Planning For Educational Change

A valuable resource for educational change practitioners worldwide who are responsible at any level for the planning, implementation and monitoring of changes within an institution. >

Abstract: This textbook presents techniques and procedures for planning and implementing of plans in educational administration. The publication includes theoretical as well as practical information about human resources management in educational administration. Topics include: the planning process; putting plans into action; fiscal planning; participation and the planning process; group involvement and communication; task planning and coordination; decision making; reducing resistance through organizational development; and, planning for educational futures.

This work traces the link between teacher development and educational change. Each chapter expands on some aspect of teacher development and points to directions for reform and the improvement of practice. They draw upon work carried out in Canada, England and the United States.

Knowledge of the processes of educational change is said to be the missing ingredient in attempts to bring about educational innovation and reform. Whether these efforts involve grass roots innovation or large-scale societal reform, failure to understand and act on existing knowledge of the change process has accounted for the widespread lack of success in making educational improvements. This volume analyzes what is known about successful or productive change processes, and identifies corresponding action strategies at the individual, school, local and state levels. Included in this book is a major treatment of the topic of the 'ethics of planned change', a neglected topic in recent literature, especially since strategies for intervening in the change process are receiving more attention. This book is intended to be used by teachers in training and in service, teacher trainers, educational researchers, education historians and administrators.

In recent years teachers have realized that change has become a permanent factor on the educational scene and therefore its operation or mechanism must not just be accepted, or even rejected, but above all understood. This book presents an approach towards some real understanding of educational changes and innovations. A number of mechanisms and processes are discussed and analysed in an attempt to present some sort of overview of the agents involved in change, an analysis of the major characteristics of resisters and innovators, an account of the traits and functions of innovative institutions and a description of three particular models which delineate the way in which change occurs. In the final section of the text attention is given to some contemporary educational innovations, and some suggestions provided for dealing with problems involved in their evaluation.

Over the last few decades there have been attempts at planned educational change. The benefits have not equalled the cost. Fullan distils from these experiences lessons about how to cope with, and influence, educational change.