The perceptions of high school teachers regarding the changes in education in an environment surrounded by reforms (A case study)

The objective of the research is to analyze the perceptions of secondary education teachers in Arica, Chile, in relation to the permanent changes in the educational system. This objective is achieved by characterizing the educational changes that have occurred based on educational reforms (1990 to 2023) and identifying the typology of changes in Chilean education in the 21st century, according to the perceptions of teachers, as well as their expectations and proposals. The research is framed in the interpretive hermeneutic paradigm, since it focuses on the teachers’ narrative to analyze and interpret the perceptions they have regarding educational change and the environment in which they occur. The mixed quantitative qualitative approach is adopted to address their perceptions, that is, from the review of theory, context and methodology; the construction and application of data recording strategies: a questionnaire and interviews, administered to a representative sample, to carry out the analysis and interpretation of the results. The research is transversal in nature, since the quantitative study was carried out in 2021 and 2022; while the qualitative in 2024. Likewise, the case study was chosen with the purpose of treating teachers who work in a border city with a deficit economy, whose sociocultural reality is highly vulnerable and complex, which generates perceptions about educational change different from other realities in the country. The results revealed that teachers perceive that educational change is positive and necessary for the improvement of the educational system and classroom practices. On the contrary, the perception is, in general, negative in relation to the context in which educational changes are developed in terms of the structural, organizational, cultural and training process levels, based on the laws and regulations of the Ministry of Education as well as in the measures adopted by the directors of the educational centers. There is disagreement among teachers regarding the assessment of change as the cause of conflict. This disagreement is consistent with the theory that refers to both the uncertainty, threat and fear that transformations in performance and the environment mean, as well as the opportunity for improvements, in our case, in education at a systemic level and in education practices. classroom to build a more peaceful, just and sustainable society. Notwithstanding the above, the perceptions regarding interest, motivation, responsibility and satisfaction for participating in the processes of creation and reformulation of educational policies, as well as their implementation in the classroom, are positive. They are also positive in terms of training, improvement and continuous training, since they enrich performance and empower teachers to implement reforms and changes in the classroom with their students.