Teachers in transition: A journey of educational reform

Three teachers in different schools in a regional city in Queensland, Australia agreed to implement trial components of Education Queensland's assessment reform agenda (The Assessment and Reporting Framework, [Education Queensland, 2003]). During the nine-month data collection phase, teachers were already simultaneously implementing an array of mandated curriculum and pedagogical reforms. The purpose of this research project was to understand how individual teachers perceived and interpreted an educational reform, against the backdrop of multiple systemic reforms. While acknowledging the importance of teachers' pre-existing knowledge, the central objective was to focus upon changes made by individual teachers over time, and the impact of a systemic reform on their practice. Narrative case study was the selected methodology as teachers narrated their personal change journeys. The methods of data collection included in-depth semi-structured interviews and conversations, written personal documents and systemic documents associated with reform and assessment. The findings provide insights into the processes of change and teachers' sources of support.