ABSTRACT

Standardised tests play an important role in early childhood (EC) education in many countries. Although teachers’ conceptions largely determine whether and how these instruments are used, research on this topic is scarce. As a result, factors that influence conceptions of standardised testing have remained largely unexplored. To examine teachers’ conceptions of standardised testing and aspects that may influence these conceptions, Brown’s CoA-III-A questionnaire was distributed to 97 EC educators. Based on their responses, a selection of six preschool/kindergarten teachers participated in a series of semi-structured interviews. Analyses of the questionnaire and the interviews indicated that the teachers did not see these tests solely as instruments for accountability or improvement. While some perceived the test as pleasant confirmation, others perceived the results as negative opposition to their own observations. The teachers’ conceptions were influenced by classroom population, management team, and the ascribed purpose of the test.

摘要

在许多国家，标准化考试在幼儿（EC）教育中起着重要作用。尽管教师的观念在很大程度上决定了是否以及如何使用这些工具，但是对此主题的研究却很少。结果，影响标准化测试概念的因素在很大程度上尚未被开发。为了检查教师的标准化测试概念以及可能影响这些概念的方面，Brown的CoA-III-A调查表已分发给97位EC教育者。根据他们的回答，选择了六名学前班/幼儿园老师参加了一系列的半结构式访谈。对问卷和访谈的分析表明，教师并没有将这些测试仅视为责任或改进的工具。尽管有些人认为测试是令人愉快的确认，其他人则认为结果不利于他们自己的观察。教师的观念受到课堂人数，管理团队和考试指定目的的影响。