The devalued, demoralized and disappearing teacher: The nature and effects of datafication and performativity in schools

Abstract

In this article, we highlight the specificity of teachers’ practices in an era of increased attention to reified measures of data as evidence of student learning. Drawing upon Kemmis et al.’s (2014) notion of educational practice as characterized by specific ‘sayings,’ ‘doings’ and ‘relatings,’ under particular ‘cultural-discursive,’ ‘material-economic’ and ‘socio-political’ conditions, we analyze teachers’ work practices in two public schools in south-east Queensland. We reveal granular details about how teachers’ engagement with reified forms of student evaluation data under broader neoliberal policy conditions influenced their personal and professional identity as teachers. We argue that engagement with such data processes under these conditions leads to not only their demoralization but also the devaluing of teachers’ work, and ultimately, what we claim to be the very ‘disappearance’ of the teacher – the expunging of relational, educative interactions that enable genuine student engagement and learning. The consequence is an eviscerated form of schooling that may jeopardize students’ long-term academic and social development.

Teacher perspectives and experiences of assessment literacy in Victorian junior secondary schools

“…ACARA, 2022; Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership, 2022). Such policy documents exemplify the importance of assessment and its role in the development of student learning and broader student outcomes, defining what teachers should know and what they should do (Acuña, 2022;Daliri-Ngametua & Hardy, 2022). This is notable given that Wyatt- Smith et al, (2010) argued that junior secondary levels are traditionally not required to follow the same high-stakes assessment practices and principles, which are shaped by a range of accountability measures, as senior secondary levels.…”

“…Educational policies are increasingly defining what teachers should know, what they should do and how their performance should be evaluated (Acuña, 2022; Daliri-Ngametua & Hardy, 2022). Despite this, there is still limited understanding of how teachers’ assessment literacy, or their knowledge, skills, beliefs and dispositions about assessment, influences their assessment practices, particularly in light of policy initiatives.…”

A Bibliometric Study of Issues in Educational Policy

“…This balanced approach fosters a more nuanced assessment landscape and captures student learning and achievement better [43]. Neoliberal approaches to creating accountability structures on teacher work create adverse effects on teacher demoralization and devalue teachers' work by ultimately negatively influencing students' academic and social development [44].…”

The Relationship between Teacher Demoralization in Educational Policy Context and School Effectiveness

“…Additionally, the schools' professional culture, responsibility concern and feeling of support are also influential on teacher morale (Bradford & Braaten, 2018). The point of demoralization that teachers struggle with also undermines teacher autonomy and professionalism (Daliri-Ngametua & Hardy, 2022). When teachers think that the conditions damage students learning, especially when they do not feel about mandatory policies and regulations, sources of demoralization can damage teachers' well-being (Santoro, 2018).…”

“…In literature, there is a growing concern about teacher demoralization (Daliri-Ngametua & Hardy, 2022;Elvira, 2020;Limon & Sezgin Nartgün, 2021;Mangin, 2021;Sampayo & Leichtman, 2021;Santoro & Morehouse, 2011;Santoro, 2020;Santoro, 2022;Tsang, 2019;Tsang & Liu, 2016;Wang et al, 2013;Wronowski & Urick, 2021). On the other hand, teacher morale seems to be associated with different variables, such as school effectiveness (Abdullah et al, 2016;Thomas, 1997).…”