This study explored, described and attempted to understand the
process of change by examining the conversion to school-based
management in two Western Canadian public school districts. The
study sought to determine where, when, how and why the main actors
and factors initiated and provided impetus to the change to school-based
management. The emergence of these questions was based on a
review of the literature on educational change, school improvement
efforts and the change to decentralized decision-making. The
literature indicates not only a need to explain the causes of change
but also a need to determine ways to influence those causes, to
change our planning processes and to produce better planners and
implementers.
A case study method was utilized with interviews of 43 persons
to obtain their perceptions. The sample represented seven levels of
district organizational structure: classroom teachers, school
principals, central office staff, superintendent(s) , assistant/
associate superintendent(s), trustees, and local teachers'
association representatives in each district. Other data sources
included district documents and the researcher's field notes.
The data were first analyzed descriptively by using Fullan's
three phases of the change process: initiation, implementation, and
continuation (including perceived outcomes) . A comparative analysis
of the data was then undertaken between the two school districts.
Finally, an interpretive analysis was undertaken in relation to the
current literature on change in education. The main findings are the existence of the following:
1. two subphases of adoption (pre-adoption and formal adoption).
Although the literature suggests possible subphases of adoption, this
study acknowledges two such subphases.
2. two subphases of implementation (pre-implementation and formal
implementation). As with adoption, the literature refers to the
possible existence of subphases; however, this study identifies two
such subphases.
3. three subphases of continuation (outcome determination
processes or mechanisms, identification of outcomes and outcome
review). The literature makes reference only to the broad phase of
continuation with no reference to subphases. It is interesting to
note that the study identifies three main sub-activities or subphases
characterizing continuation.
4. four process change variables, each encompassing a number of
interactive factors which guide the change process through the three
broad phases of change. These process change variables are sources
of the initiative, attributes of the initiative, support gathering
and context. Again, the literature refers to the cause of change;
however, it is interesting to note that certain variables work to
influence the causes of change.
5. a management cycle which provided, within the context of
continuation, a process for achieving desired school and/or district
outcomes. Implicit in the cycle are critical elements for school
improvement such as strategic planning, monitoring and review of
progress (outcomes), budget planning and resource management. The literature identifies the importance of monitoring results
(outcomes) and the importance of change; however, the existence of a
cycle of such events during continuation appears novel.
6. a revised model of change in education which offers a
modification to that of Fullan and others. This model serves to
outline the influences contributing to the change process in general
and leads to a revised model of change in education.
A number of recommendations based on the findings and
conclusions are made. Those addressed to practitioners suggest they
should utilize a pilot test to determine the quality of the
initiative and it should be held concurrently with preparation of
district and school personnel, develop a "blueprint" and/or
"template" (vision) for production of an initiative; and establish
a management cycle for procuring data on the initiative' s performance
in order to compare the outcomes to the original goals for change.
The remaining recommendations are addressed to those who would
do further research which confirms the change process variables and
the clusters of factors associated with each.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:BVAU.2429/8841 |
| Date | 05 1900 |
| Creators | Ozembloski, Lloyd William |
| Source Sets | Library and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Relation | UBC Retrospective Theses Digitization Project [http://www.library.ubc.ca/archives/retro_theses/] |
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