Understanding the Contextual Conditions of Schools that Support or Constrain Teachers as Innovators of Problem-Based Learning

This research explores how school contexts shape teachers’ capacity to implement Problem-Based Learning (PBL) to enhance Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) education. Through case studies of three schools, it examines the cultural, structural, and material conditions that supported or constrained teachers as innovators of pedagogy and curriculum. Findings identified five interconnected contextual conditions that influenced innovation: a shared vision for PBL, relational trust, teacher professionalism and agency, collective efficacy, and time for innovation. By highlighting the complexity of school contexts, the study offers new insights into how these conditions influence teachers’ capacity to design and enact pedagogical innovation.