Who would help a teacher: A postmodern perspective on change in teaching in light of a school improvement project

The focus of my research is threefold. First, international trends on school improvement are analysed. The purpose of this analysis is to describe school as an open complex system and illustrate the post-modern perspective on understanding school change. Second, based on the data collected (N = 112) during the two-year school improvement project the change of teachers' epistemological orientations and the nature of collegiality are analysed. Third, the features of a good teaching methods development program are sought.

The qualitative analysis showed that teachers' epistemological orientations and the practices reflected by them changed in three ways: teaching moved from emphasising knowledge toward developing information processing skills, the role of the teacher changed from presenter to guide and facilitator, and pupils' responsibility for their own learning increased. Collegiality took the form of social support and discussions among the teachers. However, the teacher peer coaching was not properly realised due to a lack of time in school.

Three ways to help teachers to improve their teaching were recognised: (1) to help teachers see school as an open system and help them to understand the systemic nature of change, (2) to emphasise the meaning of the reflection of individual and collective epistemological orientations, and (3) to create the environment for collegiality and individualism to exist side by side. It also appears that the thinking and actions required to change teaching in schools should be based on non-linearity and one should expect the existence of the characteristics of chaotic order.