THE DEGREE OF UTILIZATION OF INDUSTRIAL ARTS CURRICULUM PROJECT MATERIALS RELATIVE TO THEIR PERCEIVED ATTRIBUTES, TEACHER CHARACTERISTICS, AND TEACHER CONCERNS

This research endeavor focused on the utilization of instructional materials developed through the Industrial Arts Curriculum Project (IACP). The overall IACP program consisted of two innovative courses designed principally for the junior high level and entitled the World of Construction (WOC) and the World of Manufacturing (WOM).;A review of related literature led to three classes of independent variables: (1) a set of 14 teacher characteristics; (2) a set of five statements derived from Everett Rogers' attributes of innovations; and (3) the Stages of Concern Questionnaire (University of Texas at Austin) which provided a means of measuring an individual's Peak Stage of Concern in the use of an innovation. Three major hypotheses were stated predicting a relationship between the degree of utilization and each class of independent variables.;Two subproblems were also investigated. First, are the WOC materials being used to a greater extent than the WOM materials? Second, is there a relationship between the Peak Stage of Concern and the amount of experience one has teaching IACP? Corresponding major hypotheses were stated.;The population for the study consisted of an estimated 935 schools in 34 states that met the pre-established adoption criteria. From these schools 793 were identified and a systematic sample of 292 was drawn. In schools which met the adoption criteria for both WOC and WOM, one program was randomly selected.;The principal problem in the study was to determine what might account for the variability in the degree of utilization of the IACP materials. A composite, weighted index was developed which considered the use of the textbooks, laboratory manuals, and filmstrips from the program. This index reflected the dimensions of use as specified, adaptation, and extension and served as the dependent variable in the study.;Data was collected by means of a mailed questionnaire. Three follow-up procedures resulted in a return of 244 questionnaires (83.6%) of which 200 were totally usable.;Using multiple regression analysis, it was found that both the teacher characteristics and Rogers' attributes of innovations accounted for a statistically-significant proportion of the variance in the degree of utilization and the associated null hypotheses were rejected. Using the t-test, no significant difference in the degree of utilization of WOC and WOM materials was found and the null hypothesis was considered tenable. Using Kendall's Tau, no significant relationship was found between the Peak Stage of Concern and the degree of utilization nor the amount of experience the teacher had teaching IACP. The associated null hypotheses were considered tenable. Using the Pearson r and considering WOC and WOM together, nine of the 14 teacher characteristics and all of Rogers' attributes were found to be significantly related to the degree of utilization. The magnitudes were considered only weak to moderate, however.;The following were among the major conclusions reached in the study. First, though some have dropped the program, few are using all of it, and there is a great deal of adaptation and variability in the extent to which it is utilized, IACP has not suffered widespread abandonment. Second, the teacher characteristics and Rogers' attributes of innovations both accounted for some of the variability in the degree of utilization. However a prediction based on this information would be rather inaccurate. Third, though teachers may progress through Peak Stages of Concern as they use an innovation, it does not appear to be related to the amount of the IACP program they use or to the amount of experience they have with it. Fourth, those using WOC are not using it to a greater extent than those using WOM.