Institutional strategy to implement the change

Institutional heads were also asked to outline their strategy to implement the change initiative in their respective institutions and how they had taken the change forward was then explored.

This was an important aspect to cover because the management of change at the institutional level has to be beyond the development of policies and procedures and has to evolve personal strategies as: ‘to respond to, and seek to influence the impact of, structural and cultural change: personal change as well as organisational change’ (Bennett et al, 1992, p 2) is part of the role of leader in managing change.

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The study of the personal strategies of the head of institutions reflected their conception of change, their personal leadership style and also reflected the priorities in the system. Every respondent described their individual strategy and these covered a variety of practices but there were common elements across different respondents. These can be grouped into three major categories relating to the main common focus as given in the table 5.4 along with the number of responses indicating them:

Table 5.4 Categories indicating the institutional Strategy to implement the change

Category No of scripts evident in

Strategy focusing on teachers 17

Strategy focusing on students 15

Strategy focusing on resource and support 8

The basic focus of all strategies was better preparation for and adoption of change and for steering the institutional processes and the people to achieve a better performance in the new system. Therefore, these three categories relate to the same end but through different means.

Within each category, there are a host of ideas and a number of practices, which had been adopted in different institutions. It is important to make clear that these categories were not mutually exclusive but were ‘mixed and matched’ by different heads as the means of taking the change forward in their respective institutions.

Responses relating to a teacher focused approach referred to a number of practices through which teachers were supported and trained to cope with the change. These respondents saw teachers as being of pivotal significance in the process of change management and tried to ensure improvement in student learning by nurturing and capturing the potential of teachers as a key issue identified in the research literature as well (Oliver, 1996; Bush, 2008; Busher, 2006; Torres, 2000). The heads, who were inclined towards a teacher focused strategy, referred to a number of practices relating to training, guidance, mentoring, peer support, the provision of resource, and coordination of progress among colleagues and enhanced communication with the teachers. ‘Frequent meetings among the staff were organized so that

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they could share their ideas and coordinate the implementation’ (R1). Some of these commonly cited practices were:

Frequent meetings with and among the staff to share ideas and to coordinate progress

Internal training and workshops

Peer support

Group activities

Model lectures by senior members of staff

Observation of classes by experienced teachers and then the provision of feedback

Consultation of A levels books

Preparation of notes

Informal meetings among the teachers along with formal meetings

Increased departmental coordination

Advance preparation with head of the departments to predict possible problems and develop their solutions

Promotion of reflection among teachers

Strategies to improve motivation and morale

Enhanced and targeted communication with teachers about the positive aspects of the change in order to create acceptance for the change

Communication with teachers on their role in achieving the success of the change and expectations on them

Thus typical responses were: ‘So through observation and model lectures we arranged internal training for our teachers’ (R11) and ‘Our strategy is that we first of all involve the teachers’ (R14). These practices were used across different institutions with varying degrees of emphasis on different practices but the focus was on teacher development and the strategy revolved around equipping them through better preparation and development of understanding, knowledge and skills so they can address and take forward the change initiative.

As the whole education system converges on the learning of the students, they obviously are affected by any initiative to bring change in the education system. In the change initiative

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under study, students were directly targeted through changes in the curriculum and the examination system so some of the heads of institutions outlined a course of action in their strategy, which focused on students as well. Here, the emphasis was on those practices to involve students and to prepare them to adopt the changes introduced and to develop the understanding and skills required in the change programme.

Some common patterns in the approaches used with students, which emerged in discussions related to more practice on new tasks, targeted training, frequent testing and feedback, extra support for studies, enhancing motivation and seeking holistic development: ‘More tests have to be prepared for the students’ practice. Students should solve the papers and then teachers can judge what they had asked in the question and what the student has replied’ (R9). Some of the practices focusing on students cited by heads included:

Involvement in notes making

Motivational strategies to encourage students to read more

Practice through internal examinations

Training on specific aspects of curriculum

Exchange of question papers with other institutions to give more practice to students

Frequent tests

Increased feedback

Extra coaching after school time

Identification and working with students needing extra support

Promotion and encouragement for independent learning

Development of critical thinking and conceptual learning

Development of personal skills

The third category in the responses of the head teachers related to strategies focused on resourcing and provision of additional support for the implementation of the change initiative. The support in the form of resource materials, resource persons, guidance, information and improved communication among staff and between staff and management can prove to be facilitative in times of transition and implementation of change. Indeed Obara and Sloan (2009, p 363) stressed that, ‘without considerable attention to resources and

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training, the greater the change, the more likely it is that there will be conflicts and failure in the implementation of new policies’. The ideas found in this cluster referred to different practices of the heads of the institutions, which were in keeping with their personal preferences and priorities as well as the culture and requirements of their respective institutions. Some heads concentrated on upgrading the libraries with relevant books and materials to be used by teachers and students to improve their understanding and performance in the new system. ‘We devised the strategy that we have to have more books in the library.’

(R3). A few respondents provided resources in the shape of the collection of question papers from other institutions so that they could provide their students with more practice on the examination questions. Some other respondents mentioned preparing some teachers as resource persons for other teachers through seminars and workshops arranged by the Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education in order that ‘When these teachers came back from training they trained their colleagues’ (R19). Two respondents referred to arranging expert professional help to guide teachers in paper setting and some reported help from paper markers to provide guidance to teachers in marking and students in solving question on their examination papers. Another source of support sought by five respondents was from either their respective central board or the Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education with which they increased their communication to get guidance, clarifications of specific issues or training for their staff. Thus, one respondent indicated that:

‘We sought help and guidance from the Federal Board.’ (R10).

In short, principals indicated a number of strategies to prepare and develop the understanding and skills among the teachers and students. The strategies for teachers included focused training, consultation, increased communication among the staff, motivation building, support with teaching through peer support, teaching notes, model lectures, feedback and group activities. The students were supported with focused teaching to prepare them for assessment and to develop critical thinking, frequent testing with feedback, motivation enhancement, extra support and more involvement in discussions and notes making. The resource enhancement strategies focused provision of books, teaching notes, question papers for student practice, resource persons training and seeking more resource and training from central offices.

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