Commentary: School reform, teaching and learning

Abstract

This commentary on the papers starts with the view that reform policies are additive, layered and unpredictable. Given this nature of reforms, the author suggests certain lessons for policymakers and policy researchers to learn. First, that a theory of learning should underlie policymakers' implementation decisions. Second, that the multiplicity of reforms may block genuine learning. Third, that understanding the relationship between policy and practice requires an 'inside‐out' perspective which takes the changing of educational practice as the central concern rather than the policy environment.