Teacher initiative in curriculum development - a comparative study of the attitudes of Newfoundland teachers involved in Project Atlantic Canada and Newfoundland teachers not involved in Project Atlantic Canada

Grandy, Melvin Hubert (1974) Teacher initiative in curriculum development - a comparative study of the attitudes of Newfoundland teachers involved in Project Atlantic Canada and Newfoundland teachers not involved in Project Atlantic Canada. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to provide empirical data about Newfoundland teachers who volunteered to work on curriculum development projects for Project Atlantic Canada (PAC). These teachers have been actively involved with Project Atlantic Canada (PAC) since September 1972. Specifically, comparisons were made between the Project Atlantic Canada (PAC) teachers and teachers who were not involved in Project Atlantic Canada (PAC). These comparisons focused on three suctions in a questionnaire (see Appendix B). Section A contained data related to certain personal and professional characteristics; Section B consisted of the Rokeach Dogmatism Scale, Form E, which measured the openness and closedness of the belief-disbelief systems of respondents; and Section C which consisted of the Curriculum Inventory. This instrument measured respondents in terms of their attitudes toward curriculum use and planning. -- The data in the study were obtained from a mailed questionnaire. The respondents were the twenty-five Project Atlantic Canada teachers and one hundred and twelve respondents in the control the non-PAC teachers. -- The non-Pac teachers were provided with information about Project Atlantic Canada (PAC) and asked if they would like to become involved at some future date. Some of the teachers in the control group volunteered (26%). They became the X₂ group in the study. Other teachers in the control group refused to become involved (42%). They became the X₃ group in the study. For comparative purposed thirty-five teachers were randomly selected from the control group. They received no information about Project Atlantic Canada (PAC). Nor were they asked to make a decision about becoming involved. Twenty-eight (80%) of that group returned questionnaires and became the X₄ group in the study. The PAC teachers were the X₁ group in the study. -- The findings indicated that there was very little relationship between open and closed belief-disbelief systems and the decisions to become involved in curriculum development projects. -- It appeared that teachers who have been involved in curriculum development projects, such as Project Atlantic Canada, and teachers who would like to become involved have more positive attitudes toward curriculum use and planning than teachers who refuse to become involved.

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