Understanding Teacher Change: Revisting the Concerns Based Adoption Model

The Concerns Based Adoption Model (CBAM) is a widely applied theory and methodology for studying the process of implementing educational change by teachers and by persons acting in change-facilitating roles. A review of recent research associated with CBAM in the United States, Canada, and elsewhere in the world reveals a curious absence of theoretical critique and development of the model since the mid-1980s. The article identifies promising directions for continued research and development on CBAM theory. The author argues that further theoretically motivated-not just applied-research is needed to refine the CBAM model and to enhance its relevance to understanding teacher and school-level responses to contemporary focuses of educational change.