THE UMWRSm OF CALGARY The Cuuiculum Decision Making Process: A History of The Deveiopment of The 1978 Alberta Social Studies CUITicuium Margaret Elizabeth Hidegh A THESIS SUBMlTTED TO THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES IN PA.RTIAL FULFILMENT OF 'THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS DEPARTMENT OF CURIUCULuM AND INSTRUCTION CALGARY,ALBERTA OCTOBER, 1996 S Margaret Elizabeth Hidegh 1996 National Library Bibliothaue nationale I*m ofCanada du Canada Acquisitions and Acquisitions et Bibliographic Senices services bibtiographiques The author has granted a non- L'auteur a accord6 melicence non exclusive licence allowing the exclusive pennettant a la National Libtary of Canada to Biblioth&pe nationale du Canada de reproduce, loaa, distn'bute or sell repfoduire, p*, disttr'buer ou copies of hismer thesis by any means vendre des copies de sa th&e de and in any form or format, making quelque mani&e et sous quelque this thesis available to interested fome qye a soit pour mettre des persons. disposition des pmonnes intCress&s. The author retains ownership of the L'auteur conserve la propriCt6 du copyright in his/her thesis. Neither droit &auteur qui prot&gesa these. Ni the thesis nor substantial extmts la th&e ni des extraits substantiek de from it may be printed or otherwise reproduced with the author's autrement reproduits sans son permission. ABSTRACT Employing the research strategy ofthe descriptive case study and the techniques of the historiographer, the thesis traced the process of decision making which led to the creation of a project in support ofthe 1978 grade twelve Alberta Social Studies Curriculum. Within the context of the decision making process, the study identified the critical theorists' interest in the symbiotic relationship between ideology, society and cunicdum. The questions asked were: who makes what curricular decisions and how and why are they making them? Among the conclusions reached were that curriculum decision making was a political process closely tied to the social and political milieu. The govemwnt reacted to internal and external pressures and intewened in curriculum development. This interventionist stance was reflected in a number of areas: increased Canadian content; amplified centralization and escalating standardization. These developments resulted in loss of teacher autonomy over curriculum development and resource selection. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I owe a great debt to my advisor, Dr. Cede DePass, without ha constant positive attitude and encouragement about my work, this thesis might never have been finished However, I do not want to have to leave her contn'bution with just a sterile, academic type of salutation, for her encouragements seemed to go beyond what one would call a "duty". She gave me a gift - a belitfin my ideas, myself, that allowed me to be part of a liberating educational experience that profoundly changed my life and helped me realize that I had a right to set my fhreon the path to academia. I am also gratefid for the words of advice and encouragement that Dr. Bryant Griffith offered along the way both during my course work as well as during this project To Dr. M. Zachariah, my appreciation for adding his immense expertise to my committee. On a personal level, I wish to express my love and appreciation to my family, without their patience and encouragement this task would have faltered. Gratefully, I acknowledge the emotionaI and financial support of my parents Margaret and Bela Berci. To my brothers, Robert and Bela Berci and their familes, whose immeasurable love and belief in me sustained my efforts. To my children for giving purpose to this project. May any good that bas come fiom this effort also influence their fives. DEDICATED to my children Jason and Joey who have always been and always will be at the centre of my universe TABLE of CONTENTS Approval Page ............................................................................................................ Ab~.~~~~~~~~~~-~~~~~~-~cc--~-.-~~*c~~~c~~~~~-~~~~~~-~~~~c~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~-~~~~~~~~~~~~~-~~~~~~~~--~~~~,~~~~~~~~.~~ Acknowledgements. ................................................................................................... Dehanon.................................................................................................................. Table of Contents....................................................................................................... CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION and SURVEY of THESIS .......................... 1 INTRODUCTTON.............................................................................................. ORGANIZATION of ~SIS~~~~~C-~~~-ro~~~~~~*~~*~~~~~~~~~-~-~-~-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~- TDENTIFICATION of PERSPECTMX.......................................................... DESCRIPTION of "THE CASE...... ................................................................ RESEARCH QUESTIONS ................................................................................ GRoUP ONE QUESTIONS ....................................................................... GROUP TWO QUESTIONS ...........................................................*......... SIGNIFICANCE of the STUDY........................................................................ CHAPTER TWO: BACKGROUND......................................................................... WHY SOCIAL STUDIES.................................................................................. THE SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIP OF IDEOLOGY, CURRICULUM andSTATE.................................................................... PREVAILING ATTITUDES IN THE ALBERTA OF TEE 1970's ................... ELECTORAL BEHAVIOWR IN ALBERTA ................ ., ........................... GOVERNMENTAL ATTITUDES TO WARD EDUCATION ........... .,-,... REFORM IN THE ALBERTA SOCIAL STUDIES ................................... CHAPTER THREE: REVIEW OF THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS............. ANALYTICAL FRAMEWORIC... .................................................................... POLICY DEFINED .............. .......................... ............................. PURPOSE and VALUE of POLICY .................................................................. RESPONSIVENESS and ITS CONTRIBUTION TO THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS.................................................................................. ECONOMICS and ITS CONTRIBUTION TO THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS .................................................................................. ESSENTIAL ACTIVITIES WITHlN THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS.. POLICY ACTORS................*............................................................................. METHODS FOR LEGITIMIZING DECISIONS ............................................. STYLES OF DECISION MAKING ................................................................... COMPETING VIEWS of the POLICY PROCESS ............ .., ............................. POLIT'ICS and POWR .... ...................... ........................................................ CHAPTER FOUR: METHODOLOGY. RESEARCH DESIGN and PROCEDURES...................................... .............................................. RESEARCH DESIGN.. ...................................................................................... THE HlSTOIUCAL CASE STUDY APPROACH............................................. METHODOLOGY for OBTAINING DATA.. .................................................. SECONDARY SOURCES................................................................................. PRIMARY SOURCES....................................................................................... DATA COLLECTION PROBLEMS ................................................................. CASE STUDY BASE......................................................................................... DOCUMENTARY ANALYSIS DWGDATA COLLECTlON*.................. INTENSIVE ANALYSIS of EVIDENCE-......................................................... VALIDITY, RELIABILITY and ETHICS .......................................................... CHAPTER FIVE: THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS IN PRACTICE .............. ESSENTIAL STEPS of the DECISION MAKING PROCESS IN PRACCIICE.................................................................................................. STEP ONE: Proposal Development................................................................... A .Internal Recommendations...................................................................... B .Increased Cauadian Content ................................................................... C. Increased Governmental Influence ......................................................... D. Ind Structure and Prescription....................................................... E. Structural and Personnel Changes ........................................................... STEP TWO: Aggregation of Proposals.............................................................. Curriculum Policies Board Discussions....................................................... Summary of Agenda Refiniag...................................................................... STEP THREE: Legislative Action. ..................................................~................... Change In Leadership Style.......................................................................... STEP FOUR- Implementation.............................................................................. Handbook for Unit Developers....................................................................