The effects of performative techniques on teachers‟ classroom practices and professional values: Voices from EFL teachers in a private school in Vietnam

Tóm tắt

Adequate attention has not been given to exploring performative technologies in education in non-Western contexts like Vietnam, especially at a time when education is increasingly being redefined in the display of performances (Ball, 2003), and teachers represented by numbers and data (Lewis & Holloway, 2019). Employing ethno-case study with semi-structured interview, observation and document analysis as data collection methods, this study sheds light on the experiences of English as Foreign Language (EFL) teachers from a private secondary school in Vietnam, under the implementation of two new policies on learning standards and teacher standards. Findings reveal an intensification of performance-focused and data practices that reshaped school priorities, informed decisions and practices, and reconceptualized the ideal ‗teacher‘ image, acting as both a force of compliance and a representation of norms and values teachers can identify with. Overall, teachers generally appreciated the quality, objectivity, and fairness brought by the new standards and data-based practices, especially in contrast to their unfavorable experiences in the local education scene. However, they also highlighted the heavy toll on their physical and mental well-being from the increased workload, lack of control, heightened surveillance, and unrealistic expectations. Issues were also raised on the tension between teachers and management, as well as the faulty, questionable data practices, indicating a need for further critiques these new policy trends in the local context.