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Influences of External Literacy Assessment on Curricular Decisions: A Systems-Based Study of a Local School District

National and state-based assessments have been a common practice for the past several decades. These assessments often come with high-stake consequences for students and schools, which tends towards the creation of a test-centric environment where educators prioritize test-based instruction to prepare students to be successful on those assessments. The over-arching purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how mandated high-stakes testing influences educators specifically within a complex system by first seeking to identify ways educators at different levels within the system—the classroom, campus, and district levels—perceive these testing influences. This study is based on complexity theory with a particular focus on complex adaptive systems (CAS) and frameworks from human systems dynamics (HSD), which helped to identify key tensions within a complex learning ecology. This study used thematic analysis of interview data from the classroom, campus, and district levels. Analysis also included mapping the emergent themes and patterns onto a CAS model for each level. Findings revealed a tension between a complicated, linear approach and a complex approach to curricular and instructional decisions that is moving those decisions ever closer to standardization. This study includes implications and recommendations for balancing these tensions for a healthy, complex learning ecology.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:unt.edu/info:ark/67531/metadc1833580
Date08 1900
CreatorsLarson, Tiffany R
ContributorsWickstrom, Carol, Patterson, Leslie, King, Kelley, Eutsler, Lauren
PublisherUniversity of North Texas
Source SetsUniversity of North Texas
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeThesis or Dissertation
Formatvi, 213 pages, Text
RightsPublic, Larson, Tiffany R, Copyright, Copyright is held by the author, unless otherwise noted. All rights Reserved.

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