What is the alternative to high stakes tests and top-down accountability measures that tell us very little about the quality of a student, teacher, or school? Gergen and Gill offer a provocative answer: relational accountability rooted in collaborative inquiry. Beyond the Tyranny of Testing is full of exciting ideas that have the potential to transform education.
Kenneth J. Gergen is Senior Research Professor in Psychology at Swarthmore College and the President of the Taos Institute. He is internationally known for his contributions to social constructionist theory, technology and cultural change, the self, and relational practices. His major writings include Realities and Relationships: Soundings in Social Construction,The Saturated Self: Dilemmas of Identity in Contemporary Life, and Relational Being: Beyond Self and Community. Gergen lectures throughout the world and has received numerous awards for his work, including honorary degrees in both the U.S. and Europe.
Scherto R. Gill is Senior Fellow at the GHFP Peace Research Institute, Visiting Fellow at the University of Sussex, and Fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts (FRSA). Through research, international project development, and writing, she actively explores ways to foster practices of transformative dialogue, the ethics of caring, whole person development, and global peace. Her most recent books include Ethical Education: Towards an Ecology of Human Development,Human-Centered Education: A Handbook and Practical Guide, and Education as Humanisation.