Inspiring and implementing bottom-up change: The omnivore’s advantage

Abstract

In this commentary, first I join with numerous educators who have argued for or produced evidence supporting bottom-up, professionally-driven educational change. However, I then argue that to fully realize the potential of this general change orientation, a significant and growing tendency toward parochialism within education must be surfaced and interrupted by bottom-up educational change agents. Specifically, I introduce two examples in support of the claim that powerful, well-developed change and improvement ideas—originated and refined in large part outside the education sector—nevertheless can be and have been adapted and applied by educators and their partners to noteworthy effects. My aim in this commentary is not to endorse a particular model or approach (though I do underline several viable options and point to supportive theory), but rather to strongly encourage bottom-up reformers to pragmatically adopt a form of professional omnivorousness so that their great base ideas can be operationalized to best effects.