Which barriers and what resources can be identified in current efforts to reform ways of teaching and learning in schools? Using a case study approach this presentation describes the insights of a former university professor who had recently moved to a senior government position. Data analysis identifies several barriers to current reform efforts (e.g., rapid political changes or objections of teachers' unions) and several resources that can assist such efforts (e.g., despair of current state of schools or remnants from previous reforms). The presentation will present a plan for reform that would take these insights into consideration..

For the past 12 years I have been a University faculty member. The focus of my work has been in changing schools from using approaches that highlight transmission of information and rote learning to approaches that highlight knowledge construction, deep understanding and the development of students' higher order thinking abilities (e.g.,  Bruer, 1993; Bransford, Brown & Cocking, 2000;  Author, 1996; 2004; Kuhn, 2006) . A few months ago I accepted a government position entailing responsibility for policy making, for curriculum and for teaching and learning in k-12 classrooms. A critical incentive in accepting this role was the belief that the current state of pedagogy throughout the national school system leaves considerable room for improvement because many classrooms are still taught in what is basically a transmission of knowledge way of teaching. A contribution to moving the system towards a more constructivist approach highlighting student-centered teaching and learning with an emphasis on understanding and higher order thinking seemed like a worthwhile goal to strive for.

I have always known about the problems of introducing changes to the whole system with its cumbersome administration and bureaucracy. However, during the first few months in the Ministry of Education I gained new insights about the inner- working of such changes. On the one hand, the factors that hinder possible progress became clearer than before. On the other hand, I learned about resources of which I was previously unaware that can make considerable shortcuts in moving things forward.

The goal of this presentation is to share these insights by addressing two questions: 1. Which barriers and what resources can be identified in current efforts to reform ways of teaching and learning in schools? 2.  How should these barriers and resources affect the design of current reforms? Using a case-study methodology, data collection is based on numerous conversations with key people in the Ministry and on the analysis of written documents. Findings will address the following factors:

A. Factors that hinder possible progress

1. The average life span of the local government  has been less than two years.  Implementing the educational goals described earlier is a long term process, longer than the longevity of most governments. In the mid 90's of the previous century the Ministry had adopted similar goals to the ones described earlier. However, when the government had been replaced towards the end of the century, the educational policy had changed once again to "Back to Basics". Following this sequence of events programs which were developed in the 90's were discontinue (e.g., developing literacy throughout the school disciplines, or developing qualitative, school-based assessment as part of the final matriculation score).


2. Top administrators often do not understand the deep goals of pedagogies of knowledge construction, nor do they understand the means to achieve these goals. Politicians and leading administrators need short-term outcomes. Long –term outcomes (that may not bear fruit during the period of the current administration) are often not popular and are conceived as not worth investing in.  The resources required for deep pedagogical changes tend to be viewed as interfering with running the system efficiently.


3. An analysis of previous reforms point to two additional barriers. The first was teachers' unions who in the past had vetoed a reform as part of a campaign for pay raise. Their argument was that the additional work involved in reform pedagogies, particularly in implementing methods of alternative assessment requires additional pay. The second barrier was posed by institutions of higher education who had objected to incorporating methods of alternative assessment on the grounds that it would compromise the psychometric soundness of the matriculation exams (which serve as entrance exams for higher education).

Resources for enhancing change

On the positive side, there are several factors that may help current reforms:

1. Despite the fact that the transmission of knowledge approach is predominant in the school system, there are numerous instances in which innovative instructional approach has already been implemented. These "islands" of pedagogical expertise exist on all levels: individual teachers, special programs (often developed by universities) in specific school subjects, projects that take place in schools (e.g. several schools that adopted an inquiry approach), professional development programs, or even innovative components in the matriculation exam in several subjects (e.g., adding higher order questions or a requirement for students' portfolio as part of the matriculation examination).  These "islands" of pedagogical expertise can serve as models and provide professional resources for wider implementation.


2. A voice expressing general dissatisfaction from existing ways of teaching and learning is not uncommon in journal articles, in the media, and in conversations with teachers. One voice expressing dissatisfaction formulates the idea that in this day and age (i.e., the information age) students must be equipped with tools for acquiring new knowledge rather than with large amounts of information. A second voice (expressed by teachers and principles) criticizes the requirements of the curricula to cover large amounts of information which do not allow time for more meaningful learning. This type of dissatisfaction prepares the grounds for change.


3. Following the reforms that had begun in previous administrations, teachers, principles and parents had already encountered reform ideas in the past. Such familiarity creates readiness for the implementation of reform ways of teaching and learning on a wide scale. 


4. Surprisingly, funding does not seem to be the major obstacle for change. There are ample opportunities for change within existing budgets. In additional it seems that additional resources for changing schools can be found.

The presentation will present a plan for reform that would take these insights into consideration. The plan addresses simultaneous changes in teachers' professional development, in assessment and in curricula, combining a bottom up and a top down approaches. Opportunities and potential difficulties in the way to realizing that plan will be discussed.