A systems thinking perspective on change processes in a Teacher Professional Development programme

Abstract

This article discusses the developing practice of Foundation Phase teachers involved in a three-year professional development programme. A number of substantive changes in practice were noted over this period and these changes were supported and maintained by the interaction of a number of different factors. The article takes a systems thinking perspective to formulate and analyse these changes and their interactions, as a complex system of change. This analysis enabled the identification of a number of closed loop interaction effects that supported and maintained the changes in practice. As well as providing insight into the particular change processes in this professional development programme, the article demonstrates the efficacy of this analytical perspective both for the analysis of the complex systems of change arising in professional development, and for the identification of processes and principles relevant to professional development programmes in general.