A Narrative Case Study Describing the Support Culture for the Change Process in a Small Parochial, Boarding Secondary School
type: CreativeWork
description: Problem. History acknowledges that change in education is difficult. Literature suggests that the educational system plays a critical role in individual school-change initiatives. Educators need to seek for better understanding of the influence that system issues have on the change process. This study describes a change process experienced by one small boarding school in a parochial school system. It describes the change process as experienced by teachers in the school, administrators at various systemic levels, and parents of students in the school. Their story brings greater understanding of how culture of the system impacts school change. Method. This research used a qualitative single-case design in order to gain insight from the experience of the educators connected to the school in order to achieve greater understanding of how a system reacts to a school making significant change. The case was a small boarding high school in the Northeastern United States. The school is a part of the Seventh-day Adventist system of education, which is the largest Protestant system in the world. Data were collected by interviews, focus groups, observation, and from documents. The data were analyzed for themes, connectedness, and constructions that did or did not intertwine, affirm, or conflict with each other. The stories were then retold in a chronological pattern describing the school‘s experiences from as many perspectives as possible. Results. The participants in this study described a system conflicted in its quest to maintain and improve on the quality of Adventist education. Five characteristics were revealed in the system as it related to the process of change. 1. The system tended to operate primarily from a well-established paradigm of holding schools accountable. 2. The system did not demonstrate a thorough understanding of what is known about change. 3. The system revealed that it lacked effective communication mechanisms and processes. 4. The system demonstrated so…
abstract: Problem. History acknowledges that change in education is difficult. Literature suggests that the educational system plays a critical role in individual school-change initiatives. Educators need to seek for better understanding of the influence that system issues have on the change process. This study describes a change process experienced by one small boarding school in a parochial school system. It describes the change process as experienced by teachers in the school, administrators at various systemic levels, and parents of students in the school. Their story brings greater understanding of how culture of the system impacts school change. Method. This research used a qualitative single-case design in order to gain insight from the experience of the educators connected to the school in order to achieve greater understanding of how a system reacts to a school making significant change. The case was a small boarding high school in the Northeastern United States. The school is a part of the Seventh-day Adventist system of education, which is the largest Protestant system in the world. Data were collected by interviews, focus groups, observation, and from documents. The data were analyzed for themes, connectedness, and constructions that did or did not intertwine, affirm, or conflict with each other. The stories were then retold in a chronological pattern describing the school‘s experiences from as many perspectives as possible. Results. The participants in this study described a system conflicted in its quest to maintain and improve on the quality of Adventist education. Five characteristics were revealed in the system as it related to the process of change. 1. The system tended to operate primarily from a well-established paradigm of holding schools accountable. 2. The system did not demonstrate a thorough understanding of what is known about change. 3. The system revealed that it lacked effective communication mechanisms and processes. 4. The system demonstrated so…
author: Rouse, Stanley M.
keywords: Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research, Other Education
date published: 2009-01-01T08:00:00Z
date modified: 2026-07-24T00:53:07Z
provider: Andrews University
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: Andrews University