A comparative historical analysis of three forms of collegiality: Teacher teaming, school-based management, and peer coaching as a response to school reform

Using the methodologies of comparative historical analysis, this study uncovered 4 major themes that explain why collegiality was used as a response to educational reform during the past 45 years. These were: the concern for the quality of American education, the increased governmental and political role in education, the changing landscape of American demographics and values, and the evolution of schools as centralized bureaucracies to decentralized professional organizations. In addition, four secondary themes were identified; the concern about the effects of teacher isolation, the influence of business on educational reform, the renewed focus on student achievement and accountability, and the debate about the importance of school culture and climate on educational outcomes. Analysis led to several observations and conclusions. During the past 45 years of educational reform, educators have been reacting mostly to issues and concerns presented by those outside of educational circles. Additionally, educators have experimented with many educational innovations, some of which grew into large reform movements, which indicates that educators were unable to identify effective practices for generalized use and to focus on implementing them. Because of their power to create change, society and cultural causal factors were able to drive the school reform agenda, and eventually overshadowed education's role. Government/political causal factors also took control of the reform agenda, frequently using national reports as their mouthpiece. Although economic and contingency causal factors were small in number, they contained several factors, such as Sputnik I and global competitiveness, both of which had enormous impact on the use of collegial practices as a response to reform.