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Changing classroom practices: the role of school-wide capacity for sustainable improvement

Peter J.C. Sleegers (Department of Education, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands)
Eric E.J. Thoonen (Dutch Inspectorate of Education, Utrecht, The Netherlands)
Frans J. Oort (Research Institute of Child Development and Education, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands)
Thea T.D. Peetsma (Research Institute of Child Development and Education, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands)

Journal of Educational Administration

ISSN: 0957-8234

Article publication date: 29 July 2014

1943

Abstract

Purpose

Elementary schools have been confronted with large-scale educational reforms as strategies to improve the educational quality. While building school-wide capacity for improvement is considered critical for changing teachers’ classroom practices, there is still little empirical evidence for link between enhanced school capacity for improvement and instructional change. In this study, the authors examined the impact of school improvement capacity on changes in teachers’ classroom practices over a period of time. Leadership practices, school organizational conditions, teacher motivation and teacher learning were used to measure school-wide capacity for improvement. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

Mixed-model analysis of longitudinal data over a four years (2005-2008) period of time from 862 teachers of 32 Dutch elementary schools were used to test the impact of school improvement capacity on changing teachers’ instructional practices.

Findings

The results showed that organizational-level conditions and teacher-level conditions play an important, but different role in changing teachers’ classroom practices. Whereas teacher factors mainly affect changes in teachers’ classroom practices, organizational factors are of significant importance to enhance teacher motivation and teacher learning.

Research limitations/implications

More longitudinal research is needed to gain better insight into the opportunities and limits of building school-wide capacity to stimulate instructional change.

Practical implications

By encouraging teachers to question their own beliefs, facilitating opportunities for teachers to work together to solve problems, and through the promotion of shared decision making, school leaders can reinforce the personal and social identification of teachers with the organization. As a consequence, teachers will feel increasingly committed and are more willing to change their classroom practices. Additionally, school leaders can use the findings from this study and the related instrument as a tool for school self-evaluation.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to a deeper understanding of the nature of changes in conditions for school improvement and its influence on changes in teachers’ instructional practices over a period of time.

Keywords

Citation

J.C. Sleegers, P., E.J. Thoonen, E., J. Oort, F. and T.D. Peetsma, T. (2014), "Changing classroom practices: the role of school-wide capacity for sustainable improvement", Journal of Educational Administration, Vol. 52 No. 5, pp. 617-652. https://doi.org/10.1108/JEA-11-2013-0126

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2014, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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