Modeling change implementation behaviors: teachers’ affective and attitudinal reactions to change in Turkey

ABSTRACT

Theorizing on the Affective Events Theory this study aims at (1) exploring the relationships among trust, change-related positive and negative affect, commitment to change, and job satisfaction and, (2) investigating their impacts on the change implementation behaviors of teachers in the second-order educational change context. The study was designed as a correlational one and took place in 85 public schools randomly selected through stratified cluster sampling from 13 school districts in Ankara, Turkey. Structural Equation Modeling was used to analyze the data which were collected from a sample of 663 public school teachers. The results verified the superior role of trust in top management in shaping change-related reactions rather than work-related one and documented the unique roles of positive and negative change-related affect in constructing teachers’ change and work-related attitudes. The results also revealed that affective and attitudinal responses of change receivers are influential in predicting the degree of their change implementation behaviors. These findings indicate the need for building trust at both school and system levels while investing in positive change-related affect for more desired outcomes of educational change interventions.

Acknowledgments

• This work was supported by the Middle East Technical University-Scientific Research Projects Coordination Unit (BAP) (Project code: METU- BAP-07-03-2014-002).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Middle East Technical University-Scientific Research Projects Coordination Unit (BAP) [METU- BAP-07-03-2014-002].

Notes on contributors

Merve Zayim Kurtay

Merve Zayim Kurtay (PhD) works an adjunct instructor in the Department of Educational Sciences at the Middle East Technical University. She received her M.S and Ph.D. in Educational Administration and Planning at the Middle East Technical University and completed her postdoctoral studies in Vrije Universiteit Brussel. Her research interests cover organizational change, change-related attitudes and emotions, organizational trust, and academic leadership.

Yasar Kondakci

Yasar Kondakci (PhD) is a Professor in Educational Administration and Planning at the Middle East Technical University in the Department of Educational Science. His research focuses on organizational change, social justice in education and higher education. Dr. Kondakci is associate editor of two journal (1) the Research in Educational Administration and Leadership and (2) Educational Administration: Theory and Practice. Dr. Kondakci is still the Administrative Board Member of Turkish Educational Administration Research and Development Association.