The Emergence, Reasons and Results of Resistance to Change in Teachers

Akdeniz R. K., Konaklı T.

International Journal on Lifelong Education and Leadership, vol.8, no.1, pp.49-67, 2022 (Peer-Reviewed Journal)

Abstract

This research aims to determine why teachers resist change, the ways they show resistance and the consequences of their behaviours and examine the recommendations of teachers and school administrators to prevent resistance and ensure efficiency in change practices. The sampling of the study, determined through the snowball sampling method and the phenomenological design in the qualitative research model, consists of 20 participants, including 10 school principals and 10 teachers in the study group. The data were collected through the interview technique and examined through content analysis. The themes that emerged from the research findings regarding why teachers resist change were personal and organisational perspectives. The personal perspective theme that emphasized the individual-based reasons against change practices included the subthemes: logic, benefit, concerns and living space. According to the results, the reasons for teachers to resist change stemmed from political considerations, school administration, and the school environment under the organisational perspective theme. Within the frame of these themes and subthemes, we defined that the teachers stood up to change in the active forms of resistance by giving voice directly and protesting and in passive forms of resistance by being silent, shying away from happenings both on an individual and group basis. Results show that resistance behaviours against change have consequences at the individual and organisational levels. The results also manifest that resistance to change affects teachers emotionally and professionally, and it influences the relationships between colleagues and the school environment at the organisational level. To eliminate the resistance to change, the participants suggested that the change should be logical, bring benefits to individuals, be clarified from anxiety-provoking elements, and provide a working process that regulates the living space. The participants also made recommendations for policymakers, school administration and the school environment to prevent resistance. The participant views revealed that the most prominent consideration in eliminating resistance to change in schools is closing the gaps in organisational factors beyond changing the personal perspectives toward change.