This important book takes a fresh look at educational change - a concept which is in frequent use but rarely examined for the variety of meanings it conveys. It brings together the ideas of major educational change theorists from three continents, and invites the reader to explore the idea of educational change at a number of levels and from a variety of perspectives. There is much talk about the pace of social change in, and the growing complexity of, industrial societies. In this book a number of well-known international researchers attempt to analyse the meaning of contemporary social change for education. Particular emphasis is given to the implications for: * the personal and social development of students * schools as organizations * the school curriculum * the teaching profession * educational policy formation * education research