Working on a wicked problem Perceptions, ownership and change agency regarding inequality of educational opportunity

Inequality of educational opportunities (IEO) is a persistent societal problem involving a wide range of educational actors, including teachers, school leaders, educational board members, policymakers, and parents. IEO can be classified as a ‘wicked problem’: it is difficult to define, cannot be solved by individuals alone and requires continuous, coordinated, and collaborative efforts. Focusing on the concepts of problem perception, ownership and change agency, this research examines how educational actors perceive IEO, their role in addressing it, and their perceived capacity to contribute to change.
Empirically, the dissertation examines two Dutch municipalities with established IEO networks. Data were collected through online surveys (n = 515), semi-structured interviews (n = 41) and pre- and post-intervention surveys (n = 49). Four studies investigate differences in actors’ problem perceptions, ownership and change agency, the relationships between these concepts and the potential of a game-based network intervention.
The findings show that many actors recognised IEO as urgent and solvable, but their perspectives did not always align. Although many experienced ownership for addressing IEO, their perceived change agency was lower, particularly when time and resources were perceived insufficient. A game-based network intervention increased collective, but not individual, change agency. Overall, strengthening actors’ capacity to respond to IEO requires not only awareness or commitment, but also supporting conditions, collaboration, and coordination of goals, means, and tasks. Policymakers and practitioners can play a role in creating the conditions for meaningful action.