EFFECTS OF LEARNING CLIMATE ON AXIOLOGICAL SYSTEMS AND ATTITUDES TOWARD MAINSTREAMING AS PERCEIVED BY SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS AND TEACHERS
Abstract
This study sought to determine the degree of congruency between administrators' and teachers' perceptions in open and closed learning climate schools with respect to the dimensions of climate, axiological systems, and attitudes toward mainstreaming handicapped students. Second, it investigated the comparisons between and among the participants' perceptions in open and closed learning climate schools with respect to the dimensions. This study, next, investigated whether significant interrelationships existed among the participants' perceptions in open and closed learning climate schools with respect to the dimensions. Finally, this study determined whether significant relationships existed between the participants' perceptions in open and closed learning climate schools with respect to the dimensions and the variables of grade, age, sex, formal education, experience in both present schools and other schools, and the number of mainstreamed students, regular students, and total class population. Major theoretical bases for the research included: Getzels' and Guba's (1957) social systems theory; Baratta's (1977) axiological processes; and Gearheart and Weishahn's (1976) concept of mainstreaming. The study consisted of 602 subjects which represented 83.7 percent of the sample. The research instruments utilized were the Survey of Interpersonal Values, the Learning Climate Inventory, and the Rucker-Gable Educational Programming Scale. Major findings and conclusions were: (1) administrators and teachers perceived their climate as open, placed the highest priority on the interpersonal values of support, independence, and benevolence, and held moderately positive attitudes toward mainstreaming. It was concluded that congruency existed between the participants' perceptions with respect to the dimensions; (2) significant differences were found between administrators' and teachers' perceptions with respect to the dimensions. It was concluded that administrators perceived climate more open, prioritized leadership higher, and held more positive attitudes toward mainstreaming than the teachers; (3) significant interrelationships were found among climate and both the axiological and attitude subdimensions; (4) 93 significant relationships were found between the dimensions and the variables. It was concluded that all the variables, irrespective of total class population, were determinants of the participants' perceptions of axiological systems and attitudes in all learning climates. It was recommended that: (1) a reevaluation of axiological systems and attitudes toward mainstreaming is needed; (2) this study aid in effective implementation of Public Law 94-142; and (3) future research be undertaken.
Subject Area
School administration
Recommended Citation
PETROZZINO, JANE ANN, "EFFECTS OF LEARNING CLIMATE ON AXIOLOGICAL SYSTEMS AND ATTITUDES TOWARD MAINSTREAMING AS PERCEIVED BY SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS AND TEACHERS" (1982). ETD Collection for Fordham University. AAI8223612.
https://research.library.fordham.edu/dissertations/AAI8223612
