5.2.3 Pressure
Where the level of pressure induced by learning was too high, respondents’
psychological health suffered. None of the respondents mentioned psychological
difficulties arising from exam pressures, which seems surprising given the evidence
relating to stress of academic pressure (e.g. Bandura, 1997, pp. 235-236). However,
several of the parents interviewed had experienced considerable stress managing
family and domestic responsibilities, demanding coursework and, sometimes,
employment as well. One respondent described feeling “split up into lots of bits”. This
level of pressure appears to be sustainable by the respondent and those around them
because everybody knows that it is a temporary state of affairs.
On the other hand one person had attended a private secondary school that was
extremely unpressurised and emphasised cooperation and individualism. She
describes the experience as “ not a good preparation ...for business life or fitting in ..
[or] group stuff”. Her account suggests that a certain amount of pressure and
competition is useful in the education of young people so that they become socialised
and able to deal with life in the real, competitive and pressurised world.
Assessment, whether it is through exams, assignments, or general feedback from
tutors, introduces the possibility of failure. Some respondents described feeling like
failures at school, and the negative impacts this had had upon their confidence and
aspirations throughout adulthood. Several of those who had fared poorly in
examinations felt that they did “not function well in exam” and consequently the
results were “a very unfair reflection” of their abilities.
This is only one side of the story. Many more respondents (possibly because it is
easier to talk about success than failure) recounted their achievements with pleasure
and pride. Positive outcomes of assessment built up and sustained self-esteem and
social confidence, increased well-being and spurred respondents on to further
education and/or employment. The impact was greatest where people felt that they
had made great strides forward, but what this reflected in terms of qualification levels
and forms of assessment varied from individual to individual.
The pace of learning, level of goal and type of feedback that suit one individual will
not necessarily suit others. We found that people who came to learning with low
levels of self-esteem, a restricted range of social contacts and poor psychological
health including recovery from mental health problems responded well to teaching
styles that were non-competitive and non-threatening, whilst more confident
individuals with more extended social links appeared to thrive under more pressure.
Some respondents described how, as they had become more confident, they had
enjoyed learning under increasing levels of pressure.
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