Understanding what is meant by pedagogical renewal today, based on the transformative processes that are being carried out, poses a challenge, one that is even greater if the aim is to elucidate the pedagogical benchmarks and hallmarks of secondary schools. This article, which takes the form of a multiple case study, aims to bring to the fore…

School improvement has become a goal in many education systems globally, with the mantra of 'whole school change' adopted as key to achieving that goal. However, whole school change is complex and interpreted variously. In Australia, a case in point is the drive to lift literacy outcomes. Drawing on qualitative data from a study of literacy…

This case study, framed within a school-university partnership, highlights the tensions inherent to employing design-based approaches for educational change. The case illustrates core tensions between an abductive, open-ended, design-based approach to change versus more traditional (deductive/inductive) approaches to managing change in schools.…