Teacher reaction to innovation: a case study in a South African setting

The reaction of teachers to an innovation, the Science Education Project in South Africa, has been analysed by considering the demands made on them in their roles of subject specialist, classroom director, professional and employee. The Science Education Project relies on phased, ongoing inservice work, incorporating courses, on‐site teacher support and teacher groups, to achieve its purposes of encouraging teacher growth and hence more active, pupil‐oriented classrooms. The four roles represent an increasing complexity of involvement of implementers with teachers, and have been found to correspond with the phases of inservice work.