The tittle of book : The New Meaning of Educational Change

The author : Michael Fullan

The year : 2007
The publisher : Columbia University

Critical note:
From beginning chapter, the author had already stated that he used each of preface of
three his previous edition. It can help for reader to know the changing time by time from his first
book until the recent book. For the core of book, it is how to combine meaning and action to
achieve continuous improvement. The content is more complete from before because adding
some new concept such as capacity building, learning in context, lateral capacity, building
sustainability and system leader in action. The book reminded us that we cannot the change
around us. It takes time because it does not happen in one time.

The content based on situation in the United States. Here, the United States was the only
country engaged in national education reform to know what that something different was in the
air in the 1960s. Then, the us federal government launched a large-scale national curriculum
reform series of initiatives in the late 1950s Then, how about the changing happen in the Asia
even for Indonesia? Then, can be the changing meaning have different perspective in others
countries? The changing meaning in education system also happens all over the world. However,
for us who does not know about the real situation in US, it is difficult to catch the meaning
changing in detail.

Nevertheless, the author tries to give a general view in changing. From the urgent reasons
for reform are now familiar. The global society is increasingly complex, requiring educated
citizens who can learn continuously, who can work with diversity, locally, internationally. It
gives too detail in explaining it is good but it is better to explain to the point.

The book uses a wide range specific innovations to explain practical meaning of
educational changes in various curriculum area (e.g literacy, mathematics, science, social studies
, computers, cooperative learning , special education, school restructuring , teacher education,
school-wide innovation, district reform , state and national policies, and so on. There are
diagrams and flowcharts to illustrate concepts and procedures. It makes readers more understand
about the content. Then there are so many references from different sources of reading.

Overall, however, for a book about a complex phenomenon like change, it is highly
readable, consistent, and insightful. The people who think the book as a guide book might be a
little bit disappointed, however, those who just need a little inspiration and conceptual insight
might find exactly what they are looking for.