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In Surreal Change: The Real Life of Transforming Public Education, internationally renowned expert Michael Fullan reflects on the leading trends and ideas within the educational change field over a 50-year period. The author traces the evolution of the field through his own personal developments and contributions to it, working chronologically through "The 12 Seminal Ideas" of his career. Fullan shows his personal and vulnerable side as well as how he came to develop breakthrough ideas. By looking at the way the field has transformed and grown over time, Fullan draws attention to what ideas have persisted, what problems still need solving, and what faces teachers, leaders and reformers today. Deeply personal and insightful, Surreal Change contextualizes the past, present, and future of school reform to help leaders continue to bring about lasting, positive, systemic change in their organization.
Michael Fullan
Michael Fullan, Order of Canada, is the former Dean of the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, and Professor Emeritus of the University of Toronto. He is co-leader of the New Pedagogies for Deep Learning global initiative. Michael served as Premier Dalton McGuinty’s Special Policy Adviser in Ontario from 2003-2013. He received the Order of Canada (OC) in December 2012 and holds five honorary doctorates from universities around the world. His ‘interim autobiography,’ Surreal Change, covers his pre-Covid-19 era to 2018. Michael and his colleagues are now working diligently on field-based comprehensive system change in several countries. Under the umbrella of what they call the ‘humanity paradigm’ —equitable-equal deep change that integrates local (school and community), middle (district/regional), and centre (policy) entities. Michael’s latest books are: Spirit Work and the Science of Collaboration (with Mark Edwards, 2022), The Principal 2.0 (2023), The Drivers (with Joanne Quinn, 2023), and The New Meaning of Educational Change, 6th Edition (2025).
For more information on books, articles, videos, podcasts please go to: www.michaelfullan.ca
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