Why “change for improvement”?
In reading this chapter, it is important to note that this is a contentious area. There is little agreement about change management and even less about how to get to sustainable change. The ideas presented in this chapter represent aspects of our current state of knowledge and may not always appear to be compatible. It is important to approach them critically, bringing your own knowledge, theories, and experiences to their analysis.
“Change” is a constant in today’s world; certainty is a thing of the past. In the face of such relentless change, Stoll et al. (2003) argue that “the agenda for reform must be redirected towards the essential purpose of education: learning – learning to create, solve problems, think critically, unlearn and relearn, and to care about others and the environment” (page 18).
Learning is not just for students but for all people at all levels of the education system. Educators must “learn how to change in order to help our pupils to learn to deal with change” (Stoll et al., 2003, page 20). As this quote implies, it is not enough just to learn. Learning must lead to change; that is, it must be enacted in practice and directed towards improvement. However, we cannot assume that because we have learned something new and put it into practice, it has resulted in improvement. The change has to result in improved outcomes that can be seen and measured. Specifically, it must result in improved outcomes for students.
The challenge is to build on the strengths which already exist in New Zealand schooling, so that there is rapid improvement for students who are not achieving, and continued improvement for high and average achievers.
Ministry of Education, 2005, page
Change for improvement is complex. It draws together theories about both learning and change and requires the development of a system-wide culture of inquiry focused on raising student outcomes through making evidence-based decisions about practice.
Learning, in the final analysis, is change. It is a sophisticated process that requires high-level thinking, conceptual understanding and thoughtful decision-making, liberally peppered with reserving judgement, self-monitoring and the humility and courage to accept the discomfort of uncertainty, reflect and rethink, and continue the pursuit of clarity in understanding.
Stoll et al., 2003, page 41
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