Abstract
Instructional reform requires learning by those who implement it. Learning involves a process of reconstructing knowledge and beliefs entailed by complex behavioral change. A cognitive perspective of policy implementation underscores that behavioural changes have a fundamental cognitive component. By assuming that policy implementation as a relatively straightforward process of transmitting behavioural rules drawn up by policy-makers to those responsible for implementing the rules, a top-down policy implementation tends to undermine the learning needs of those who are implementing instructional change. This implies a connection between the organisational factor, learning and change. There is a rich base of literature on educational change theory and learning theory. What is lacking is research attempting to link these fields. This case study sheds light on the discussion about organisational factor, learning and change by investigating the implementation of a thinking skills policy in the context of teacher education in a fully centralised education system. This involves the examination of how eight teacher educators conceptualised the thinking skills policy and implemented the intended change in their teaching. Specifically, the research questions seek to examine the acquisition of knowledge and the alteration of belief which guide the change in practice with regard to thinking skills policy. Data were collected through interviews, observations and questionnaires. The study produces three key findings. The first finding concerns the gap and uncertainties of teacher educators’ knowledge and belief regarding thinking skills policy. The second finding was the absence of the intended change in practice. The third finding relates the many barriers that impede the change in teaching practice to the lack of consideration of systemic factors in the change process. All the results are connected to the issue of the organisational factors as the framing that underlies the change process. The implications of the finding for the policy-making process are discussed.