ABSTRACT
One of the central arguments of this book is that assessment can undermine, as well as encourage, learning. We saw in chapter five that, in order for the individual to compete in the labour market, assessment can become an end in itself: it is the result that counts – the quality of learning is irrelevant. In this chapter we will look at how accountability pressures to improve results can affect learning. The use of simple measures, such as test scores, to judge whether targets have been reached, is critical in this. Failure to reach them may bring both financial and professional consequences; the tests therefore become high-stakes, and results are everything.
