Learning to label: Socialisation, gender, and the hidden curriculum of high-stakes testing

Jennifer Booher-Jennings

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    Abstract

    Although high-stakes tests play an increasing role in students' schooling experiences, scholars have not examined these tests as sites for socialisation. Drawing on qualitative data collected at an American urban primary school, this study explores what educators teach students about motivation and effort through high-stakes testing, how students interpret and internalise these messages, and how student hierarchies develop as a result. I found that teachers located boys' failure in their poor behavior and attitudes, while arguing that girls simply needed more self-esteem to pass the test. Most boys accepted their teachers' diagnosis of the problem. However, the boys who felt that they were already 'doing their best' and 'working hard' began to doubt that educational success is a function of merit and effort. I conclude that students learn about much more than the three Rs through their experiences with high-stakes testing, and argue that future research should attend to the social dimensions of these experiences.

    Original languageEnglish (US)
    Pages (from-to)149-160
    Number of pages12
    JournalBritish Journal of Sociology of Education
    Volume29
    Issue number2
    DOIs
    StatePublished - Mar 2008

    Keywords

    • Accountability
    • Gender
    • High-stakes testing
    • Socialisation

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • Education
    • Sociology and Political Science

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