A Holistic Understanding of Teacher Attitudes Towards Curriculum Change: Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Theory Perspective

Abstract

Purpose: This study aimed to explore the underlying factors behind teachers’ self-efficacy for teaching, beliefs about teaching, and their readiness for change in understanding their attitudes towards the constructivist curriculum change in Türkiye through the lens of Bronfenbrenner’s ecological theory of education. Design/Methodology/Approach: The study employed a phenomenological approach to uncover teachers’ lived experiences concerning the factors influencing their attitudes towards the 2005 curriculum change in the Turkish education system. Twenty-one teachers from elementary, middle, and high schools were selected through maximum variation sampling. The data were collected through semi-structured, in-depth interviews, and analyzed using content analysis. Findings: Concerning Bronfenbrenner’s ecological framework, the findings resulted in the following themes: a) Teacher-related factors: Teacher characteristics, including their educational background, teaching experience, professional knowledge, skills, motivation, and emotional readiness. b) Micro-system and meso-system-related factors: K-12 school curricula, the involvement of students and parents, the physical and technological infrastructure of schools, the influence of school principals and colleagues in creating a supportive learning environment towards implementing the constructivist curriculum. c) Exo-system-related factors: Socio-cultural environment and mass media. d) Macro-system-related factors: The structural and operational challenges within the education system, the design and quality of professional development activities, the financial status of teachers and the inadequacy of the pre-service teacher education programs and practices, suggesting a pathway for enhancing overall teacher preparedness and support. Highlights: The study provides the key stakeholders, especially education policymakers, curriculum development experts, school principals, and teacher educators, with essential insights for developing an understanding of the ecology of curriculum change and adopting a non-linear, holistic, and comprehensive view of curriculum change implementation. More specifically, the in-depth exploration of the factors influencing teachers’ self-efficacy, general beliefs about teaching, and readiness for change call for those stakeholders to work collaboratively and develop effective strategies to support teachers, who are the curriculum makers and the agents of change, for a successful and sustainable curriculum change.