Principals' Epistemological Beliefs and Their Support of Integrated Curriculum.

Autor/inn/en	Arredondo, Daisy E.; Rucinski, Terrance T.
Titel	Principals' Epistemological Beliefs and Their Support of Integrated Curriculum.
Quelle	(1996), (12 Seiten) PDF als Volltext kostenfreie Datei Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Monographie
Schlagwörter	Administrator Attitudes; Cognitive Development; Educational Philosophy; Elementary Secondary Education; Epistemology; Integrated Curriculum; Learning Strategies; Principals; School Restructuring; Missouri + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Kognitive Entwicklung; Bildungsphilosophie; Erziehungsphilosophie; Erkenntnistheorie; Learning methode; Learning techniques; Lernmethode; Lernstrategie; Principal; Schulleiter; Schulreformplan; Schulumwandlung
Abstract	Considerable research supports the notion that individuals' level of cognitive complexity influences their behavior. This paper presents findings of a study that explored the relationship between principals' supervisory beliefs and the implementation of integrated-curriculum approaches. The first phase of the study surveyed a total of 400 elementary, middle/junior high, and senior high schools in Missouri about the extent to which they used integrated-curriculum approaches. Phase 2 involved followup interviews with an unspecified number of principals from the schools identified as using integrated curricula. One-half of the principals were from schools reporting higher levels of use and one-half were from schools reporting lower levels of use. The interviews, which included a subset of scaled items from Schommer's Epistemological Questionnaire, 2nd revision (1989), assessed supervisory practices, epistemological belief systems, teacher-team planning practices, and teacher involvement in decision making. The data did not support the expected relationship between the extent of implementation of integrated curriculum and principals' epistemological beliefs. Conclusions that can be drawn from this study include: (1) As teachers gained experience with integrated curricula, their use became more sophisticated; (2) teachers relied less on textbooks and more frequently used an approach focusing on important themes; (3) schools using integrated curriculum reported that teachers and students took a renewed interest in learning; (4) the use of integrated curriculum in Missouri schools was on the increase; (5) schools rarely had a formal support structure in place for planning; and (6) support structures and time are essential for effective implementation of school reform efforts. (Contains 22 references.) (LMI)
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC