An examination of Project Team Life: Two case studies.

Abstract

The study revealed little difference in the curriculum development schemes between the two cases. Implementation occurred in both cases and was achieved in different ways. Of all the themes, the resources theme was found to have the greatest discrepancy between the two schools.

Recommendations were made for future efforts in practice, policy, and research. Future practice recommendations included considerations for assessing teacher readiness, continued refinement and marketing of donation materials, and work by "agents of fit". Future policy recommendations addressed policy decisions utilizing poverty research, analysis of dropout trends, and a partnership with governmental agency to increase awareness about donation. Future research recommendations suggested work such as revisiting schools in the study in five years, comparison of a school which refused to participate in the federal study and a school which did participate, and investigation of two schools with predominately minority populations.

This study explored the implementation of one instance of curriculum for character education in two schools. The multiple-case study design focused on two cases. Selection of Prairieland Middle School and Southville Elementary School as the subjects of the case studies was based on the combined average gain in student achievement from pre-test to post-test on the Project Team Life organ and tissue donation knowledge and attitude instruments as used in a federal grant program. The pilot students were given the knowledge and attitude pre-tests to assess baseline understanding and beliefs about organ and tissue donation and transplantation. The pilot teachers presented at least five lessons from the donation curriculum. Post-testing of students on the knowledge and attitude instruments occurred at the conclusion of the direct instruction.

Examination of the two cases revealed factors that influenced the implementation of the curriculum. Culture, curriculum, change, and the organizational structure were preliminary constructs which guided this study. The data analyses disclosed the emerging themes of social and emotional learning, professional development, resources, and attitudes about donation.

The study involved two extreme cases (the school with greatest gain and the school with least gain). The precision of the organ and tissue donation knowledge and attitude instruments was lacking and the instruments measured only verbal/linguistic skills.

The influence of culture touches many arenas including policy decisions in education. Schools play a vital role in conveying cultural meanings to children and in preparing them for the future. The interdependent nature of the curriculum and culture focuses attention on the outcome of children who are knowledgeable, responsible, and caring in a rapidly changing world. Looking at curriculum with a particular cultural-orientation lens should help educators and the community in general to understand the powerful commitment to change which will influence the shaping of curriculum as well as the importance of this shaping.