Teacher Education, Educational Leadership & Policy ETDs

Publication Date

5-15-1969

Abstract

A pilot study was designed to determine whether a procedure could be developed to predict if a pressure group will be effective in its attempt to influence educational policy. The eight variables tested were: 1) the critical situation, 2) the leadership of the group, 3) the prestige of the group in the community, 4) the control of the group over economic goods, 5) the channels of communication with local, state, and/or national officials, 6) shared attitudes of the group with the community, 7) the solidarity of the group, and 8) the strategy of the group to implement the change. A questionnaire-interview schedule was developed to test the variables. Completed interviews were obtained from fifty-six pressure group leaders (84% of sample) and forty-two educational personnel (91% of sample). The responses were coded for IBM tabulation. Categorical data were handled by a chi square and the interval data by a factor analysis. A one-way analysis of variance was used on the summated scales for the variables. A multiple discriminate analysis determined if the instruments were useful in predicting effectiveness. The results showed that the critical situation was the first statistically significant variable which determines effectiveness. When financial issues become prominent, more effective groups are interested. This phenomena was explained by the fact that most of the effective groups represented business or governmental interests. The prestige of the organization and its effectiveness was important with the pressure group sample and not with the educational sample. The channels of communication variable was found significant for both samples. Closely related and the most significant of the variables was the strategy the organization used to influence educational policy. If the interest group correctly read the organizational structure of the school system and applied pressure to the proper authorities, it would probably be effective in its goal. The pressure group respondents indicated they would apply legitimate authority by the use of publicity, threats, rewards, and economic sanctions. The educational respondents felt the sincerity of the organization, thoroughness of the research, and a reasonable presentation were the best strategies. The perceptual differences of the two samples seemed marked. The results of the factor analysis of educational issues showed that both were most interested in financial matters. The pressure group sample wanted economic control of the professional aspects of education, while the educational group sample was interested in the distribution of funds. The second major factor for the educational sample was concern over the the quality of preparation of students, and the third factor was the professional practices of educators. The pressure group sample reversed the importance of these two factors; generally, they were liberal toward professional aspects of education and innovations to improve the school system.

Project Sponsors

The Office of Education Grant, Number 7-9-00026-0091-(010)

Document Type

Dissertation

Language

English

Degree Name

Educational Leadership

Level of Degree

Doctoral

Department Name

Teacher Education, Educational Leadership & Policy

First Committee Member (Chair)

Albert William Vogel

Second Committee Member

John Thomas Zepper

Third Committee Member

Wayne Paul Moellenberg

Fourth Committee Member

Tommie Phillip Wolf

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