What Makes a Change Unsuccessful through the Eyes of Teachers

Abstract

Over the past two decades, Turkey has initiated a reform movement to change her classroom assessment system to accommodate performance-based alternative assessment methods in schools. However, research investigating the impact of assessment reform on learning and teaching in schools report that performance assessment approaches have not been implemented effectively. This study investigated the teacher related factors behind the adoption decisions of teachers of these changes introduced. Data for the study were collected through interviews with 53 biology teachers in 24 schools. According to the findings, teachers' lack of self-agency, superficial understanding of the ideas introduced, mistrust that the innovations will work in practice, skepticism about the need for a change and inadequate knowledge and abilities as a result of ineffective dissemination and professional guidance were the main factors affecting the success of the reform. Suggestions to overcome barriers to reform and implications of the findings in managing change are presented and discussed at the end of the paper.

Accident sites management using drones

“…The transportation of dangerous substances by water, land and air is regulated at European Union level by major accident hazards based on Directive 2012/18 / EU of the European Parliament and based on the Council Directive of 4 July 2012 [6]. According to world statistics, the transport of dangerous chemicals, estimated at 4 billion of tons annually, only on the road, poses a high risk of hazard because of the diversity of the chemical substances transported [7].…”

Taking the sting out of assessment: The experiences of trainee teachers experimenting with innovative alternative performance assessment in the History classroom

“…Since the late 1980s performance assessment as an alternative type of formative assessment has increasingly been drawing more attention in the literature whenever classroom-assessment was at issue (Killen, 2007;Moskal, 2003;Wilson & Wineburg,1993). A reason for this growing interest can be ascribed to its potential to improve student learning and achievement in developing critical abilities such as critical thinking, inquiry, communication and collaboration (Cimer, 2018;Stosich et al, 2018;Kubiszyn & Borich, 2010). In most cases the development of these abilities is poorly measured during traditional (summative) assessment practices where the emphasis is on the memorising of content knowledge.…”

“…Alternative performance assessment strategies are grounded in a socialconstructivist research paradigm (Cimer, 2018;Sardareh & Saad, 2012;Janisch et al, 2007) as they provide opportunities for collaborative and engaging learning where learners are given the chance to demonstrate what they know and to use their prior knowledge and skills to do further investigation and problem solving (Haun, 2018). It also fits within the framework of dialogue theory which values ethical communication and respect for individual dignity; involves participants in conversation and problem-solving; and encourages sharing and reaching mutual understanding (Taylor & Kent, 2014;Rule, 2011).…”