CURRICULUM IMPLEMENTATION: A CASE STUDY OF MATHLAND By HAROLD DENNIS MILLS Bachelor of Science Fitchburg State College Fitchburg, Massachusetts 1975 Submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate College of Oklahoma State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of DOCTOR OF EDUCATION August, 2003 CURRICULUM IMPLEMENTATION: A CASE STUDY OF MATHLAND Thesis Approved: 11 DEDICATION For My Father, Harold J. Dad, you were my first and biggest hero. Even after I had grown, I still looked up to you. Your courage has given me the courage and determination to do my best. Not a day goes by that I do not think of you. I wish that you were here to share this special time ... 111 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I wish to express my thanks to my dissertation adviser, Dr. Adrienne Hyle, for her friendship, guidance, and encouragement throughout my doctoral program. My appreciation extends to all members ofmy dissertation committee, Dr. Kay Bull, Dr. Ed Harris, and Dr. Deke Johnson for their willingness to serve on my committee. I would like to express my gratitude to Dr. Scarlett Rehrig for allowing me to conduct research in the Isles District schools. My thanks are extended to the administrators and teachers of the Isles School District who gave so freely of their time, expertise, and the warm welcome they extended to me in their classrooms. Special thanks to my colleague and good friend Ira Lee White for the long hours of proofreading, encouragement, suggestions, and support. Words could not begin to express what his friendship has meant to me. My love and appreciation to my wife, Linda, and my family, Patrick and, Sarah, for managing to stretch their understanding, support, encouragement, and patience throughout this study. Thanks for the endless supply of sandwiches and drinks, for driving the extra miles and taking care of business while I did this. IV TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter Page I. Overview of the Study ..................................................................................... 1 Why Did the Implementation Fail? .......................................................... 4 Theoretical Structure ................................................................................ 5 Politics and Policies that Affect Curricular Change ...................... 7 Purpose of the Study ............................................................................... 12 Objectives of the Study ........................................................................... 13 Objective Number 1 ..................................................................... 13 Objective Number 2 ...................................................................... 13 Objective Number 3 ..................................................................... 13 Players in the Study ................................................................................ 14 Procedures .............................................................................................. 18 Data Needs ................................................................................... 18 Data Collection Methods ............................................................ 19 The Interview ............................................................................... 19 Population .................................................................................... 20 Data Analysis ............................................................................... 20 Significance of the Study ........................................................................ 20 Summary ................................................................................................. 21 Reporting ................................................................................................ 22 II. REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE ................................................................ 23 Why Do We Change Curricula? ............................................................. 24 Change and Culture ................................................................................ 27 Change and Concern ............................................................................... 29 Parents and Curriculum Change ............................................................. 30 Teachers and Change in Curriculum ...................................................... 38 Administrators and Curriculum Change ................................................. 42 The MathLand Initiative Within the Department of Defense Schools ........................................................................... 46 Summary ................................................................................................. 47 V Chapter Page III. METHODS .................................................................................................... 48 Study Design ........................................................................................... 49 The Researcher ....................................................................................... 50 Researcher Bias ...................................................................................... 51 Respondents and Their Context ............................................................. 52 Actors ........................................................................................... 52 Setting .......................................................................................... 53 Sample Selection .......................................................................... 54 The Respondents .......................................................................... 56 Data Collection Procedures .................................................................... 57 Data Analysis .......................................................................................... 57 Accepted Limitations of Computer Analysis ............................... 58 Verification ............................................................................................. 59 Ethical Considerations ................................................................. 59 Internal Validity ...................................................................................... 61 Triangulation ................................................................................ 61 Member Checks ........................................................................... 62 Peer Review ................................................................................. 63 External Validity .......................................................................... 63 Reliability ..................................................................................... 64 Summary ................................................................................................. 64 IV. DATA PRESENTATION .............................................................................. 66 Introduction ............................................................................................ 66 Parent-Teachers/Teachers ............................................................ 68 Parent-Administrators .................................................................. 73 Administrators .............................................................................. 76 Parents .......................................................................................... 80 Ripple Effect ........................................................................................... 84 The Language of Math ................................................................. 86 Teacher Training .......................................................................... 89 Homework Difficulties ................................................................ 96 Code of Silence . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 101 Coping with Change .................................................................. 104 Top Down .................................................................................. 118 Summary ............................................................................................... 122 Vl Chapter Page V. DATA ANALYSIS ...................................................................................... 124 Changing Language and School Culture .............................................. 126 MathLand Failure and Curriculum Change .......................................... 130 Recognizing and Responding to the Unfamiliar ........................ 131 The Role of Teachers ................................................................. 133 The Modifications Begin .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 134 Parental Interventions . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 13 7 Parents Speed Up the Change Process ....................................... 138 Summary ............................................................................................... 140 VI. SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE, AND COMMENTARY .......................................................... 141 Summary of the Study .......................................................................... 141 Top-Down Decision-Making ..................................................... 142 Factors that Support the Literature ............................................. 143 Factors that Did Not Support the Literature ............................... 144 Conclusions .........................................................................................