A MODEL TO ASSESS EDUCATIONAL INNOVATION IMPLEMENTATION: MAINSTREAMING

Abstract

The basic aim of this study was to develop and test a diagnostic-prescriptive model for the assessment of educational innovations. A model based on the theoretical work of Havelock was designed to assess: (1) the degree to which planned change was preceived by innovators to have been implemented and (2) appropriate interventions for facilitating implementation.;From Havelock's theoretical base, the work of Hall (Stages of Concern About the Innovation), and the findings of the Rand study of factors affecting educational innovations, the following research questions were developed: (1) Is there a significant relationship between an innovators measured highest Stage of Concern and his/her perception of (a) the presence and (b) the usefulness of pre-training, first-year training, later training, classroom observations, classroom assistance, project meetings? (2) Is there a significant relationship between an innovator's measured highest Stage of Concern and his/her perception of the (a) practicality of training, (b) project director's effectiveness, (c) principal's supportive attitude? (3) Is there a significant relationship between an innovator's measured highest Stage of Concern and his/her attitude toward the probability of success of the innovation?;A sample of 211 elementary and junior high school teachers who were involved in the innovation of mainstreaming in Bergen County, New Jersey, were asked to respond to the Factors Affecting Innovations Questionnaire, the Stages of Concern Questionnaire, and a demographic data sheet. Data obtained from the survey was analyzed as follows: Preliminary frequency distributions were prepared for all variables; Chi-square and Kruskal-Wallis statistics were employed to test the hypotheses; Mann-Whitney U-Tests, Kruskal-Wallis Analyses of Variance by Ranks, and Spearman Correlation Coefficients were used to analyze demographic characteristics.;It was concluded that implementation progress, as measured by highest Stage of Concern, was significantly related to perceived: (1) Presence of pre-training and classroom assistance; (2) Usefulness of pre-training and first-year training; (3) Principal's supportive attitude; (4) Probability of success of mainstreaming. Younger teachers and those who felt familiar with mainstreaming were at higher Stages of Concern than were older teachers or those who felt less familiar with mainstreaming.