Case studies in the acquisition of belief 1982–1987: A critical perspective

This is one of a series of studies on how and why public school administrators at various status levels arrive at beliefs regarding selected school policy and implementation decisions. In this study the subjects were building and central office administrators who participated in curriculum decision making during the years 1982–1987. Of particular interest was identification of internal and external system sources which the participants thought had influenced them to believe that effected changes were or were not needed. Estimates of the power of major influence origins and the sources of such power were sought as well. A very large majority of administrators attributed major curriculum change influence to internal system sources. On the other hand, the highest ranking study participant presented the most notable exception to that view. Explanation of these phenomena is the focus of this work.