Regulating learning and teaching: A case study of Ontario elementary teachers in an era of standards and testing

Abstract

The current trend in Ontario toward greater educational accountability through standardized curriculum and testing appears to be based largely on the hope that compliance with external standards will lead to a more transparent, uniform, and predictable educational system. Through a focus group and individual interviews, this case study explores the experiences and perceptions of three elementary school teachers from one school who are required to implement the Ontario curriculum, as well as to provide annually administered standardized tests to their students in reading, writing and mathematics. The research conducted suggests how specific aspects of the tension between teachers' localized perceptions of classroom life and provincial curricular requirements and Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) testing are redefining the educational realities experienced by students and teachers in one contemporary Ontario school and its classrooms.