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Nature of the subject
The nature of the subject matter has different effects in different departments on teachers‟ ability to bring about change in their practice. The Life Sciences teachers were positive about the changes in content in the new curriculum, recognised it as appropriate to boys and welcomed the opportunities it provided. Their efforts to empower their students by personalising the work is reciprocated in that the boys have provided positive feedback on the issues covered.
Bronwyn and Ineke draw two comparisons: the first with other schools‟ materials and the second with LO. They are sufficiently confident in their own innovative ability to be able to pass judgement on other schools attempts to implement reform by rehashing old notes. They also criticise LO for „throwing‟ impersonal material to the students (BK34). There were few disconvergent factors that constrain their ability to innovate.
Constraints
One difficulty for Bronwyn and Ineke in implementing the new curriculum is that they started without a benchmark9 or established personal norm against which to evaluate their practice. However, after the first year a baseline or norm had been established, they are able to see the wider picture and they find it easier to progress with enhancing their units of work. Working through units for the second time thus enables their reflective practice (Baggott la Velle 2003, p.197; Beetham & Sharpe 2007, p.7-8). Despite the drawbacks they face, most teachers anticipate that each year will bring further improvements. Bronwyn and Ineke are confident in what they are doing, yet see room for improvement, anticipating further adaptations in the following year.
However, there is one serious threat to their ability to implement the new curriculum and that is the curriculum itself.
Summary and preliminary findings: Bronwyn and Ineke
For Bronwyn and Ineke convergence is evident from the way in which they describe their experiences as well as the positive reaction that they report from their students. Factors that interact positively or converge are the opportunities that the curriculum provides; the focus on the individual needs of the students; their acknowledgment of their own learning; palpably harmonious and effective collegial relations; the nature of the subject in its ability to attract the interests of the boys; an alignment between teacher and student beliefs and attitudes; and the emergence of benchmarking through repetition and adjustment over time; access to resources and active pursuit of currency in such resources. The nature of the subject, their understanding of boys learning needs, access to resources and pursuit of currency in such resources have converged to enable a socio-constructivist pedagogical approach (Hokanson & Hooper 2000, p.543; Baggott la Velle et al 2003, p.190). Potentially negative factors are their initial self-doubt and getting bogged down, but these are acknowledged, addressed over time and consciously set aside. The workload is implied by their reference to the changes in different grades and to their getting bogged down but at no stage do Bronwyn and Ineke indicate an insurmountable load or an inability to cope with these factors. However, recent reversals in curriculum content threaten to undo much of what has been achieved. Although complexity cannot be illustrated, the result of the complex interactions, i.e. the effect of context can be illustrated as convergent and disconvergent factors as in Figure 4.1 and in the similar figures that follow for each of the next sections. Figure 4.1 illustrates the pattern of organisational factors that affect Bronwyn‟s and Ineke‟s practice. Convergent factors enable individual innovation and positive collegial relationships ensure mutual benefit across the department (double headed arrows). Positive outside influences are those which Ineke brought from her previous corporate environment and which have pervaded the department.
The single disconvergent factor, in this case a contradictory direction change in the curriculum, is represented by the red arrow. In the next section two pairs of teachers will provide differing perspectives from within the same subject area.
Chapter 1: Introduction and orientation to the study
1.1. Introduction
1.2.Background to the study
1.3.Statement of purpose
1.4. Research problem and objectives
1.5. Research question
1.6.Scope and context of the study
1.7.Research methodology, design and process
1.8.Ethical considerations
1.9.Limitations
1.10. Literature control
1.11. Definition of key concepts
1.12. Outline of the study
1.13. Summary of Chapter 1
Chapter 2: Review of the literature and conceptual framework
2.1. Introduction
2.2.Searching the literature
2.3.The integration of ICTs into the curriculum
2.4. Innovation theory
2.5.Change, reform and transformation
2.6.Complexity theory
2.7.Summary of the literature review
2.8.Towards a conceptual framework
2.9.Summary of Chapter 2
Chapter 3: Research methodology, design and process
3.1. Introduction
3.2. The research approach
3.3. Research methodology
3.4. Research design
3.5. Trustworthiness
3.6. Ethical considerations
3.7. Limitations
3.8.Summary of Chapter 3
Chapter 4: Findings: Organisational interactions and their effect on teachers’ practice
4.1. Introduction
4.2.The relationship between innovation and context
4.3.The school: Wilding College
4.4.Main themes identified in the analysis
4.5. How organisational interactions affect teachers’ practice
4.6.Summary of Chapter 4
Chapter 5: Findings: collegial and professional interactions and their effect on teachers’ practice
5.1. Introduction
5.2.Schools as professional learning communities
5.3.Formal networking structures
5.4. Collegial and professional relationships at Wilding College
5.5.Summary of Chapter 5
Chapter 6: Findings: ICT interactions and their effect on teachers’ ability to innovate
6.1. Introduction
6.2. Innovation and ICTs
6.3. ICTs and innovation at Wilding College
6.4.ICTs and innovation: introduction to the cases
6.5. Summary of Chapter 6
Chapter 7: Findings: School leadership and its effect on teachers’ ability to innovate
7.1. Introduction
7.2.ICTs, innovation and school leadership
7.3.School leadership and ICT management at Wilding College
7.4.ICTs, innovation and school leadership
7.5.Summary of Chapter 7
Chapter 8: Discussion of findings; conclusions and recommendations
8.1. Introduction
8.2.Synoptic overview of the study
8.3. Discussion of the findings from a theoretical perspective
8.4. Discussion of the findings from an empirical point of view
8.5. The effect of context on teachers’ ability to innovate with ICTs
8.6.Conclusions
8.7.Reflection
8.8.Recommendations
8.9.Limitations of the study
8.10. Conclusion
List of references
