Resistance to Educational Change from the Perspective of Teachers in Al Ain Educational Zone in UAE.

The study aimed to investigate the factors for teacher resistance toward the educational change in government schools in the U.A.E. The factors this study investigated are the: psychological, personal, school culture, and organizational factors. The study was guided by one research question and used the descriptive research method. Data for this study were collected through a survey using Likert Scale. It was sent to 414 teachers in public schools in different grade levels. Teachers selected were males and females, from different age group, years of experience and qualifications; and they were UAE national and foreign teachers. Only 255 teachers responded. Statistical tests including means, percentages, and standard deviations, and Chi-Square Test were applied to analyze the quantitative part of the questionnaire. The answers to the open-ended questions in the last part of the questionnaire were interpreted by tallying the answers. The results of this study showed that teachers felt the need for change and they trusted the change agents and principals. However, they need to be prepared psychologically because they feared the unknown consequences of change and they were exhausted from frequent changes that were imposed on them. Further, teachers faced difficulty in teaching students who were not grasping the new curriculum because of the language problem. What they needed was a well-planned change, supportive principals, effective staff development that relate to change, and good training programs and rewards. Above all, they ask for a change that fits the U