Teachers as educational change agents: what do we currently know? findings from a systematic review

Chris Brown,Robert White,Anthony Kelly

doi:10.35241/emeraldopenres.14385.1

Chris Brown, Robert White + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.35241/emeraldopenres.14385.1

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Abstract

Change agents are individuals who can successfully transform aspects of how organisations operate. In education, teachers as change agents are increasingly seen as vital to the successful operation of schools and self-improving school systems. To date, however, there has been no systematic investigation of the nature and role of teacher change agents. To address this knowledge gap, we undertook a systematic review into five key areas regarding teachers as change agents. After reviewing 70 outputs we found that current literature predominantly positions teacher change agents as the deliverers of top-down change, with the possibility of bottom-up educational reform currently neglected.

Highlights

The term ‘change agent’ refers to those individuals, whether either inside or outside an organization, who possess the capacity or opportunity to successfully transform aspects of how that organisation operates (Fullan, 1993; Fullan, 2011)
In keeping with the best practice suggestions made by Gough et al (2012), these syntheses were presented to the three school leaders and two academic experts to check the face validity and level of practical use of our findings
If school leaders or policy-makers wish to pursue a top-down approach to change in their school or school system, this review can only offer promising ideas on who might make the most effective ‘top down’ change agents and how best these change agents can be supported to ensure that the desired change materialises

Summary

Introduction

The term ‘change agent’ refers to those individuals, whether either inside or outside an organization, who possess the capacity or opportunity to successfully transform aspects of how that organisation operates (Fullan, 1993; Fullan, 2011). In ‘self-improving’ school systems, such as England, Ontario and New South Wales, improvements in pupil outcomes are positioned as occurring when teachers mobilise innovations, practices, perspectives and ideas (collectively described as ‘new ways of working’) amongst colleagues (Ainscow, 2014; Greany & Higham, 2018; Hargreaves, 2010, Hargreaves, 2012). As these new ways of working are adopted, the attitudes and practices of teachers and other practitioners change, ideally resulting in improvements in pupil outcomes (Earley & Greany, 2017). When such improvement occurs in disadvantaged areas, it can lead to reductions in the gap in education outcomes between students from the most and least affluent families (Brown, 2020; Butler & Schneller, 2012)

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