Teaching for the test: Social studies student teacher perceptions and enactment of high stakes performance assessments

This qualitative, multi-case study explores student teacher perceptions and enactment (Ball, Maguire, & Braun, 2012) during preservice teacher preparation. This study elucidates the perceptions and teaching enactment of three secondary social studies student teachers for their Danielson Framework-based observations and evaluations and edTPA portfolio assessments. I first tell their stories of evaluation in the context of student teaching, detailing their unique attitudes, experiences, and settings. Following these case descriptions, I discuss the results of a cross-case analysis of student teacher enactments of teaching throughout the semester using the framework of rubricization (Maslow, 1948). Finally, inspired by the participants’ descriptions of “staged” practice for Danielson observations or edTPA, I consider the enactment of evaluation policy through the lens of performativity (Ball, 2003; Butler, 1990). This study illuminates the complex and dynamic negotiation of preservice teacher learning about teacher evaluation during the student teaching semester