Educational Change Doesn't Come Easy: Lead Teachers' Work as Change Agents

Autor/inn/en	Meyer, Frauke; Slater-Brown, Kelly
Titel	Educational Change Doesn't Come Easy: Lead Teachers' Work as Change Agents
Quelle	In: Mathematics Education Research Journal, 34 (2022) 1, S.139-163 (25 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Zusatzinformation	ORCID (Meyer, Frauke)
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1033-2170
DOI	10.1007/s13394-020-00333-y
Schlagwörter	Educational Change; Change Agents; Foreign Countries; Mathematics Teachers; Faculty Development; Ability Grouping; Elementary School Teachers; Program Implementation; Teacher Leadership; New Zealand + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Bildungsreform; Ausland; Mathematics; Teacher; Teachers; Mathematik; Lehrer; Lehrerin; Lehrende; Homogene Gruppierung; Niveaugruppierung; Streaming; Elementary school; Grundschule; Volksschule; Lehrerfunktionsstelle; Neuseeland
Abstract	Despite research highlighting the negative impact of ability grouping on student outcomes in mathematics, the practice seems entrenched in New Zealand schools. The Ministry of Education launched a professional development initiative with the aim that mathematics lead teachers would drive change towards teaching in mixed-ability groups using a problem-solving pedagogy. Lead teachers were seen as uniquely positioned to promote change within schools. This study examined lead teachers' changes in their own practice and that affected in their schools following the initiative. The study used a problem-based methodology. Through careful, in-depth interviews with lead teachers from six primary schools, the researchers examined lead teachers' theories-of-action and the extent to which they were able to affect change. Findings showed different levels of change in lead teachers' own and their school's practice. Only two lead teachers made considerable changes in their own practice, and only one could fully incorporate mixed-ability grouping into school-wide practices. Analyses across the six cases revealed four factors impacting lead teachers' ability to affect change: positional authority, senior leadership support, expertise in content and pedagogy, and changing teacher beliefs to bring about change. The study concludes that while the notion of lead teachers implementing change through working closely with their colleagues seems exciting and promising, the conditions for teacher leadership to be effective need to be met. Furthermore, the case of this national initiative shows that shortcuts in professional development are ineffective, especially for a matter so disputed and entrenched as ability grouping in mathematics. (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01