ABSTRACT
This chapter contributes to the monitoring of students and teachers by reporting on a survey of teachers in the Australian States of Western Australia (WA) and South Australia (SA) asking about the effects of National Assessment Program - Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) on their schools and classrooms. This mixed-methods survey asked teachers a variety of qualitative and quantitative questions to explore how they perceive NAPLAN impacting their pedagogy and student learning. There was an expected dropout of participants over the survey, so that 809 participants responded to the questions of pedagogy which was the last page of the survey. The questions on teacher perceptions of the impact of NAPLAN on curriculum and pedagogy were a section within a larger survey. Some teachers voiced concerns that an excessive focus by administrations and bureaucrats led to practices and pedagogies that focused on the data rather than the needs of the children.
