A failed marriage between standardization and incentivism: Divergent perspectives on the aims of performance-based compensation in Shanghai, China

Abstract

Abstract:The Chinese province of Shanghai has gained international recognition as a high performing education system with strong teaching and learning outcomes. One accountability mechanism in Shanghai's education reform strategy is statewide performance-based compensation (PBC), also known as performance-or merit pay. Providing a first time account of PBC in the Shanghai context, this study investigated variance in stated and perceived aims of this policy instrument. To explore this variance, the study drew on data from national, state, and school level policy documents, and data from interviews with 20 teachers and the principal in a high performing elementary school. The analysis revealed that PBC was intended to improve teaching quality. However, the teachers' perceived merit pay was meant to increase teacher enthusiasm, job Education Policy Analysis Archives Vol. 25 No. 88 2 satisfaction, and participation in teacher and student development activities. Importantly, the teachers perceived these aims as tangential from instructional improvement goals. Based on these findings, I argue that this particular PBC policy, as a manifestation of the marriage of standardization and incentivism, is unable to fulfill the promises of this marriage -to link incentives with homogenous, uniform metrics associated with a generic and shared notion of teaching quality. Keywords: Performance-based compensation; merit pay; Shanghai, teacher accountability Una unión fracasada entre estandarización e incentivismo: Perspectivas divergentes sobre los objetivos de la compensación basada en el desempeño en Shanghai, China Resumen: La provincia china de Shangai ha ganado reconocimiento internacional como un sistema educativo de alto rendimiento con fuertes resultados de enseñanza y aprendizaje. Un mecanismo de responsabilización en la estrategia de reforma de la educación en todo el estado de Shangai es la compensación basada en el desempeño (PBC), también conocido como rendimiento o pago por mérito. Proporcionar una primera cuenta de época del PBC Shanghai en el contexto, este estudio investigó Dicho y varianza en AIMS percibidos de este instrumento de política. Para explorar esta variación, el estudio se basó en datos de documentos de política nacional, estatal y escolar, y datos de entrevistas con 20 profesores y el director en una escuela primaria realizando alta. El análisis reveló que la PBC pretendía mejorar la calidad de la enseñanza. Sin embargo, percibido pago por mérito de los profesores fue significada de aumentar el entusiasmo de profesores, satisfacción en el trabajo y alumno y profesor participación en actividades de desarrollo. Importante, los profesores percibieron esos objetivos como tangentes a los objetivos de mejora instruccional. En base a estos resultados, y argumenta que esta política PBC particular, como una manifestación del matrimonio de estandarización e incentivismo, es incapaz de cumplir las promesas de este matrimonio -para vincular incentivos con métricas homogéneas y uniformes asociadas a una noción ...

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