A case study of teachers' perceptions in a culture of change

The purpose of this research is to examine the effects of ongoing educational change that has occurred at a particular school. It attempts to identify the thoughts of teachers as they work within this culture of change and link them to the literature on what change looks like from the position of teaching. Unless the experience of teaching is considered from the perspective of teachers, educational change could become professional rhetoric.

The research seeks to understand why some educational changes are perceived by teachers as being more effective than others in improving the teaching – learning interface at a particular secondary college. It explores why the staff have been influenced or not by the ongoing educational change over the past five years.

In designing research to respond to teacher’s perceptions, an interpretive paradigm using ethnographic and case study principles was used. The following research questions emerged to focus the research: - What influences have produced a change in the way teachers do things at the teaching – learning interface?
- What factors made the changes difficult or easy to implement?
- What contributed to or detracted from the personal motivation and energy of teachers to participate in the change process?
- How have teachers been able to manage the time available for change?
- What are some of the ways teachers have changed their thinking and doing with regards to teaching and learning?
- What is the nature of relationships that have influenced the teacher to change?

The study concluded that the successful implementation of continual renewal of what we do in the classroom comes from within the community and from the individual and not by the hierarchical passing down of rules and regulations. Moreover it is concluded that, for successful educational change, the staff and college need a clearly articulated and agreed focus and vision for what they are doing.

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