How teachers of one school experienced concurrent changes /
The purpose of this inquiry was to examine how teachers
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Thesis Book |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
[Place of publication not identified] :
[publisher not identified] ;
1996.
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://proxy.library.tamu.edu/login?url=http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=743149081&sid=1&Fmt=2&clientId=2945&RQT=309&VName=PQD |
| Summary: | The purpose of this inquiry was to examine how teachers articulated their experiences when they were confronted with multiple/simultaneous changes. Changes must be assimilated, rejected or modified by teachers to fit into their worlds of understanding. Teachers of one school were interviewed over the course of one school year during which several significant changes were taking place. Initial interviewees were selected through purposeful random sampling as key informants had yet to be identified. The interviews began with grand tour type questions, but became more focused as themes began to emerge from the data. Toward the end of the study, and even into the next school year, focus groups were utilized to confirm or disconfirm emergent themes. These groups usually took the form of interdisciplinary teams, but some were selected due to the content of the members' previous interviews. Themes emerged that challenge conventional notions of the change process. Two of these were the role of the principal and the influence of interdisciplinary academic teaming on the change process. Though the principal at the school studied did everything right, according to research on facilitating change, in the end he failed as a leader. It was not his methods, however that let him down, it was that the teachers just didn't like him. He offended some of them with his bravado and after that his obvious professional knowledge did him little good. Lack of likability overshadowed good works. The other theme that challenged conventional notions was the teaming of teachers at a time of change. Research on change had been done, primarily, with individual teachers. Steps that teachers go through while accommodating change had been well documented. These teachers, however, accommodated multiple changes, seemingly, with ease and facility. They said that the teaming let them do things faster, better, and with less stress. As further change in education seems inevitable, more research in this area could serve to inform administrators, school boards, and state boards of the value of teaming and mutual planning time for teachers. |
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| Item Description: | Vita. "Major Subject: Curriculum and Instruction". |
| Physical Description: | ix, 149 leaves : illustrations ; 28 cm. Issued also on microfiche from University Microfilms Inc. |
| Bibliography: | Includes bibliographical references. |