ABSTRACT
Educational change in the 21st century, particularly in the Global North, has in part been driven by a set of common assumptions, mainly, that whole systems change is possible when the accountability structure is aligned with measurable results. The predominately unidirectional nature of much of the recent systems change design has focused on mechanisms to close achievement gaps. In the Global South, systems change has focused on removing historic barriers in educational access and success and on interventions that address education equity and justice on a large scale. And there has been a call to address the power imbalance that exists in those inserting systems design and reform and the people who are to benefit from such development. Educational change is fundamentally about people at the center, individuals changing their practices to evolve systems to be responsive and innovative to present and future needs of the society.
