An assessment of sponsored social studies curriculum materials

Abstract

The primary purpose of this study was to evaluate sponsored social studies curriculum materials of a printed nature in terms of six criteria: Product Characteristics; Product Rationale; Antecedent Conditions; Cognitive Content; Affective Content; and Recommended Use. The study also examined business rationale for maintaining educational programs and expenditures for business support to education at all levels. Data in the study were gathered by surveying 113 businesses, 100 of which represented the top industrial corporations in the United States during the calendar year 1972. One hundred forty-three business, trade, and commercial associations were also surveyed since many areas of business rely on their associations to tell their story. A total of 261 printed social studies materials were made available by the respondents, fifty of which were selected for evaluation. These fifty items were evaluated by a six member committee of curriculum specialists who employed the forty-one variable jury-validated evaluation instrument. Data were analyzed by using computer programs designed specifically for this study to provide an item analysis, group mean, and standard deviation.