Teacher and Administrator Perceptions of Administrative Responsibilities for Implementing the Jacobs Model of Curriculum Mapping
Abstract
The problem that compelled this study is one faced by districts across the nation, which is the alignment of district curriculum with state standards and assessments. The Jacobs model of curriculum mapping was developed to address these alignment issues. The Jacobs model represents a large scale change initiative, and large scale reforms may be unsustainable if leaders misunderstand the magnitude of change and its impact on leadership. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore administrator and teacher perceptions of administrative responsibilities for implementing the Jacobs model of curriculum mapping in a rural Midwestern school and how administrative leadership impacted teacher perceptions of sustainability. The conceptual framework for this study was based on change theories in relation to the work of Fullan and Senge. Data were collected from multiple sources, including interviews with 25 teachers at the elementary, middle, and high school levels and 5 administrators at all instructional levels. Archival documents and artifacts from 5 school years were also collected. Single case data was inductively analyzed and coded into 3 frames of analysis, and a cross case analysis of patterns, relationships, and themes was conducted. The findings of this study identified leadership challenges that impeded sustainability. Results suggest that for large scale reform to be successful, leaders need to identify and address potential change barriers and assume non-traditional leadership roles and responsibilities. Implications for positive social change include raised teacher awareness about the need for curricular alignment with state standards and the importance of horizontal, vertical, and lateral collaboration to address curricular gaps and redundancies in order to improve student learning.
