The role of context in teachers' concerns about the implementation of an innovative curriculum

•Teachers showed intense concerns at all six Stages of Concern.•Relevant experience could affect the teachers' concerns at different stages.•Disagreements were found between the teachers' concerns and the Concerns Based Adoption Model.•Additional contextual factors could account for the teachers' concerns.

This study examined teachers' concerns about the introduction of Liberal Studies, a new interdisciplinary subject for all senior secondary students in Hong Kong. A modified version of the Stages of Concern questionnaire and follow-up interviews were used to collect responses from teachers, who showed serious concern in all six stages: Informational, Personal, Management, Consequence, Collaboration and Refocusing. The findings differed from the description offered by the Concerns Based Adoption Model. It is suggested that contextual factors (school administration, the nature of innovation and culture) must be taken into account in evaluating teachers' concerns about an innovation.