Understanding context: An essential factor for educational change success

Abstract

Contemporary pedagogical experts have stressed the importance of context in education as a critical determinant of the success of learning outcomes. These recent arguments stem from earlier scholars who claimed that the context of education is often taken for granted, although its influence on teaching and learning is crucial. Perhaps the main reason the context of learning is often ignored is that it has been defined vaguely over the years. Educational context is less understood because it comprises many aspects, including culture, history, social factors, and national ethos, influencing people’s perceptions and understanding. The relationship between context and education outcome remains unclear due to the lack of a clear definition. Since context plays a key role in influencing education outcomes, ambitious policies on educational reforms must consider the context of learning to be implemented successfully. Keywords: Context, change, educational change, educational context, educational reform, English language teaching