Why so many change efforts fail: using paradox theory as a lens to understand the complexity of educational change

ABSTRACT

Educational change often fails due to its complexity: differing, even contradictory factors, agents, goals, norms or beliefs are involved. Too often practitioners, researchers and educators try to reduce or even ignore tensions, paradoxes and uncertainties and search for clear procedures and the one and only best solution in achieving the foreseen change. In this article, we discuss a valuable theoretical framework from organizational science, paradox theory, to understand why many change efforts fail and how to enhance the effectiveness and sustainability of change. We propose that (1) educational change is characterized by complexity; (2) that change therefore is inherently associated with tensions and paradoxes; (3) that paradox theory can help to understand and improve complex educational change by 3a) providing a lens to recognize, label, and acknowledge paradoxes and their interactions and 3b) investigate how to handle these paradoxes to foster effective and sustainable educational change (i.e. to find a dynamic equilibrium). Based on these important lessons we propose a three-step model to investigate and improve educational change processes.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Lydia Schaap

Lydia Schaap is senior researcher (PhD) at HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht, Learning & Innovation Center. Her research focuses on leadership, complexity, organizational development and networks in educational change.

Kristin Vanlommel

Kristin Vanlommel is professor (PhD) at HU University of Applied Sciences Utercht, Learning & Innovation Center and visiting professor at University of Antwerp. Her research focuses on the role of evidence-informed working, networking, organization and policy in educational change.