@article{77487cc6de8749cf86f42cc91e5b189f,
title = "Standardised Assessment in Irish Primary Schools: Teachers' Views on Purpose, Pressure and Practice",
abstract = "This paper explores the perspectives of principals, teachers and key actors within the Irish primary school context regarding standardised assessment following a cultural flashpoint in the Irish education system, marked by the embedding of governmental policy regarding literacy and numeracy. A survey methodology was employed which incorporated the use of 103 qualitative questionnaires and 12 semi-structured interviews. A thematic data analysis framework was then applied to interrogate the data. This paper examines key themes identified relating to perceived pressure, test preparation practices and participants' reflections on the educational purpose and perceived value of standardised assessment. Participants{\textquoteright} perspectives are situated within the expansive discourse regarding standardised assessment internationally, as well as the limited corpus of Irish research in this area. The findings emphasise the need for system-level attention regarding the influences of standardised assessment and consideration of the paradoxical motivations that may now exist within Irish primary schools due to recent governmental policies linking test results and special education support allocation. In addition, the findings have informed the development of a self-reflective scale for teachers which could be used to support professional learning regarding standardised assessment practices.",
author = "Michael McNamara and Veronica McCauley",
note = "Michael Mc Namara is an Assistant Professor in ICT/Digital Learning, based in the Department of STEM Education in Mary Immaculate College, Limerick. His research interests include educational assessment, technology-enhanced creativity and assessment, and digital competence from both the student and teacher perspective. Michael has spent many years working as a primary level educator and, in later years, within the Department of Education{\textquoteright}s support services for teachers and principals in Ireland where his roles as Deputy Director for Policy, Research and CPD Design and as Divisional Director (Primary) saw him leading in the cross-curricular design and national delivery of teacher professional learning experiences, guiding the multi-disciplinary research work of the organisation and contributing to multimodal professional development frameworks for redeveloped primary curriculum subject areas. Veronica McCauley, is Associate Professor of Science Education, based in the School of Education, University of Galway, Ireland. She holds the position of Joint Director of the Centre of Pedagogy and Public Engagement Research, CoPPER, University of Galway, which undertakes research and pedagogical practice in the area of engagement with a particular emphasis on sustainable community-led public communication interventions. Veronica is also the Chair of Research for the School of Education, and the Director of Pedagogy, PME. She publishes regularly in science education, science communication \& public engagement, technology education, STEM innovation (social and behavioural change at individual, educational and policy level), and related area",
year = "2025",
month = may,
day = "30",
doi = "10.1080/0969594X.2025.2510217",
language = "English (Ireland)",
pages = "1",
journal = "ASSESSMENT IN EDUCATION: PRINCIPLES, POLICY \& PRACTICE",
publisher = "Taylor \& Francis",
}
