Looking at school change.

Since Socrates first sat on a log with his students, educators have sought to improve instruction and make education meaningful. The need for change has intensified in recent times in response to pressures created by a dynamic society. Modern reform efforts have addressed all aspects of school life, including teaching methods, instructional resources, organization of the school day, financial support and school governance. Innovations, however, frequently spark controversy. This seems especially true in contemporary society. The articles in this issue illustrate how today's schools are evolving in response to a changing society and explore how opposition to change is influencing reform efforts.

While transformation is always on the school agenda, the specifics of school change have altered radically in recent years. For example, 40 years ago the overhead projector was an innovation and 10 years ago a teacher huddled with students around a single computer was a technology pioneer. Today, banks of computers, multimedia devices and interactive technology are commonplace. A report by The National Center for Educational Statistics (1995) indicates that 75 percent of America's schools have computers with teleconference capabilities. The technology revolution has radically altered instructional patterns and relationships between students and teachers. Authoritative information from around the world is now available at the press of a button. Best of all, even young children are solving problems and interacting with information through advanced technology. Rather than merely serving as electronic workbooks, current innovations encourage students to create information and develop concepts.

The technological influence affects even classrooms without modern devices. The electronic revolution has changed children's expectations about how information is learned. Students now expect more involvement in learning and quicker access to material. Educators also realize that children unfamiliar with technology are at an academic and occupational disadvantage when compared with children accustomed to the modern array of electronic devices. Educators must find ways to compensate for these children's lack of resources and educational opportunities.

In this issue, Douglas Clements and Sudha Swaminathan document the evolving characteristics of the new, technology-based classroom in "Technology and School Change: New Lamps for Old?" Their article provides a window into the ways technology is influencing instruction, and illustrates how computers are enabling teachers and students to interact with information in ways inconceivable a decade ago.

School Restructuring

Relationships among teachers, students, administrators and parents are also evolving. For example, schools across the country are restructuring to create new professional alliances. The article by Michael Kelley and his colleagues from Scottsdale, Arizona, "Creating a Climate for Change: The Aztec Experience," offers an insider's view of the school restructuring process. One disheartening facet of change is the prevalence of controversy surrounding efforts to improve schools. When planning a new school, teachers, administrators and school board members in Scottsdale attempted to include all members of the community. Despite their efforts, the new school quickly became the focus of controversy and conflict. Ultimately, Aztec Elementary School became a success through cooperation and perseverance.

In another article, "Year-Round School: The Best Thing Since Sliced Bread," Elaine Warrick-Harris presents the positive results of thoughtful change. An assistant principal of a North Carolina elementary school, she describes her school's conversion from a traditional August-June schedule to a year-round schedule. Her experiences illustrate the benefits to be derived from thoughtful responses to societal and educational shifts. Children, teachers and families in this community have all benefited from the experiment. Their story should cause all readers to consider the advantages of a year-round school calendar.

Curriculum Changes

Despite positive intentions and thorough planning, resistance to change is commonplace. Obstructions to altering traditional practices are predictable, since even the least radical efforts require adjustments by many people. Romberg and Price (1983) say that any curricular change alters basic definitions that educators and the public have for work, knowledge and professionalism. Take, for example, the recent trend toward soliciting students' opinions about creating a curriculum. In "Voice of Inquiry: Possibility and Perspectives," Clint Wills provides a view of a classroom where children learn how to question and examine issues. While exploring topics with his 1st-grade researchers, Wills alters what constitutes legitimate work for his students and himself. Gone is the assumption that teachers' work means dispensing information through prepackaged instructional materials such as workbooks, skill-and-drill packets, published units and worksheets. Instead, teachers are posing questions, listening to students' thoughts and arbitrating their discussions. Work for students in Wills's room also is redefined. Legitimate labor becomes discussions, creating inquiry questions, conducting research, collaborating and reflecting on what is being learned. Similarly, knowledge becomes the ability to create questions and seek answers, rather than echoing preformed thoughts.

Wills's article presents a new image of the professional teacher: that of a person who creates curriculum with students, works cooperatively with children and colleagues and exemplifies what the often used term "life-long learner" really means. Thematic instruction, a popular education trend, can be structured in multiple ways. His preferred approach, inquiry, points toward an avenue for tapping students' natural curiosity in order to help them think creatively and to explore self-selected questions.

Resistance to Change

Redefined roles and expectations naturally lead to some people feeling uncomfortable or threatened. The history of education change is punctuated with controversy, derision and conflict. In his article, "Understanding Political-Religious Resistance and Pressure," Patrick Slattery encourages teachers to enter the dialogue associated with change. For too long, educators have followed the social dictum, "Don't discuss sex, religion or politics." Today's schools are involved in all three, and we can no longer afford the luxury of ignoring controversial issues. By involving ourselves and our students in discussion of important issues, the point of view of those most affected will be heard. Without our contribution, the discussion about school change will be framed by uninformed individuals who have the least to lose if reform efforts fail.

Slattery's article is a strong statement designed to raise issues and cause discussion among teachers. Readers are encouraged to share the article with colleagues and to engage in dialogue with other ACEI members about the points he makes. Should teachers become involved in controversy and debate with social critics who use education as a flash point for their own rhetorical purposes? What are the costs to us professionally and personally for remaining silent versus speaking out on the issues? These are not easy questions. They are, nevertheless, topics that must be addressed, since the overriding commonalty across the articles in this issue is that change is a part of the educational fabric. But with this change comes exposure to criticism and derision. It used to be that teachers could simply confine their energies to working with children in their classrooms. That is a luxury we may no longer be able to afford.

The theme of this issue, school change, reflects the evolution of contemporary schools. In every state and community, educators are transforming the education systems in response to a dynamic society. When the Publications Committee of ACEI chose the theme of this special issue, they identified an extensive list of possible article topics. Several volumes could be filled with articles related to school change; the five articles selected for this issue are representative. It is our hope that readers will find the articles to be informative and thought-provoking.

References

National Center for Education Statistics. (1995). Advanced telecommunications in U.S. public schools, K-12 (Publication No. NCES 95-731). Washington, DC: Author.

Romberg, T. A., & Price, G. G. (1983). Curriculum implementation and staff development as cultural change. In G. Griffin (Ed.), Staff development (pp. 154-184). Chicago, IL: National Society for the Study of Education, University of Chicago Press.

Carl Walley is a Professor of Education, Ashland University, Ashland, Ohio.