Tans work in support of this view. Ball, more than interestingly, elucidates on this theme in more epidemic termsEducation reform is spreading across the globe An unstable, but probablely unstoppable overflow of closely inter-related reform ideas is permeating and re-orienting education systems in diverse social and political locations which have very different histories. (Ball, 2003 215)****TITLE*****As both Tan (2008) and Ball (2003) point out, given the current global context where regional economic and social interconnectivity is increasing, it is not surprising that high-performing counties in the Far East, such a Singapore and Japan have experienced a reform agenda that shares many commonalities to that experienced in Western settings. Hence, similar to nations such as the UK, the linked States and Australia, contemporary educational reform in Singapore and Japan are increasingly positioned as sites where broader political and economic reforms cross and at times detrition with a range of political, econ omic and socio-ideological positions (Tan, 2008114). Having worked within the Japanese local government sector, at a board of education as an Assistant (English) Language instructor on the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Programme from 2005-2010, I was in a unique position to observe such patterns of transformation that were occurring within the education system from an impartial and objective, if ineffectual standpoint.When discussing contemporary educational change in Japan, a link must be acknowledged with a national corporatist reform agenda. Prevailing critique within Japan centres on the three general areas falling enrolments, legislated curriculum reform and fiscal constraint. Contemporary educational reform in Japan could be placed within a unique historical context that is characterised by long periods of stability followed by radical structural reforms over condensed periods of time. (Hood, 2001) The reforms can also be weighed against the fact that schools and institut ions have historically been constrained in their ability to react quickly to change due to the fact they have long been administered by a centralised state educational system. This, however, is changing in the current climate of contemporary neoliberal reforms and appears to have permeated right deal through to the grass roots of the education, creating a transient system increasingly reliant on outcomes and the establishment of rising ways of auditing and verifying such outcomes (Ball, 2003). by chance one of the clearest examples of this was during the course of my work at a Japanese senior high schoolI was asked by the head of the English department to assistant in the implementation of an online e- education computer system for the English curriculum. It was to function something like a TOEIC preparation course, with a foot race at the beginning and at the end to measure the students progress. It was promoted to teaching staff as learning aid that would make life easier for all as the tests and study materials were already written. When I challenged senior teacher as to what exactly was the purpose and goal of this new system (which tested non-contextualised, discreet items of English language), the response was We finally have an objective way of measuring their achievement. We can show this to universities, or the education ministry, so they can see objectively through statistics that our students are improving we teachers do not really test the students their grades are based upon our teachers subjective feelings. We need results to be more accurate, and that is why weve bought these well-packaged materials made by professionals. We have already finalised the contract with the company, so we ask for your cooperation.When spirit back reflectively, how could this deliberated and justified scheme not be anything but of benefit to both the students and staff alike? Even after only the briefest of considerations, could any original educator articula te the simplest of critiques how could this standardised test be considered objective? Simply because a score is produced, what does that number actually represent? As the students were not needful to do the same test at the end of the course that they took at the beginning, how could this be considered any measure of achievement? These may be only discreet factors in the larger scheme of the pedagogy of assessment, but they are all too often the first casualties following the implementation of performative policies in education. Fortunately, however, even changes such as these in the name of convenience and efficiency cannot be readily imposed without some form of backlash from the rank-and-file teachers, as I observed my other Japanese colleagues voice in their opinions, frustrated with the system they had been forced to subscribe toThis is a computerised testing scheme developed by a commercial interest from outdoors our school that does not know, or even care about, our studen ts learning goals. . To be perfectly frank I dont feel good about people from outside(a) telling me what the content of the courses should be and what it takes to improve students or how success or achievement can be measured. Why are outsiders determining our educational policy- my classroom policy?This, increasingly legitimate, question from teachers is recognised by Ball (2003), when he aptly observesOne key aspect of the current educational reform movement may be seen as struggles over the control of the field of judgement and its values Who is it that determines what is to count as a valuable, effective or fine performance and what measures or indicators are considered valid? (Ball, 2003216)What must not be forgotten here is the condition of the teacher who is promoting the new tools and systems of reform. In the above scenario, it was apparent that the terrors of performativity (Ball, 2003 216) had already taken a victim, in this case, the head of the English department who, with the best of intentions, believed he was still functioning in the capacity of a tralatitious school teacher. He may have even agreed with Chua (2009) who contends, the aim of teaching is to transform a situation into a favourite(a) one, i.e. students that are more knowledgeable, more skilled etc. and that teachers are therefore designers, who employ designerly cognition, the deliberative logic that guides any activity aiming to transform a situation into a preferred one. (Chua, 2009 159, 160). However, he may not have agreed, or even been aware that the introduction of such policy technologies of performativity could have quietly begun reconfiguring his designerly cognitive abilities, resulting in his cognitive trajectory being guided to aim merely at what one might call the horizontal, transitive dimensions, geared towards the production of visible, measurable outcomes. (Ball, 2003 216 Chua, 2009 160) In short, similar to their UK counterparts, Japanese educators are becom ing increasingly measured, audited and assessed within the context of their research, their teaching and their day-to-day administration all in the name devolved freedom (Ball, 2003 217).The latter portion of the essay will focus on the performativity- related reforms in the UK education system, including personal anecdotal experience whilst continuing to reference the studies of Ball (2003) Chua (2009).Ball (2003) describes the mechanics of performativity as the data-base, the appraisal meeting, the annual review, report writing, the regular publication of results and promotion applications, inspections and peer reviewsThe teacher, researcher, academic are subject to a myriad of judgements, measures, comparisons and targets. Information is collected continuously, put down and published often in the form of LeagueTables, and performance is also monitored eventfully by peer reviews, site visits andinspections.The nature and characteristics of the modern teacher are delineate by t he many in which they partakeWithin all this, there is a high degree of uncertainty and instability. A sense of being ceaselessly judged in different ways, by different means, according todifferent criteria, through different agents and agencies. There is a flow of changingdemands, expectations and indicators that makes one continually responsible andconstantly recorded. We become ontologically insecure unsure whether we aredoing enough, doing the right thing, doing as much as others, or as well as others,constantly spirit to improve, to be better, to be excellent.The election of the coalition government in 2010 prompted changes to the framework that Ofsted(Office for Standards in Education) uses to inspect schools. The framework was piloted in 145schools during May and June 2011 to inform its development for use from 2012.Ofsted fosters a culture of compliance and performativity within a managerialist discourse. Itsinspection framework operationalises this compliance schools whi ch do not achieve its standards riskclosure. Its influence extends beyond inspection periods many leaders subject themselves and staffto intense surveillance to ensure that practice corresponds as closely as possible to the Ofsted-sanctioned perfection This inspection framework is therefore of great significance to the English education system as both a product of a discourse and a mechanism for its reproduction.Netherhall School has just been inspected under the latest OFSTED framework which came into effect earlier this term.The new style Grade 3 rating awarded to the school replaced the antecedent Satisfactory grade. The school had hoped to achieve a grade 2 Good rating with greater recognition of its strengths and outstanding features.Chair of Governors, The new OFSTED framework seems more subjective and narrower in its focus. It seems to lack the more rounded and balanced view of previous models used. Nevertheless, we are committed to working within the new framework and to l earning lessons from this new process.The school highlighted that the bulk of the data evidence used was based on exams taken some eighteen months ago. The most recent 2012 exams for Netherhall showed many telling exam outcomes including GCSE English and math being well above the national average . The school did significantly better than the national average in the new English Baccalaureate which prioritises GCSE Grade C and above in English, Maths, Science, History/ Geography, and a Language. More than a quarter of the 2012 cohort achieved 5A/A* grades. The 5A*-C GCSE with English and Maths has continued to be above average.Caroline McKenney, Principal commented As ever, and in common with other ambitious schools, Netherhall is very aware of its priorities and recognises the need for ongoing amelioration in all aspects of its work.