A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

Systemic Reform: Perspectives on Personalizing Education - September 1994

People: The Most Important Element In Change

The baseline for any change is working with people who will put plans into operation; people who will lead, support, and act as resources; and people who will act as catalysts and energizers. Early research recognized the necessity of people, but it took a long time to define what that recognition really meant to change, itself.

One obvious meaning is that people are different and will respond to change in different ways -- some will quickly become involved, some will resist, some will perhaps never engage themselves in the process. Another element that becomes obvious is that teachers, usually the objects of change, are historically independent craftspersons who often work in isolation and who place great value on the practical outcomes of their work (Huberman, 1983). Finally, research shows that, given these variables, the more contact that occurs, especially one-to-one supportive contact (Hall & Hord, 1987) and group problem solving or process analysis discussions (Miles, 1992), the more likely it becomes that these independent individuals will take on the change.

Fullan (1991) asserts that an individual's involvement with and commitment to change is motivated largely by an individual's subjective understanding of the meaning of change. Within this subjective reality, individuals have to decide "what's in it for them" and how they will deal with this new opportunity. It is the transformation of subjective realities, or the establishment of a new meaning or relationship to the change, that is the essence of any substantive change process (Fullan, 1991).

Sometimes subjective meaning can be mediated by dealing with the objective reality of the change (i.e., what the change really is, how it relates to current practice, and what its effects will be). This is Fullan's second factor related to meaning. On the one hand, there is the individual and his or her personal being; on the other hand is his or her professional life and responsibilities. Somewhere within this framework, change lives or dies.

Teachers are very concerned about what might be called a practicality ethic (Huberman, 1983). Objectively, a change has to have practical outcomes for them and for their students. A change also has to be sound, not superficial; be clear in its goals and procedures; have a role within the organizational status quo that will lend it long-term support and ongoing clarification; and finally, change has to be valued by the organization and by the teachers within that organization. Many teachers feel "burned" by putting effort into changes that were short-lived, not valued, not clear when implemented in the classroom, and not practical for students. Such negative experiences reinforce the subjective reality that change is not worthwhile.

Learning-related Actions

In this context, it makes sense that schools use assessment as an area around which to focus a number of learning-related actions, which can in turn contribute to future innovations. What can teachers learn about talking to each other about assessments? What kinds of assessments work best for them? What do students think about assessment? How can commitment to experimentation be encouraged? Group dynamics focused on problem solving and implementing solutions can help clarify how teachers will approach change; and the dynamics of the group also go a long way toward developing consensus around the value of change within the organization.

The Need for Information

In the early stages of response to change, there is a need for information about how the innovation will affect individuals personally (self); later, individuals need both time to practice the change even as they manage it (task); and finally, individuals will be interested in refining what they are doing to better meet the needs of their students (impact). These change-related concerns describe the process that teachers go through as they take on something new. Individuals will go through these stages at different rates, but facilitators can use certain guidelines for the kind of information and support individuals or groups will need at different points in time.

The Need for Leadership

First of all, change requires leaders -- those who keep up the pressure and provide visible sanction for what is happening; and change also requires support in terms of policy and funding. The research makes it clear that district, board, and school administrators are the main determinants of whether or not change gets implemented. Without their continued and highly visible support, change has little chance to succeed. Leaders may or may not be facilitators; however, they must be communicators who are committed to the goals of the change and demonstrate the sincerity of their intentions to all members of the system. Their experience can guide those who are more conservative in their response to change and who want to see more concretely what the change is all about.

These leadership and support functions of change illustrate Fullan's (1985) idea of pressure and support as one necessary ingredient to a change process. Without a certain amount of pressure nothing happens, nor will anything happen without support to tailor change to the needs of individuals and individual contexts.


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[Change Has Changed: Implications for Implementation of Assessments from the Organizational Change Literature] [Table of Contents] [Practices: Need, Complexity, Clarity, Quality, Practicality]