Assessment and Evaluation - Exploring their Principles and Purposes in Relation to Neoliberalism through a Social Studies Case Study

Oct 15, 2026

Assessment and evaluation examines standardized testing through a neoliberal lens, focusing on how accountability, choice, rankings, and external judgment shape teaching and student learning. The paper reviews critiques of standardized assessments, then applies principles of good assessment to analyze British Columbia’s Social Studies 11 exam, incorporating feedback from students and teachers. It concludes by proposing alternative assessment tools grounded in four educational philosophies and outlining how neoliberal reforms can intensify inequality and diminish professional teacher judgment.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages20

Reading Time50 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Setting the Broader Context: Neoliberalism and Standardized Testing

Performativity and its Dangers

Assessment and Evaluation: Exploring their Principles and Purposes in Relation to Neoliberalism through a Social Studies Case Study1 Catherine Broom University of British Columbia – Okanagan Abstract This paper begins with a discussion of Canadian and international work that has identified a number of shortcomings with standardized assessments, which are framed within neoliberal ideology. It then explores the principles of good assessment and applies them to an analysis of British Columbia’s standardized Social Studies 11 exam. It finds that the exam does not meet all of these criteria. This discussion includes the comments of British Columbian students and teachers on the exam. The paper concludes with a description of alternative assessment tools that are framed within four educational philosophies through which Social Studies can be understood. A broad philosophic movement is sweeping into education from an increasingly prominent business ideology, and it has consequences for student learning and teaching practice. In the first section of this paper, the history and impact of neoliberalism are described. This ideology is immersed in power relations and expressed in varied knowledge forms, such as media (Foucault, 2006; Orlowski, 2011) . After which, a case study exploration of a standardized exam in BC will be discussed. Setting the Broader Context: Neoliberalism and Standardized Testing Apple (2006) has written of a “power bloc [that] combines multiple fractions of capital who are committed to neo-liberal marketized solutions to educational problems”(p. 469) by using techniques such as accountability, choice, standardized testing, and public rankings of schools.2 He describes these as having negative results on students in both the United Kingdom and the United States; rather than focusing on student learning, schools aim to improve their school’s ranking by attempting to attract high achieving students and directing resources away from special needs students. Teachers teach to standardized, fact-based tests and so do not focus 1 This manuscript was accepted by the previous editor of CSS. 2 Neoliberalism is understood as a political ideology grounded in individualism, competition and free markets that is associated with globalization. Applying economic principles to education, it supports parental and student choice of schools, privatization, evaluating students using standardized assessments that test mostly factual recall, fostering competition through the public rating and ranking of schools, and forcing compliance through means such as accountability contracts and standards. It supports “human capital” development in schools. Much research evidence and theory argue for its damaging effects on student learning. See, for example, Mathison, Sandra and Wayne Ross (Eds.) . (2007) . Neoliberalism and education reform. Cresskill, NJ: Hampton Press and Orlowski, Paul.(2011) . Teaching about hegemony: Race, class, and democracy in the 21st Century. New York: Springer. on developing important abilities such as critical thinking; creative and innovative teaching practice declines. Inequalities in schools rise, as students have varying amounts of capital with which to negotiate the system. These reforms ignore the larger social factors that cause inequalities in the first place (such as poverty) . Government control through national standards and testing are a function of “a concern for external supervision, regulation, and external judgment of performance”(Apple, p. 478) that are undergirded by a devalued belief in the professional ability and judgment of the teacher. These critiques often draw on the work of theorists such as Foucault (1980, 2006) . Foucault (2006) writes of disciplinary power as having three tools: “hierarchical observation, normalizing judgment, and their combination in a procedure that is specific to it, the examination”(p. 120) . Observation relates to the ability to see what others are

FAQs

How does the paper connect neoliberalism to standardized assessment?

It describes neoliberalism as an ideology that applies market-style accountability to education, using standardized testing and public rankings that shape school behavior and student outcomes.

What does the analysis of British Columbia’s Social Studies 11 exam conclude?

The paper applies criteria for good assessment and finds the exam does not meet all of these criteria, supported by comments from students and teachers.

What role does performativity play in the impacts of standardized testing?

The paper explains performativity as control through visibility and standards, producing fear and uncertainty that drives superficial compliance and can sacrifice authentic judgment and commitment.

Oct 15, 2026

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