Approaches to Scaling Innovations Across Schools, an Analysis of Key Theories and Models

Introduction

The question of how to scale up and sustain successful innovations remains a key challenge for policy and practice in education. For example, Gene Hall (2013: 265) explains, somewhat wearily, that:

Over the last several decades the change ritual has become almost predictable. The process begins with identifying a particular problem or symptom that must be addressed… Next, a specific program, process or product… is selected. Then teachers, schools and districts go through the ceremony of launching the “new way.” Materials are delivered to schools and teachers attend introductory sessions before the new school year begins. The implicit assumption of policymakers and system leaders… is that the “new way” is now in place. Within one to three years there may be an evaluation to see if test scores have indeed increased. All too often, the finding is one of “no significant difference” between the new way and the old way.

This picture of failed reforms remains dispiritingly...