Loyola University Chicago Loyola eCommons Dissertations Theses and Dissertations 1993 A Study of the Impact of "Interconnections 90": Scientific and Applied Technology and the Corporate Workplace on Curriculum Change Marsha K. Bollendorf Loyola University Chicago Follow this and additional works at: https://ecommons.luc.edu/luc_diss Part of the Education Commons Recommended Citation Bollendorf, Marsha K., "A Study of the Impact of "Interconnections 90": Scientific and Applied echnologyT and the Corporate Workplace on Curriculum Change" (1993). Dissertations. 3281. https://ecommons.luc.edu/luc_diss/3281 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Theses and Dissertations at Loyola eCommons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Loyola eCommons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License. Copyright © 1993 Marsha K. Bollendorf A STUDY OF THE IMPACT OF "INTERCONNECTIONS 90:" SCIENTIFIC AND APPLIED TECHNOLOGY AND THE CORPORATE WORKPLACE ON CURRICULUM CHANGE by Marsha K. Bollendorf A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate School of Loyola University Chicago in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy May 1993 Copyright by Marsha K. Bollendorf, 1993 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. PREFACE "Interconnections 90:" Scientific and Applied Technology and the Corporate Workplace is a three year school business partnership staff development program designed to bring school district teams into corporate sites to develop an integrated curriculum module for classroom use. The Corridor Partnership for Excellence in Education, (CPEE), has received a multi-year Illinois State Board of Education Scientific Literacy grant to implement and evaluate the "Interconnections" staff development program. The major objective of this study is to explore the impact of "Interconnections 90:" Scientific and Applied Technology and the Corporate Workplace, a current program initiative of the CPEE. Specifically, this study is designed to examine these research questions: Does change occur in teachers', counselors', and administrators' knowledge and attitudes relative to integrated curriculum development as a result of program participation? Does change occur in teachers', counselors', and administrators' knowledge and attitudes regarding the corporate sector's workforce employment needs? Do curriculum changes occur at the local school district level after participants complete the "Interconnections" training? It is the author's view that school-business partnership staff development programs are a catalyst for curriculum change at the local school district level. Additionally, to test this model for curriculum change the author notes that as a result of participation in the "Interconnections" program, it was expected that: 1) teachers', counselors', and administrators' attitudes and knowledge relative to integrated curriculum development would change in a positive direction; 2) teachers', counselors', and administrators' attitudes and knowledge of the corporate sector's work force employment needs would change in a positive direction; and 3) curriculum change would be initiated at the local district level. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Special appreciation is extended to the members of my committee. To Dr. Alan Voelker, whose professional consultation and guidance assisted in transforming .the idea of "Interconnections" into a workable reality. To Dr. Jack Kavanagh for his invaluable technical assistance regarding this research project. Finally to Dr. L. Arthur Safer, advisor and committee chairperson, for his personal support and mentorship, encouragement and advisement throughout my doctoral program and this research study. Special appreciation is extended to the members of the CPEE Board of Directors, especially Mr. Gary Jewel, Chairman of the CPEE Board, and Mr. Carl Ball, Chairman of the Board, Geo. J. Ball, Inc., who have taught me the essence of leadership, collaboration and partnerships. To Dr. Howard Smucker, teacher and mentor, for his guidance. "Interconnections" would not have been possible without the collaborative efforts of many partners. Special appreciation is extended to Dr. Ken Allen for his instruction in grant writing. To all the "Interconnections" school district team and corporate "partners." To the CPEE staff including Paula Leifheit, Carol Pawlak, and Cheryl Gray for their professional assistance in this project, and personal support and encouragement. Finally, to Mary Howrey, colleague and friend, for her professional advisement, assistance with editing, and data collection. I am most grateful to my parents, Frank and Ethel Hollis, who have loved, encouraged and supported me in all my endeavors, and have taught me to work hard and reach for a dream. To my husband, Rob, and my children, Becky and Bryan, I owe special thanks. I am thankful for their tolerance for the necessary time and energy that this research required and always for their unfailing support and encouragement. I have learned most about partnerships from living with Rob and our children, Becky and Bryan. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page PREFACE ....................................................................................................... :... ii ACKNOWLEGMENTS ...................................................................................... iii LIST OF TABLES . ... ..... .. ... ... ... ....................... ............ ......... ......... .......... vii LIST OF FIGURES ..... .. ... .................... .. .. .. .. .............. ........... ........ ........... ... xii GLOSSARY xiii Chapter I. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................. 1 Business Calls for Educational Reform . ... .. .. ... ... ..... ... 1 Government Response ...................... ..... ......... .... .. ........ ... .. ..... 3 School Improvement Through Partnerships ..................................... 3 Reform of Partnerships . ................... ......... .. ... ..... .. ........ 4 International/Global and National Concerns ..................................... 5 Responses to Concerns . 10 New Approaches - Curriculum . .... ............... ... ......... ..... .. .. ...... 11 New Approaches - Staff Development ............................................. 11 New Approaches - Partnerships ....................................................... 12 Purpose of the Study ........................................................................ 14 Program Evaluation ......................................................................... 14 Research Assumptions ..................................................................... 14 Research Questions . 15 Limitations of the Study .................................................................. 15 Organization of the Study ................................................................ 16 II. REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE 17 Educational Reform Initiatives ........................................................ 17 New Purpose for Schools ... ... .. .. ... ......... .. .. 19 Change Models ......... .. .. ..... ... .... .. ........ .......... ....... 21 Change at the Individual Level ........................................................ 22 Change at the Social System Level: Schools as Open Systems ........ 23 What are Partnerships? .. .............. .. .. ... ........ .. ..... 26 Increasing Collaboration . ....... .. ... .. ... .. .......... .. 28 Partnership Activities ....................................................................... 29 Models of School-Business Partnerships .......................................... 31 iv Changing Roles Through Collaboration ... ........... ........... ...... .. .......... 34 Changing Curriculum to Meet Business Needs ...... ......... .......... ....... 36 Staff Development for School Improvement .................................... 37 Conclusions ..................................................................................... 41 III. CORRIDOR PARNTERSHIP FOR EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION: A MODEL REGIONAL PARTNERSHIP ....................................... 43 What is CPEE? ................................................................................ 44 Historical Background on the CPEE 1982-1989 . .. ....... .......... ........ 45 The Evolution of "Interconnections 90:" Scientific Literacy and the Corporate Workplace .. ...... ... ............... ......... .................... ... 53 Description of the "Interconnections 90" Program ....... ......... ....... .. .. 55 Summary ......................................................................................... 58 IV. METHODOLOGY ................................................................................ 60 Design of the Study ...... .. ... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..... .. ....... .. ...... 60 Research Questions . .. .. .. .. .. .. 60 Hypotheses ...................................................................................... 60 Participant Sample ............ .. ..... ..... ... ........... ....... ........ ........ 65 Subjects . ........ .. .. ........ ... ... ... .... ....... ......... ... 65 Corporate Partners . .. .. .. .. .. 65 Participant Selection . .. .. ... ........ ... ....... 66 Instruments . .. ........ .. ... .. ....................... ........ .......... ... 66 Pretest/Posttest . ... .. ...... ... .. .. .. ........... ...