Abstract
Purpose. The purpose of this study was to compare the perceptions of high school social studies teachers and those persons responsible for secondary social studies curriculum supervision, in the districts where the high schools are located, regarding forces that may inhibit or support the implementation of affective/participatory objectives in citizenship education. Procedures. One hundred, ninety-seven teachers (73.0 percent) from sixty-three randomly selected high schools in Los Angeles and San Bernardino Counties, and thirty-three secondary social studies curriculum supervisors (94.3 percent) in the districts where those high schools were located, responded to a survey by indicating the degree to which they believed each of twenty possible forces supports or inhibits implementation. Principal findings. Seventeen forces were identified as supporting implementation by both teachers and supervisors. Only teachers perceived that three forces inhibited implementation. Supervisors perceived the degree of support of eight forces to be significantly greater than did teachers. When moderating variables of sex, age group, and highest educational degree attained were considered, several significant differences arose. Female supervisors perceived three forces to be significantly more supportive than did male supervisors. Teachers, age 21-30, perceived five forces to be significantly more supportive than did other teachers. Teachers, age 41-50, perceived the degree of support of curriculum supervisors to be significantly greater, while teachers, age 51-60, saw it as significantly less than did other teachers. Supervisors with doctorates perceived three forces to be significantly less supportive than did other supervisors. Conclusions and recommendations. Department chairpersons and on-site administrators are very important local change agents whose actions could improve teacher attitude through collegiality, professional concern and encouragement. Using the findings that suggest they are more optimistic about numerous forces, curriculum supervisors need to develop a support system that provides teachers greater comfort with, and desire for implementation. County and state offices of social studies education should evaluate and improve their services and communication systems.