ABSTRACT
The most important element of the supporting conditions is consistency between the changes and the culture into which they are introduced. This means ensuring that the values and practices of schools and systems do not exude characteristics that are incompatible with the changes. Many of the issues facing educators today are context-bound: they are not amenable to universal solutions. The case study demonstrates that educational systems and schools in the future must have cultures that eschew certainty and dogmatism. Most education systems operate through a model that constructs teachers as technicians whose job it is to implement plans, policies and products developed by others. A culture of research and inquiry represents a different way to think about the system and its approach to educational change and improvement. Since public schools exist in every local community and are accessible to all, they are microcosms of that community, reflecting a rich diversity of cultures and backgrounds.
