Sunday 30 March 2014

Trust

Trust (image: http://www.sxc.hu/)
Image: freeimages

In December 2011, a scandal emerged from the exposure of corrupt practices by two senior examiners from an examination board (Newell, 2011; Orr, 2011; Watt, 2011), who were captured on video telling teachers at a paid-for seminar what subjects would appear on upcoming exam papers. The ensuing public outcry and reaction from government officials led to accusations that the whole exams system was compromised by profit motives (Garner, 2011), and even calls to abolish the exam boards and replace them with a single body.

What causes examiners, with such a degree of trust placed in them, to break with the values of the education system in this way? How badly eroded is the trust in our public education system? Was this an isolated incident, or was it just a flashpoint for a growing sense of discontent with education in our country?

Four years prior to this incident, Billington (2007) reviewed the literature on trust in public institutions, with a view to building an understanding of how to look at issues of trust within examinations and examination standards. Many public institutions appear to suffer from what is described as either a 'crisis of trust' or a 'culture of suspicion', characterised by an expressed lack of faith in the institution - although this does not always equate to a lack of trust in individual professionals within that system, particularly when there is an immediate need for their skill.

There are also distinct shifts in the way that institutions and members of the public relate to one another, largely relating to the impact of information and communications technology (Billington, 2007, p.2), which alter perceptions of and demands for equality. Professionals have access to increasingly powerful tools and knowledge designed for their use, whilst the general public also have access to a wider body of information - and misinformation. People often feel the need to gain a little control over professionals whose power affects their lives, and they will attempt to use any tools at their disposal to get a sense of equality. When there is a huge deal of accountability data available, members of the public may use this accountability as a substitute for trust, which can lead to negative consequences.

In the case of public examinations, the consequences have often been that schools gravitate towards exam boards that offer less demanding specifications. There was a significant move towards the International GCSE and International Baccalaureate qualifications without any formal recognition from government bodies, which seems indicative of an erosion of trust. Education scandals in previous years had already brought a higher public awareness of examination standards. There has also been an increased politicisation of education, with an apparent mismatch between the goals of the government and the exams watchdog QCA being at odds with one another. It seems then that the media coverage of the cheating examiners has sparked a strong response to a growing sentiment of suspicion.

The qualifications environment in England has become increasingly similar to one of a free market economy (Jones, 2011); language such as 'gold standard' and 'currency of qualifications' suggest by metaphor that our understanding of and behaviour towards qualifications is strongly shaped by market philosophy. Allowing market forces to enter an area of public service can affect perceptions of trust - Billington (2007, p. 6-7) mentions the medical profession as an example of public trust being undermined by suspicion about the motives of those who represent the profession. When qualifications are treated as currency, we risk losing sight of the real educational value - just as actual currency no longer has any real relation to a physical 'gold standard' any more.

I realise that I am starting to veer off to a new matter entirely, so I'll end this blog post here!

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