A study of supervisors attitudes toward curriculum change in school districts involved in funded curriculum projects in Newfoundland

Ludlow, W. W. Keith (1975) A study of supervisors attitudes toward curriculum change in school districts involved in funded curriculum projects in Newfoundland. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine if there were significant attitudinal differences towards curriculum change between supervisors in school districts involved in funded curriculum projects and supervisors in school districts not involved in funded curriculum projects in the Province of Newfoundland. Twenty generalist supervisors in school districts where Project Atlantic Canada projects are being developed (PAC districts) were compared with twenty randomly selected generalist supervisors in districts where Project Atlantic Canada projects are not being developed (Non-PAC districts). More specifically the study attempted: -- 1. To determine whether there were significant differences between the attitudes towards curriculum change of supervisors within PAC districts and the attitudes of supervisors in Non-PAC districts. -- 2. To examine the effects of such variables as age, teaching experience, supervisory experience and professional preparation on attitudes towards curriculum change. -- 3. To determine which agents supervisors considered most and least important in facilitating curriculum change. -- 4. To determine which agents supervisors considered most and least important in inhibiting curriculum change. -- The data in the study were obtained from a mail questionnaire and taped interviews. -- Data collected from forty supervisors provided the necessary information used in the testing of the various hypotheses. Statistical procedures used to test these hypotheses included 't' test and 'F' ratios. -- Analysis of the data revealed that there were significant attitudinal differences towards curriculum change between supervisors in school districts involved with Project Atlantic Canada and supervisors in districts not involved with Project Atlantic Canada. -- Supervisors were classified on the basis of certain selected variables such as age, teaching experience, supervisory experience, and professional preparation. The findings indicated that personal and professional characteristics have little effect on the attitudes of supervisors towards curriculum change. -- Analysis of data revealed that Project Atlantic Canada and Non-Project Atlantic Canada supervisors placed the teacher as the prime agent responsible for initiating curriculum change and the community leaders as the least important. Both groups ranked the school board as the most important agent that inhibited curriculum change while teachers and parents were considered least important. -- Analysis of data from the interviews revealed that supervisors in both Project Atlantic Canada and Non-Project Atlantic (Canada districts greatly favoured teacher initiative in curriculum development. They also felt that more communication was needed between the Department of Education, the N.T.A., Memorial University and the school personnel.

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