Secondary teachers' intentions to integrate academic and professional-technical education: An application in the theory of planned behavior.

摘要

This study sought to examine and identify the belief characteristics that factor into Idaho's secondary English, mathematics, and professional-technical education teachers' intentions to integrate academic content and professional-technical education curriculum. The review of literature serves to provide an understanding of the dynamics that have come to characterize education in American. The theory of planned behavior and curriculum integration furnish the theoretical framework for this research project. The research findings support the use of the theory of planned behavior model in predicting intention to integrate curriculum. The model revealed that subjective norms (school administrators, colleagues, professional committees, students) have the strongest influence over intention for general education teachers, and attitude has the strongest influence over intention for professional-technical education teachers. Additionally, the findings suggest that school administrators might be encouraging professional-technical education teachers to integrate academic content in their lessons and might not be encouraging general education teachers to integrate professional-technical education content in their curriculum. Both groups of teachers expressed a desire to receive a stipend or some other incentive for integration efforts. The findings from this study are of potential interest to those involved in the construction of teacher pre-service training programs, professional development courses, or certification paths where curriculum implementation leads to improved student achievement---that is, the State Department of Education, State Division of Professional-Technical Education, school administrators, curriculum developers, educational organizations, teachers, business leaders, etc.