College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Term of Award

Summer 2026

Degree Name

Doctor of Education in Curriculum Studies (Ed.D.)

Document Type and Release Option

Dissertation (open access)

Copyright Statement / License for Reuse

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Department

Department of Curriculum, Foundations, and Reading

Committee Chair

Daniel Chapman

Committee Member 1

Marla Morris

Committee Member 2

John Weaver

Committee Member 3

Julie Garlen

Abstract

This study looks at how elementary students experience Standardized Testing, focusing on the emotional and physical effects of the Georgia Milestones Assessment System (GMAS). Most research on high-stakes testing focuses on scores, accountability, and policy, but fewer studies look at how students actually describe these experiences. Grounded in Cultural Studies and informed by Critical Pedagogy, this study examines how students interpret and make meaning of their testing experiences within the broader culture of accountability and standardized assessment. This study focuses on student voices to better understand what testing feels like for them and how they make sense of it in their own words.

A qualitative approach guided the work. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 36 fourth- and fifth-grade students at one elementary school in Georgia. The questions asked students to describe what testing was like for them before it began, while they were taking it, and after it ended. Students spoke about their emotions, what they noticed in their bodies, and what they did to get through the experience. Common ideas across the interviews were identified, and those ideas were later shaped into an ethnodrama so that students’ own words remained central.

Students frequently reported feeling nervous before tests, especially when they did not know what to expect or were worried about how they might perform. During the test, time limits and the pressure of seeing how quickly others finished often added pressure. Several students mentioned physical feelings such as restlessness or extra nervous energy. To deal with this, they described quiet strategies like talking themselves through questions or making small movements to stay focused. Once testing was over, many reported feeling relief, though some continued to reflect on their performance or compare themselves to others.

These results indicate that standardized testing is not only an academic task but also an emotional and social experience for students. By focusing on students’ voices, this study shows what testing feels like for them in real classroom settings. The use of ethnodrama further demonstrates the value of arts-based research in making student experiences visible, engaging, and meaningful for educators, researchers, and policymakers.

Research Data and Supplementary Material

No

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